Experienced Attorneys Protecting Consumers’ Rights
Consumers and borrowers of consumer credit have rights under both federal and New York state law. All too often, however, businesses and their employees choose to ignore consumers’ rights and subject them to unfair and illegal treatment. Consumer protection laws exist to ensure that you are treated fairly as a customer. Most people think that consumer protection laws just mean that companies can’t engage in deceptive practices like bait-and-switch. In reality, though, they are much more complex and cover a wide range of consumer activities. Unfortunately, most consumers are unaware of what protections they enjoy, which allows insidious companies to violate your rights without you knowing it. If you think some practice of a company is unfair, there is a good chance you are right. And the best way to find out is to consult with experienced consumer protection attorneys who can explain your rights to you.
Signs Your Rights Are Being Violated
It can be tricky to realize that your rights are being violated and that you should speak with consumer protection attorneys. Corporations know how to skirt consumer protection laws in subtle ways. But there are hints that you can watch out for. Contact consumer protection attorneys in western New York immediately if any of the following happen to you:
- A collection agency leaves recorded messages or is contacting you with recorded messages
- A collection agency is harassing you, especially if you requested contact to stop
- You believe there are errors on your credit report that you can’t get corrected
- You’ve been illegally charged for services you didn’t receive or approve
- You’ve received a summons for a lawsuit from a credit card company or a creditor
Any of these could represent an activity that violates consumer protection laws. Knowledgeable consumer protection attorneys will determine whether you have a valid claim and what compensation you can get for your claim.
Are You Being Harassed? Have You Been Sued? Does Your Credit Report Contain Errors?
In our consumer protection work, we represent consumers in a variety of different contexts. The following are among the most common types of cases we handle.
- Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): Are you being harassed by debt collectors? If so, we can make the phone calls stop, and may be able to pursue financial compensation for harassing letters and phone calls, including texting and cellphone harassment.
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): If errors on your credit report are making it harder for you to get a loan, we should be able to get the errors promptly corrected and may be able to get money damages for the harm that has been done to you.
- Credit card defense cases: If you have been served with a summons for a credit card lawsuit or discovered that a creditor has a default judgment against you, it is important for you to contact a lawyer as soon as possible to discuss defense strategies.
- Class action consumer protection cases: When a business acts illegally toward a large group of people, it may be possible to bring a class action lawsuit to stop the offending behavior and seek compensation.
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): If a business or collection agency is leaving recorded phone messages (robocalls) on your telephone answering machine, or if you hear a recording when you answer the phone, you may be entitled to compensation.
With the exception of some credit card defense cases, we are able to handle these cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay us nothing unless we are successful. In addition, if the other party is found to have violated the law, the court may require them to pay your fees.
To discuss your case with an experienced consumer protection attorney, contact us today.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Consumer Protection Attorney?
Most of our clients are hesitant to file a lawsuit because they are worried about the cost. Nobody wants to win a lawsuit only to spend more money on consumer protection attorneys than they got in recovery. That is something you don’t need to be concerned about when you hire the consumer protection attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller.
Except for some credit card cases, we take all of our consumer protection cases on contingency. This means that if you don’t win money, we don’t get paid. And even if you do win money, we will never get paid more than you win. Oftentimes, if we win a case, you won’t even pay us. The courts will order the other party to pay our fees.
Credit Card Cases
Credit card cases are the one major exception to our policy. Credit card cases often begin because you are in debt to a credit card company. These are often legitimate cases where a creditor is trying to recover money owed. In those cases, we charge fees for the defense in a normal manner.
However, there are credit card cases where your consumer rights are being violated. Your debt may have been illegally sold, or your credit card company may be using illegal tactics to pressure you into making payments. If our consumer protection lawyers identify that your rights are being violated, we will usually take your case on contingency.
What Can Consumer Protection Attorneys Do for You?
The first thing we will try to do for you is to end any harassment you are receiving. Nearly all consumer protection cases in western New York involve some form of harassment. Debt collectors have practically turned it into an art form, but they aren’t the only ones who harass our clients.
Usually, harassment will come in the form of:
- Repeated phone calls throughout the day
- Calls to your landlord or employer
- Constant text message
- Threatening messages
- The same bills repeatedly arrive in the mail
- Warnings of legal consequences (often false)
- Agents who come to your home
Our consumer protection attorneys will use all legal methods possible to end that harassment as soon as we take your case. And if we can’t end it, we can document it to strengthen your case. We can also help you change phone numbers or email addresses to prevent future harassment.
Getting You Compensation
While you are unlikely to suffer any significant expenses or losses due to violations of your consumer rights, you are still eligible for compensation. Consumer protection lawsuits can get punitive compensation for illegal activities. The more egregious the activities, the more you could get in recovery.
Additionally, if you suffered monetary losses due to a violation of your consumer rights, we will fight for recovery for that as well. This is most common when there are uncorrected errors in your credit report or harassment has resulted in you losing your job.
Affecting Future Behavior
Consumer protection lawsuits can also be used to change the behavior of malfeasant companies. As a result of your lawsuit, the party that violated your rights may be forced to change future policies or take actions that prevent rights violations in the future. This isn’t the kind of reward that you can put in your bank account, but it feels good when you cause a positive change.
Class Action Cases
Consumer protection violations rarely happen to just one person. If you’ve had your rights violated, there is a good chance that others have as well. When you get your free consultation from the Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, we will also evaluate whether you are eligible to take part in a class-action claim.
We keep track of the class action cases that are working through the legal system at any given time. If your case resembles a class-action case, we will make you aware and help you join the case if that is your wish. If you don’t wish to be part of a class-action suit, or if you don’t qualify for any class-action suits, we pursue your individual case.
The Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller PLLC
We have a legal team of dozens of consumer protection attorneys working with clients across Western New York. Our team has worked on hundreds of consumer protection cases in the past, bringing in millions of dollars in recovery for our clients.
One of the main reasons for our success is that we treat clients the way we would want our attorneys to treat us. When you retain a lawyer at the Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller, the same attorney works with you throughout every step of your case. You will never be shunted off to another attorney. Instead, you will receive compassionate and dedicated representation from a lawyer who knows every detail of your case.
And our services don’t stop when your case has been resolved. If you need additional legal services or resources to help you recover after your consumer protection case, we are ready to provide them. We believe that recovering money for you only matters if you have the opportunity to use it to make your life better.
Contact Our Consumer Protection Attorneys For A Free Consultation
Are you being treated unfairly by creditors, collection agencies, or other businesses? Don’t take it lying down. Retain consumer protection attorneys who are willing to fight for your rights, no matter how long it takes. Contact the Law Offices of Kenneth Hiller today to get your free consultation.
