Consumer Protection Lawyer in Bozeman & Missoula
The old saying goes, “When there’s a will, there’s a way.” This is the perspective many parties with ulterior motives seem to embrace based on the way they treat their customers.
This isn’t an approach that any Bozeman or Missoula consumer protection lawyer in our office stands for, though.
We don’t believe organizations, companies, or government agencies should be allowed to take advantage of others and face no consequences for doing so. So, if a person or entity has engaged in deceptive, unfair, or otherwise inappropriate or unlawful actions, contact our law firm to discuss it during a consultation so we can advise you of your rights.
How Companies Take Advantage of Their Customers
Attorneys like ours handle all types of cases in which consumers are subjected to underhanded or illegal practices by companies:
- A home is wrongfully foreclosed upon
- A business uses deceptive tactics, such as an approach called bait and switch
- The agent uses unauthorized or downright fraudulent debt collection strategies
- Government officials act unlawfully or wastefully spend taxpayer money
- Assessment of unwarranted or undisclosed fees
- A data breach at a bank, retailer, or medical care facility
- False advertising, where a misrepresentation of quality or features occurs
- Breach of warranty
- Automobile fraud, such as the sale of lemon cars or odometer rollbacks
- The peddling of a known unsafe product or service occurs
In addition to advocating on behalf of individual customers, our legal team at Western Justice Associates also represents groups of consumers in class action lawsuits when they’ve been harmed by unfair or negligent corporate practices.
Laws That Protect Consumers From Harm
Many state and federal laws protect customers from harm. Some of the more notable ones include:
- The Montana Consumer Protection Act: This specific statute aims to protect consumers from both deceptive and unfair conduct by imposing penalties upon those who engage in these types of acts.
- The Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act: This law requires businesses to identify and honor consumer browser settings, known as Global Privacy Controls (GPC), which allows them to opt in or out of certain types of data processing.
- Fair Credit Reporting Act: This law restricts access to information collected by credit bureaus, medical companies, tenant screening programs, and other consumer reporting agencies. This law exists to ensure that only those with a valid purpose can gain access to the information and that when they do so, it’s accurate.
- The Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: This law restricts debt collection agencies from using abusive or deceptive tactics to collect debts.
- The Federal Truth in Lending Act: This law established not only a standardized method for tabulating the cost of credit but also procedures for addressing billing errors on certain types of credit accounts. This law also made it necessary for lenders to supply borrowers with certain disclosures outlining their rights and responsibilities when extending credit to them.
- The Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act: This law extends certain rights and remedies regarding warranties when consumers purchase products. Once this Act went into effect, it became necessary for clearer disclosure of warranty terms. Additionally, federal minimum standards applicable to warranties and other restrictions began to apply.
Many other laws apply to specific products and circumstances. It’s in your best interest to consult with a Bozeman or Missoula consumer protection lawyer who regularly handles cases like these to advise you of the relevance of particular statutes to your unique case.
What To Do if You Suspect a Company Violated Your Rights
If you’re unsure if you have a claim or you’ve reported impropriety and haven’t achieved any resolution to your concerns, turning to a Bozeman consumer protection lawyer like ours might be in your best interest.
Just keep in mind that claims filed under the Montana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act are subject to a 2-year statute of limitations. An attorney here at Western Justice Associates, PLLC can advise you whether violations of other laws carry different filing timelines. If you don’t file within that time frame, you may be ineligible to recover any compensation that you may qualify for.
Any work you decide to do with our law firm begins with you sitting down with an attorney for a free consultation. Simply call or fill out our online form to schedule that meeting at a time that’s convenient for you.