When it comes to standing up to powerful corporations, there is strength in numbers. Consumers banding together is often the best way to make sure that corporate bad actors get the message that they cannot take advantage of North Carolina consumers.
For example, if a debt collection agency violates the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, chances are that the most an individual North Carolina resident may be able to claim is $1,000 plus compensation for attorney fees.
There may be some situations in which a victim could claim additional compensation, and $1,000 may be very helpful to the victim, but it may do little to deter a business which does not mind skirting the law.
On the other hand, in a class action suit, victims can work together to claim up to $500,000 from a collection agency as well as a reasonable attorney’s fee.
A $500,000 bill for engaging in harassing behavior or other unlawful debt collection actions tends to get a collection agency’s attention more easily than would an occasional $1,000 tab.
Class actions may help fight against other abusive practices
Likewise, North Carolina’s laws prohibiting deceptive practices in the marketplace allow victims to sue for damages plus attorney’s fees if a company violates these laws. Sometimes, consumers may even be entitled to three times the amount of their damages.
Nevertheless, in many cases, it may seem like one consumer can only do so much, particularly against a large corporation. This is another situation in which there is strength numbers, as enough victims with large enough claims can put a dent in even a large corporation’s bottom line.
Filing and pursuing a class action lawsuit may be a great way for a group of North Carolina consumers to hold businesses accountable to the law. However, this type of litigation is very complicated and is best handled by an experienced attorney.