Understand Your Rights Under the Law in Texas
When you are facing credit card debt or medical bills, it can be hard enough to deal with your financial problems. Additionally, however, you are likely getting phone calls, letters and e-mails from collection agencies and other debt collectors who are trying to get payment from you and do not care about the reasons behind your inability to pay.
Many of these debt collectors are relentless and some of them break the law in their collection activities. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA") is a federal law that outlines what debt collectors can and cannot do when attempting to get payment on a consumer debt. Knowing your rights under the law is important and can save you a great deal of emotional stress.
I, Charles Nettles, Attorney at Law, can help you stop creditor harassment and file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. When you hire a bankruptcy lawyer, creditors are no longer able to contact you to obtain payments. Instead, they have to contact me about your debts and collection agencies know that they will not be able to get any money out of me.
Bankruptcy and Creditor Harassment
Filing for bankruptcy will create an "automatic stay" that prevents creditors from contacting you about your debts, whether it is via e-mail, phone or letter. It will also stop foreclosure proceedings and repossession attempts. Once your debts are discharged through Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you will no longer have to worry about creditors, which is a big weight off of your shoulders.
Even if you choose not to hire a lawyer and do not file for bankruptcy, however, the FDCPA can protect your rights against collection agencies. Under the law, collection agencies cannot:
- Call you after 9 PM or before 8 AM (or during the day if you work nights)
- Talk with neighbors, relatives or employers about your debts
- Use obscene or abusive language
- Threaten you with lawsuits, wage garnishment or other collection actions, unless they are able to and are planning to take these actions
- Threaten you or your family with physical violence
When creditors violate these and other guidelines in the FDCPA, it may be possible to hold the offending creditors liable in court for monetary damages. If you are being abused under the law, I can refer you to an attorney who can help you better understand your options under the law.
Learn More About Stopping Creditor Harassment
As a Board Certified attorney in Austin, Texas, I can help you stop creditor harassment through Chapter 7 bankruptcy. With over 25 years of legal experience, I am not afraid to protect your rights against collection agencies in Central Texas.
Contact my firm to learn more by sending me an e-mail or by calling my office at 512-443-5545 (toll free at 800-460-5555) for a free initial consultation.
I am a Board Certified Bankruptcy Attorney assisting Individuals and Small Businesses File Bankruptcy.
