Consumer Archives - smithdietrich.com

The car I bought doesn’t work – now what?

Maybe this sounds familiar: After looking cars over at the dealership, you set your eyes on what seemed like a great vehicle. So, you signed paperwork the dealer put in front of you and bought it. Everything felt right and you drove off the lot.

Later, the car turns out to be not so good. You contact the dealer and ask them to fix a problem you didn’t know about at the time of sale. Maybe the dealer won’t return your calls, or maybe you take the vehicle back for work but the dealer won’t get it done. Or, maybe the dealer tells you it’s a used car, so none of the problems are their responsibility.

Many buyers are unfamiliar with important legal rules about what happens when the vehicle isn’t what it seemed. If you have a vehicle that doesn’t live up to its sales pitch, and you’re struggling to get the dealer to fix the problem, contact us to see what we might be able to do. We have assisted many clients with disputes about defective vehicles (including warranty disputes, lemon law claims, and more). Often we are able to recover damages for our clients and our attorney’s fee from the dealer if we take a case, meaning the client doesn’t have to pay us for our time up front.

Each case is fact specific and we can only advise you about your options once we review all the relevant documents about your sale. Laws about auto sales can be complicated, and our firm’s consumer protection attorneys can carefully review your paperwork to check whether your dealer may owe you damages.

Consumer

Consumer Class Action Cases

Smith & Dietrich represents consumer clients in class action lawsuits in state and federal courts. In appropriate cases, we partner with larger law firms located throughout the United States to deliver excellent representation for class action plaintiffs, sometimes known as class representatives.

A “class action” is a legal action that allows representative plaintiffs to sue on behalf of themselves and groups of similarly situated claimants. Class actions can be a great tool to bring consumer cases involving many plaintiffs with relatively small, but similar damage claims. A class action may make it economical to bring claims that would not otherwise be litigated because each individual’s damages may be relatively low, and may force defendants to answer for harmful conduct that might otherwise have no legal consequence for them.

Currently our firm is involved in several class action lawsuits concerning banking practices. We are among the counsel representing plaintiffs suing multiple credit unions alleging expensive overdraft and/or NSF charges wrongfully imposed on everyday transactions. We are also involved in another class action case alleging that a credit union wrongfully charged borrowers for expensive “force placed” auto insurance.

We also have an active Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action practice where we seek consumer compensation for annoying and unlawful robocalls and similar telephone harassment. Because telemarketers are known to place huge numbers of calls to many members of the public, TCPA claims may be well suited for class action treatment.

All of our class action cases started with individual Smith & Dietrich clients bringing important legal claims to our attention. We evaluate all potential consumer claims for class action suitability, and in appropriate cases we may recommend that litigation strategy. Contact us today to evaluate your consumer claims.

Consumer, Financial Institutions

Active investigation: Wrongful overdraft and NSF fees

Have you been charged overdraft fees for a non-recurring debit card transaction or ATM withdrawal, despite never opting in to overdraft coverage with your financial institution? Have you been charged insufficient funds (NSF) or overdraft fees, even though you should have had sufficient funds in your account to cover the transaction in question? Our law firm wants to hear from you.

Consumers can fight back when their credit union or other financial institution wrongfully charges fees, such as for overdrafts or NSF transactions. Did you know the Federal Reserve requires consumers to opt-in for overdraft coverage for ATM and non-recurring debit transactions? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (pages 8-9) has found that certain financial institutions engaged in unfair or deceptive conduct by failing to fully disclose when and how an account enters overdraft status. Smith & Dietrich Law Offices, PLLC is currently investigating claims of wrongful overdraft and NSF fee charges by Washington credit unions and other financial institutions. We would like to hear from consumers who believe their rights have been violated.

Please note that while we welcome the opportunity to speak with you, this post is not suggesting that your bank or credit union has necessarily violated any law or your rights. We are conducting an investigation and only after a thorough review of your situation can we address whether you were improperly charged NSF or overdraft fees. Because each consumer’s situation is potentially fact-specific, we would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you about your concerns, your rights, and your available options.

Consumer, Lemon Law

Don’t Be Taken for a Ride: Getting the Relief You Need in a Lemon Law Case

Maybe this scenario sounds familiar: someone you know spends thousands of dollars, perhaps financed with a loan at a high interest rate, to buy an exciting new car. Sadly, though, the excitement is short-lived, since the vehicle promptly begins to experience a seemingly endless series of mechanical problems. The warranty service provider does not know what to say about the vehicle; it’s just one of those unfortunate “lemons.” What options are available for this frustrated car owner?

The good news is that Washington has a “Lemon Law” that protects car buyers in certain situations. By law, the manufacturer has to honor a consumer’s demand to repurchase or replace their vehicle if it meets the legal standard of a lemon. To have a winning claim, the car owner must generally begin to experience problems with the vehicle early—within the first two years or 24,000 miles after the original sale. The law defines four specific lemon law claims that trigger repurchase or replacement by the vehicle’s manufacturer. Read more about the specific types of lemon law claims on pages 3-4 in this brochure provided by the Washington Attorney General’s Office.

