In Mississippi, there are both state and federal laws that protect you as a consumer. Consumer purchases, credit, and even marketing calls are all tightly regulated. As a consumer, you have legal rights under the law, and you can sue when they have been violated. Not only do you want the illegal practices to stop, but you may also want financial compensation for what you endured when the business broke the law.
Businesses will not listen or respect you when you try to stand up to them on your own. You need a consumer protection attorney’s help. You may be unable to pinpoint exactly how they are breaking the law. A business that employs illegal practices is not exactly about to stop just because a customer tells them. In many cases, bad actors only respond when they hear from an experienced lawyer who knows exactly what they did wrong. If not, these businesses can face a lawsuit. Many consumer protection lawsuits end up as large class actions, costing companies tens of millions of dollars.
Consumer Laws That Protect You
Here are some of the relevant consumer laws that protect you from illegal business practices:
- The Mississippi Consumer Protection Act allows you to file a lawsuit against a business when they have used illegal practices to sell you something and you have suffered an ascertainable financial loss.
- The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires accuracy and transparency in credit reporting, and it restricts the purposes for which your credit report may be used.
- The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act places limits on what debt collectors may do to contact you and collect the debt.
- The Telephone Consumer Protection Act prohibits telemarketers from contacting you when you are on the Do-Not-Call list.
Many consumer protection laws do not require you to prove that the defendant had any intent to break the law. All you need to do is prove that they violated the law, and they may become liable in a lawsuit. Nonetheless, you must go through the lawsuit process to get compensation for what you have endured.
Damages You Can Get in a Consumer Law Case
The amount of money that you may recover in a consumer lawsuit may vary based on the harm that you have suffered. Consumer lawsuits often become class action cases because scores of people suffered in the same way that you did. However, you can file a lawsuit on your own when you have been the victim of illegal business practices.
If you file and win a lawsuit, you could receive a number of types of damages. First, many laws specify a statutory penalty each time the defendant breaks the law. Second, you can be made whole when their actions have impacted you financially. Finally, you might even recover from the ordeal to which you have been subjected.
