Consumer Protection Archives | The Green Law Office

Suing Contractors Revisited – Lawsuits Against Contractor Bonds

Contractors in Spokane, WA are still completing work on homes, roofs and fences after last year’s windstorm. And some people are starting to realize that the work done by their contractor is defective, that the construction contract was breached, or that the contractor just didn’t to the work they promised. Disputes with contractors can be difficult to resolve, and the Green Law Office can help you negotiate your claim against a contractor either by working towards a settlement with your contractor and his insurance company, or by filing a lawsuit against your contractor and their contractor’s bond.Continue reading

Suing a Contractor in Spokane: How a Consumer Protection Lawyer Can Help

When a contractor has breached his construction contract by either failing to complete a job or by negligently doing the work, homeowners are left with a difficult decision about how to proceed. Even homeowners who checked out the contractors – their licenses, insurance and references – can be surprised with defective work, or an abandoned job. Should the homeowner sue the contractor? If so, in what court? What about the contractor’s insurance or bond? There are a lot of details that can make the difference between seeing compensation and an unsuccessful claim. A knowledgeable consumer protection lawyer with experience in construction claims can help. Alan Green is a consumer protection attorney in Spokane that has experience in all manner of construction claims and lawsuits.Continue reading

Consumer Protection Attorney: Suing a contractor in Spokane

Do you need a consumer protection attorney? Summer is winding down. So are all those summer projects – new addition to the house, new fence, new bathroom, retaining wall, etc. And now that those projects are winding down, maybe you are realizing that the “great guy your friend’s friend used” maybe wasn’t all that great. But hey, you’re reasonable, so you called him up and calmly relayed your concerns. After all, you paid a lot of money, did your research and used a bonded and insured contractor, surely you can work this out. But he won’t return your calls. So now what?

Once telephone calls, emails and letters fail to get the results you need, its time to advance to the next step: hiring a competent and knowledgeable consumer protection attorney. A good consumer protection attorney can help you evaluate which of the many causes of action you may be able to pursue against the contractor. Additionally, a good consumer protection attorney can help you go after the contractor’s insurance company and bond, as well as their business and/or personal assets.Continue reading

Do You Need a Lawyer to Deal With the Insurance Company?

We all would like to think that our insurance company is looking out for our best interests. Unfortunately, no matter the reason you are dealing with them, the insurance company’s main goal is to pay out as little as possible on any given claim. You may need an experienced lawyer to help you when dealing with an insurance company, whether it is your insurance company or someone else’s. Alan Green spent the first 7 years of his legal career working for some of the nation’s largest insurance companies, so he knows how things work behind the scenes and can use that knowledge to help you against those same insurance companies now that he has his own practice.

Washington Consumer Protection Act

In Washington, the law provides a measure of protection to consumers against unethical providers of goods and services through RCW Chapter 19.86 (review the consumer law here). The Consumer Protection Act, as codified, provides for a private cause of action by setting forth consumer rights with regards to transactions having to do with credit cards, debt collection, mortgages and loans, car sales, and the sale of products. Consumers with complaints against businesses and service providers cannot always get relief by seeking help from the Attorney General’s office. The Attorney General (read more about the Washington AG) does engage in a “plaintiff practice” against offending businesses that swindle or cheat consumers in an effort to stop unfair and deceptive acts and practices by businesses in Washington. But the AG’s office cannot help every resident of Spokane who is taken advantage of. Every consumer who has been treated unfairly needs an advocate. The Green Law Office, PLLC wants to be your advocate.