Consumer Class Actions

Various state and federal laws exist to protect consumers from being unfairly taken advantage of by those engaged in providing products or services.  A class action allows an individual consumer or business to file a complaint on behalf of all others injured by a particular behavior or product.  Class actions allow groups to pursue claims that would otherwise be too expensive, or too small to pursue on an individual basis.  In many cases, particularly against large companies, the only reasonable way for consumers to protect their rights is through a class action.    
Typically, consumer class actions involve misconduct such as the use of fraud, improper billing, illegal contract terms, or other business practices that mislead consumers for the purpose of profiting at the expense of consumers.  This kind of misconduct, even when done on a small scale can lead to large profits for a company, while leaving those injured feeling as though the wrong was too small to file a lawsuit over.  Examples of misconduct which can form the basis for a class action are: deceptive sales practices (including false advertising, bait-and switch tactics, and improper practices in the sale of insurance contracts); illegal charges when billing consumers; illegal waiver of rights provisions in form contracts; and other unfair contract provisions in contracts given to consumers.  When a party or parties engage in strategies to harm consumers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and throughout the country, a Locks Law Firm Consumer Class Action Attorney can help the victims obtain compensation for their losses.  

Deceptive Sales Practices

A deceptive sales practice is one that misleads consumers, and can include such things as the use of false advertising and misrepresentations in connection with the sale of merchandise or other products.  Examples may include the use of false and misleading advertising in the sale of diet and weight loss products or supplements or failing to provide required disclosures when selling consumers automobile insurance. Consumer Class Action Lawyers at the Locks Law Firm represent groups of individual people and businesses in consumer class actions across the country to obtain compensation for the financial harms caused by deceptive sales practices.

Illegal Charges to Consumers

Unfortunately, large corporations, including banks, gyms, credit card companies, cell phone and cable internet providers sometimes charge consumers monthly fees or penalties that were not disclosed to consumers prior to the charge, or are prohibited by various state and federal laws.  Such unauthorized or illegal charges can add up over time having a negative financial impact on consumers while allowing businesses to reap significant profits.  Consumer Class Action Lawyers at the Locks Law Firm represent groups of consumers, including individual people and businesses, across the country that have been financially harmed by such illegal charges.

Illegal Waiver of Rights Provisions

Different state and federal laws provide that when signing a contract or other agreement, consumers cannot waive certain rights.  Many businesses, particularly those serving consumers use “form contracts” which are pre-printed and provided to consumers with no chance to negotiate their terms.  One of the problems with form contracts is that businesses often include terms in the fine print which claim to require consumers to give up their rights under the law.  Depending on the applicable law, examples of illegal waiver of rights provisions may include such things as requiring a consumer to give up the right to file a lawsuit in the event the consumer is injured or requiring a consumer to “indemnify” or repay the company in the event the company is found responsible for someone else’s injuries.  Consumer Class Action Lawyers at the Locks Law Firm represent groups of consumers, including groups of individuals and businesses across the country that have been harmed by agreeing to sign illegal waiver of rights provisions in consumer contracts for goods or services.

Unfair Contract Provisions

Although a contract provision may not be illegal, it may still be considered so unfair to consumers as to be unenforceable.  Examples of unfair contract provisions may include hidden costs and fees to the consumer as well as excessive “liquidated damages” provisions – which require a consumer to pay an automatic amount of damages to the business in the event the consumer breaks the contract, whether by failing to pay on time, or by bouncing a check.    Consumer Class Action Lawyers at the Locks Law Firm represent groups of consumers, including individual people and businesses, across the country that have been harmed by agreeing to and signing unfair contract provisions.

Representative Cases

The Locks Law Firm has handled or is currently involved in consumer class actions against major companies such as Apple, AT&T, J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Prudential Insurance Co., GEICO, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Bank One, Rent-A-Center, Lumber Liquidators, Sears, Public Storage, Laffey Fine Homes and Weichert Realtors. . Below is a list of recent representative cases in which Consumer Class Action Lawyers at the Locks Law Firm have obtained settlements on behalf of classes of consumers who have been injured by corporate wrongdoing.

• Schiffman v. Liberty Mutual - $1.5 million dollar settlement, all payable to the class members, of a claim alleging failure of an insurer to appropriately provide rental coverage after motor vehicle accidents.

• Zayas v. Power Windows & Siding & Gutter Power - Class action settlement arising out of a consumer contract which contained illegal fee shifting provision in a form contract.

• Kepler v. Weichert Co. - $1,906,625 class action settlement arising out of Defendant's contract, which contained an illegal fee shifting provision.

• Globe v. Allstate Ins. Co. – Over $1 million class action settlement involving improper reimbursement payments for durable medical equipment supplies.

• Globe v. GEICO – Over $1 million class action settlement similar to the Globe v. Allstate case.

• White and Jackson-Daniels v. First Advantage SafeRent, Inc. - $1.9 Million dollar settlement of a class action on behalf of New York City tenants based upon Defendant's preparation of tenant screening reports which only disclosed tenants had been sued by previous landlords without reporting the outcome of those cases.  

• Weber v. GEICO - Class action settlement requiring GEICO to reform New Jersey automobile insurance policies to contain $250,000 if GEICO did not have a signed coverage selection form from an insured.

• Oravsky v. Encompass - Class Action settlement providing for the payment of medical bills related to motor vehicle accidents of up to $250,000 for insureds with Personal Injury Protection limits under $250,000 if Defendant did not have a signed Coverage Selection form for the insured.

• Edwards v. 21st Century Insurance Co. - Class action settlement requiring 21st Century to reform New Jersey automobile insurance policies to contain $250,000 if 21st Century did not have a signed coverage selection form from an insured.

Contact a Locks Law Firm Consumer Class Action Lawyer

If you believe you have been the victim of deceptive sales practices, illegal charges, illegal waiver of right provisions or other unfair contract provisions in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania or across the country, a Consumer Class Action attorney at the Locks Law Firm may be able to help you.  The Locks Law Firm has successfully obtained recoveries in consumer class action lawsuits on behalf of clients from California to Texas to Florida to Connecticut to Massachusetts, as well as in numerous cases in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Contact a Consumer Class Action Lawyer in the New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania Offices of the Locks Law Firm today to schedule a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation.