New York Debt Defense Attorney

Consumer Protection Lawyers Near You

At this point, you may be wondering, "What is consumer law?" Consumer law generally refers to the laws protecting people with debt, credit, financing, and auto fraud problems from abuse, misconduct, and unfair practices. If you are experiencing a problem in one of these areas, Schlanger & Schlanger, LLP may be able to help: Our firm's mission is to counsel and defend clients whose consumer rights have been violated by a creditor, lender, collection agency, collection law firm, auto dealership, or other similar entity. Violation of your rights as a consumer can result in serious financial damages, including out of pocket costs, damage to your credit, pain and suffering, etc. The laws that apply to consumer debts and auto dealer misconduct are detailed and particular: in many instances, an experienced New York debt defense lawyer can spot defenses and claims of which general practitioners are not aware. If you are facing legal issues with your debt or auto financing problem, call our offices to find out how we can help.

Schlanger & Schlanger, LLP focuses on assisting clients throughout New York City, Long Island, and Westchester obtain justice and freedom from creditor abuse and harassment.

Cases Our Consumer Law Firm Handles:

• Lawsuits against abusive debt collectors, debt collection attorneys under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and other consumer protection statutes
• Lawsuits against auto dealers, auto finance and warranty companies for fraud in auto financing, undisclosed fees, and undisclosed accident damage, under the Truth In Lending Act and other consumer protection statutes.
• Defending collection actions for allegedly unpaid credit card debts, post-repossession auto loan deficiencies, medical bills and other consumer debts.
• Bankruptcies for consumer debtors.

Our team has deep experience in these areas of consumer law and handles each case on an individual basis. By providing personalized representation and approaching each case in a way that reflects that particular case's facts and that particular client's goals, we seek to maximize each client's results. Call us today to speak with an attorney regarding your debt or auto fraud problem.

Protecting Consumers from Abusive Acts

Your rights as a consumer protect you from being mistreated or taken advantage of by creditors and debt collection agencies alike. Our firm uses federal and state statutes to handle our clients' cases. One consumer statute we commonly use to help our clients is the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This act protects consumers from unfair or deceptive collection tactics used by abusive debt collectors. For example, the FDCPA protects against collectors continuous /harassing phone calls, are requires that collectors follow strict guidelines regarding their communication with consumers. The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) also provides important protections. For example, in the credit card context a subsection of the law known as the Fair Credit Billing Act, provides a specific, fair procedure for dealing with disputed credit card charges, including the requirement that the credit card company conduct a reasonable investigation of the dispute before reaching a decision. In the auto fraud context, TILA is particularly important, as it requires full disclosure of loan terms, and the true costs of financing, as well as accurate disclosure of interest so that consumers are not victimized by auto dealer deception relating to financing, bogus fees and charges, forced placement of warranties, and the like.

Our firm strives to provide the best in consumer protection, which includes defending collection actions, bringing individual FDCPA and auto fraud cases on behalf of individuals, and representing clients who choose to pursue consumer class actions. We also counsel and represent individuals and families suffering from extreme debt. If you debt that is far beyond your ability to pay down within a reasonable time, your best option for relief may be bankruptcy for consumer debtors. An attorney (not a paralegal, as with some bankruptcy firms) will examine your situation to determine whether you are eligible for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, if you are eligible to file at all. You must have little to no income at all to file under Chapter 7 and liquidate your assets. If you have a steady income, but still cannot afford your monthly payments, you may be able to negotiate a repayment plan under Chapter 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

There are often alternatives to bankruptcy that are equally or more viable. Debt negotiation refers to the process of negotiating your debts with your creditors and/or the debt collectors and debt collection law firms that are attempting to collect on their behalf. With proper representation, you may be able to modify your loans and reduce the amount owed to your creditors even if they are taking a "hard line" in your current conversations with them. A successful debt resolution through negotiation can result in monthly payments you can afford again (or even, in some cases, elimination of the debt entirely) and can be a critical component in helping a consumer to avoid bankruptcy and the credit score damage that is usually involved. Our firm's debt defense lawyers regularly negotiate with creditors to achieve our clients' goals without bankruptcy or litigation.

Contact a Consumer Law Attorney in New York, NY

Seeking justice or compensation for abusive treatment by creditors, collection law firms or auto dealers is extremely difficult without adequate legal representation. Make sure you hire a lawyer with experience and a record for success. Contact our firm to schedule your free initial telephone consultation with a member of our legal team.