(InvestigateTV) — Consumer problems — from debt collectors to disputes over products and services — can escalate quickly, and many people do not know they have legal rights or where to turn for help.
Consumer law attorney and author Danny Karon has spent more than 35 years representing people and teaching them about their rights.
“People who deserve the law the most, tend to get it the least,” Karon said.
Karon said a lack of legal wellness — knowing your rights and your options before trouble hits — can leave people unsure of what to do or where to start.
“What to do in an auto accident. How to handle traffic courts. Why you need a will and a trust. Liability waivers that are in contracts that we sign everyday. People don’t know the issues so they can’t possibly know the answers,” Karon said.
Christine Hines, senior policy director at the National Association of Consumer Advocates, said there are laws that give consumers specific rights in certain situations, including disputes involving credit reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
“This federal statute gives us rights when they get it wrong. The right to dispute, the right to go to court. So, it gives us very, very strong rights to ensure that we can seek some redress when we can’t do certain things because of that,” Hines said.
Another federal law experts often point to is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which sets rules for how debt collectors can contact consumers and what they can say.
For consumers who cannot afford an attorney, Karon outlined several options.
“You can call the Consumer Protection Bureau of your state attorney general’s office. You can call the Better Business Bureau. You can call a consumer class action lawyer and take steps to fix the situation on as broad of a scale as possible,” Karon said.
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