If you or someone you know is dealing with a suspected lemon law case, a consumer protection attorney should be able to help you understand your options, value your claim, and protect your interests. If you plan to seek a repurchase or replacement of your vehicle, an attorney can help present your case to the manufacturer or arbitrator.

Our firm has experience serving consumers with lemon law claims. Contact us for a free initial consultation if you would like to discuss your rights concerning a potential lemon. Certain special remedies may be available for owners of specific vehicles covered by class-action settlements; for example, you may have up to six years to pursue a claim for repurchase or replacement of the following Ford vehicles equipped with a PowerShift Transmission if they were originally sold in the United States and its territories:

2011-2016 Ford Fiesta;
2012-2016 Ford Focus.

If you are having problems with a suspected lemon, especially if it is a Ford vehicle listed above, contact us today to discuss your rights.

Consumer

Frequently Asked Questions: For Consumers Facing Debt Collection

Help, I’ve Been Sued by a Debt Collector! What Should I Do?

The highly profitable debt collection industry is dedicated to buying (typically for pennies on the dollar) and collecting on consumer debts like credit card accounts, club or HOA membership fees, or even outstanding parking tickets or court fees. If you are sued by a debt collector claiming the right to collect on a debt you owe, you may have a defense against the case. Defenses can include, for example, lack of proper service of process, mistaken identity, lack of standing to sue you, time-barred debts, or that the claimed amount is incorrect. You may also have additional defenses or even claims of your own against the debt collector if your debt collector violates laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act or related state laws.

Unfortunately, many consumers fail to timely respond to a debt-collection lawsuit, leading to entry of a default judgment against them. Once it is entered, a default judgment can allow the debt collector to garnish the defendant’s wages or bank account, or collect on the judgment by seizing other assets. It is possible to ask the court to set aside a default judgment under certain circumstances, but for best results, the defendant should appear in the case and file an answer to the complaint by the deadline listed in the summons.

To prevent entry of a default judgment and ensure you have the best chance of protecting your rights, you should discuss the situation with an attorney promptly after you learn of a debt-collection lawsuit filed against you.

I Haven’t Heard about any Lawsuit against Me, but a Debt Collector Claims I Owe Them Money.

If a debt collector contacts you, before you say the debt is yours (which could affect your rights in defending against the claim), you have the right to review validation of the debt. You should obtain the name and mailing address of the debt collector if you are contacted by telephone and keep this information handy.

Debt collectors and creditors can make mistakes, so it’s important to verify any information about a debt you supposedly owe. By law, debt collectors are required to give you validation of the debt either in your initial communication with them, or within five days of their first contact with you about the account (unless the debt has already been paid). These rules come from the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Validation has to include the amount owed, name of the creditor, and three statements— that: 1) unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector; 2) if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within thirty days that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector; and 3) that if the consumer requests it in writing within 30 days, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor. The validation letter gives the consumer a chance to dispute the claimed debt, if the debt collector’s information is wholly or partially inaccurate.

If you don’t receive validation of the debt during or shortly after your first contact with the debt collector, you may send them a written request for validation. If you have questions about whether a debt collector has acted inappropriately in attempting to collect a debt, you should discuss the situation promptly with an attorney familiar with consumer protection laws. An attorney may be able to help you dispute the validity of a debt if you act promptly, within the 30-day period after receiving a validation letter.

How Do I Know if a Debt Collector Has Violated the Law?

Consumer protection laws governing debt collection can be complex to understand and apply. You should discuss your situation with an attorney familiar with consumer protection laws to understand your rights and options for addressing legal claims against debt collectors who violate your rights.

Some of the key rules applicable to debt collectors are listed in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Washington statutes governing debt collection agencies. For example, they may not:

Collect any amount unless authorized by law and/or by agreement (for example, in a credit card agreement you signed);
In most circumstances, contact third parties like your friends or family members about your alleged debt, unless you authorize such communications;
Engage in harassment or abuse, make false or misleading misrepresentations, or use unfair or unconscionable means to collect a debt.

An attorney can help you understand how the laws apply to the specific facts of your situation.

Will It Cost Me to Discuss My Debt Defense Case with an Attorney?

Generally, attorneys at our law firm offer potential clients a free initial consultation. If you are facing a lawsuit by a debt collector, we may be able to offer you representation for your defense. And if your rights were violated by a debt collector, we may be able to offer you a contingent fee representation for any claims you have under consumer protection laws.

Because a consumer who wins a case under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and related law is generally entitled to receive their attorney fees from the losing party, our firm can represent clients in those cases without having to charge you up front for our attorney’s fee. Please contact us if you would like to discuss your defense in a debt collection case, or your rights as a consumer in the debt collection process.