Class action lawsuits are an important means of protecting consumer rights against widespread, systematic abuses by corporations. Class actions allow one person harmed by an unlawful activity to: (1) force the wrongdoer to stop; and (2) obtain monetary relief not only for themselves, but also for other people harmed by the same unlawful practice.

Class actions are an effective way to deter and remedy many types of corporate abuses. They are especially well suited to situations in which the dollar value of any one person’s claim is small, but hundreds or thousands of others have also been harmed by the same practice. Some examples of this type of repeated, systematic wrongdoing may include:

• Overcharging of fees or other amounts by debt collectors and collection law firms;
• Systematic misrepresentations by debt collectors in the course of trying to collect debts; e.g., using misleading language in collection letters;
• Failure of credit reporting agencies, debt collectors, or lenders to provide information to consumers to which they are legally entitled;
• Repeated, unauthorized, automated telephone calls to consumers’ cell phones;
• Collection attorneys filing lawsuits in the wrong court or against persons not obligated to pay on the account;
• Mortgage servicers charging for unnecessary force-placed insurance or collecting other unlawful fees;
• Employers systematically failing to credit and pay hourly employees for all hours worked;
• Many types of systematic discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, or national origin in the making of lending, credit, housing, or employment decisions.

Westbrook Law PLLC is experienced in class action litigation, including representing classes of consumers. If you think you may have discovered an unlawful practice that you suspect is widespread or systematic, please contact us for a free consultation.