An Ohio woman is suing the owner of a local auto detailing business for a Portfolio Recovery lawsuit. Shari L. of Ohio has filed a Proposed Class Action lawsuit, claiming that the business routinely placed robocalls to her home phone number without her permission. Shari’s husband informed the company that Shari was on vacation, but continued to get phone calls at her home number for several weeks after their vacation. This lawsuit was filed in Columbus County Probate Court.
Lead plaintiff Shari lives in Ohio, but works out of Texas and New York City. She is also a customer of this local auto dealer, which is located near her home. Shari said that she was unaware of the robocall problem until it became apparent that no one from the company was available to answer her questions about the business and about auto detailing in general.
When Shari complained to one of the local managers, the manager responded with accusations of being a “fat-head”, and with a demeaning nickname for Shari, and repeated attempts to call Shari on the company’s voicemail. The manager also said that Shari was always late, but didn’t want to take the company’s word for it. The manager eventually told Shari that she had to give up her car detailing business and stop calling the store.
When the lawsuit was filed in court, Shari was surprised at how aggressive the dealership was in responding. The dealership’s general counsel, and even the lead plaintiff herself, insisted on meeting with Shari to try and resolve the dispute. Shari declined these meetings, because she was unfamiliar with the legalities of a lawsuit and assumed they were for the benefit of the company.
Shari said that the dealership would not even acknowledge her when she contacted them after the lawsuits were filed. After several days of this type of behavior by the dealership, Shari contacted a local attorney and he filed a complaint against the dealership for violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Shari then asked the local prosecutor to file a Portfolio recovery lawsuit against the dealership.
The Ohio District Attorney’s Office is currently investigating Shari’s case. Shari said that she will be filing a Proposed Class Action lawsuit against the dealership on behalf of all persons affected by the abusive practices of the business. This lawsuit would seek compensation for any financial losses and emotional distress suffered as a result of the dealership’s illegal practices. She is also seeking damages for emotional and mental anguish suffered as a result of the unwanted calls. Shari is represented by attorney John H. Stokes of Columbus.
Shari was recently asked by the judge on her case whether she was willing to settle out of court, or if she wanted to move forward with a lawsuit. She said she would not be participating in any negotiations over the phone. She was also wary of the dealership representatives’ offer to pay a settlement amount without ever speaking to the case directly. Instead, Shari told the attorney she would have to speak directly with the dealership in order to fully review the case and decide whether or not the case was worth pursuing.
It is expected that the case will be heard in court within a month. It is not known how long this case may take to conclude.
If you are a person who has been a victim of a dealership’s unlawful behavior, it is highly recommended that you contact a skilled Portfolio Recovery attorney as soon as possible. There are many attorneys who specialize in handling such cases.
Before contacting a litigation attorney, it is important to get an accurate assessment of the status of your case from a qualified professional. An experienced attorney can assist you in developing a case plan to maximize your chances of success.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of dealership misconduct, it is highly recommended that you contact a Portfolio Recovery lawyer immediately. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, please visit the website below.
