Cap1/Collections/Merging

Hello everyone! I must start out like everyone and say how much I have learned lurking around the board for the last 3 months. I have gotten a good hold on my situation for the most part, and have learned INVALUBLE lessons on how to go about changing my <bad> situation.

Here is a question I have. I have (3) Cap1 accounts(you all know the story, "No we can't increase your credit line, but here is 2 more cards with multiple fee's that you CAN have".

Well 2 of the accounts are in collection, because of the fee's that have added up, they are at $1000 (original credit limit - $500).

The perfect senario would be to combine all three accounts into one good one and pay (I can pay all three original balances to zero) the original balances.

Now, does anyone know if Cap1 can get an account back, after it goes to the land of collections?

Also, would I be better off trying to deal with the collection agencies, and paying the old accounts, with(of course) an offer to pay with deletion of account from credit file?

Please let me know if you have been in the same situation. I am sure that with the fees/practices it has to have happened before.

Thanks again for all the help I have leached off the board in the past, this has to be BAR NONE, the most useful resource in the credit war!

Thanks


Brian