Your Consumer Rights

Nationwide Consumer Rights and Class Action Lawsuits
Phone: 630-333-0000

The area of law known as “consumer rights” covers a wide range of rights protecting individuals who purchase goods or services. Consumer rights can be difficult to enforce, as people often find themselves facing a much larger, better funded adversary, but the law has provided means for consumers to stand up against fraud and other unlawful acts. Businesses take claims made using these methods very seriously, as they can result in substantial monetary recoveries for plaintiffs. Our team of Chicago consumer rights lawyers believes strongly in helping protect and enforce these laws.

Consumer Rights Laws Defined

Individuals who are seeking to purchase good or services, known as “consumers,” have the right to know that the goods or services are of a particular level of quality and are reasonably free from defects. They also have a right to accurate information about their purchases, a right to truthful reporting of their credit information, and freedom from unreasonable or harassing debt collection. Statutes at the state and federal level give consumers remedies against individuals and businesses that engage in specific types of fraud or unfair acts, and common law remedies may exist for other situations. The purpose of many of these laws is to provide individual consumers, who may believe they lack the resources to take on a large company, with a reasonable opportunity to present their claims in a court of law.

Consumer Protection Statutes

Several state laws protect Illinois consumers from fraudulent or deceptive business practices. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act prohibit businesses from making false or misleading claims to consumers, misrepresenting the quality or nature of their goods, and a wide range of other deceptive acts. The statutes give consumers a means of recovering damages if they suffer damages because of a company’s deceit. They apply in almost any situation where a consumer seeks to purchase goods or services from an individual or business. Some statutes also provide protection to consumers for specific types of transactions.

Other Consumer Statutes

Statutes at the state and federal level protect consumers from fraudulent or deceptive practices in specific industries. This may include auto and RV dealers, healthcare products, insurance, and mortgage services. Other laws provide protection in credit reporting, debt collection, late fees, online privacy, and overtime pay. Each of these laws responds to a specific need or type of fraud that can harm consumers. Based in the Chicago area, our consumer rights lawyers can help determine whether a specific statute applies to your situation and see if you can bring a claim.

Class Actions

Many consumer claims are relatively small, with damages in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. While this is certainly a large amount to the consumer, taking the claim to court may cost more than the consumer can afford, and some business rely on claimants giving up in despair. Class action lawsuits allow similarly situated people to combine their claims and file a lawsuit together. If several hundred claims for a thousand dollars were to become a single claim for hundreds of thousands of dollars, businesses could not ignore those claimants.

The Chicago consumer rights attorneys at Nationwide Consumer Rights bring decades of experience with consumer rights litigation and class actions. We have dedicated our practice to exposing rip-offs and frauds and protecting the rights of consumers around the country. To schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our attorneys, please contact us online or at 630-333-0000.

Source: Illinois Code Chapter 815 (via Justia).