Credit reporting errors can have a significant impact on a person’s financial stability and future. Whether the error is an error in a report used for loan funding, insurance, employment or even criminal background checks, the impact can be severe and lasting. That’s why a consumer attorney that can handle credit reporting violations is essential. An FCRA consumer attorney can protect your rights, correct inaccuracies and prevent credit reporting issues in the future.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs credit reports, background checks and many other reports containing information about individuals. The law prohibits companies that prepare these reports from using inaccurate or incomplete information about consumers. It also limits access to these reports and requires that CRAs follow reasonable procedures for accuracy. The FCRA also provides a range of other consumer protections and allows consumers to sue for damages when their rights are violated.
A Washington consumer attorney who handles FCRA cases can help individuals navigate this complex area of law and fight for their rights. These attorneys often represent clients on a contingency basis and are experienced in litigating these claims at the federal, state and local levels.
Inaccurate credit and background reports can interfere with a person’s ability to obtain loans, get a job or rent an apartment. Creditors, insurers and employers rely heavily on these reports when making lending, hiring and firing decisions. When errors mar a person’s credit report, those mistakes can have a lasting effect on their financial life and may prevent them from attaining the opportunities they deserve.
An FCRA consumer attorney can ensure that the CRAs and other entities with whom they do business comply with the laws of the FCRA and avoid legal liability. In the event that a person can prove that an entity violated their rights under the FCRA, they can recover both actual and statutory damages. These damages include any losses that can be proven in court, such as the cost of a higher interest rate or lost wages due to being denied a loan or fired from a job. In addition to these monetary damages, consumers can seek punitive damages when they can show that the entity acted with malice or willful disregard for the law.
Depending on the circumstances and severity of a consumer’s case, an FCRA attorney can help them seek the compensation they deserve. If a person can show that an entity violated their rights under the statute, they may be able to recover a substantial award in addition to attorney’s fees and costs.
Penny Hays Cauley is an attorney who focuses on representing consumers in cases brought under the FCRA, FDCPA, TCPA and RESPA. Her firm has been a class action counsel in some of the largest FCRA cases certified to date, including Jamon Brim v. Midland Credit Management, Inc. She is the co-author of the book “Consumer Legal Remedies” and has lectured extensively on consumer litigation issues. She graduated from Samford University and has been in private practice for twenty years.