"Collections" refers to the process by which creditors try to get nonpaying debtors to pay what is owed. There are countless laws in Ponchatoula, Louisiana regulating the conduct of collections agences.

What if I Am Owed Money in Ponchatoula, Louisiana?

If somebody owes you money and is declining to pay, you have many options at your disposal. However, in doing so, you will be governed by very specific consumer protection rules that govern the collection of debts. Violating these rules can hurt your chances at effectively collecting, and might even expose you to civil liability.

The law prevents creditors from engaging in any form of violence against the debtor in an attempt to collect. It further bars them from using abusive language or contacting third parties about the debt owed by the debtor.

You may, however, send a written demand for timely payment. The demand should lay out clearly how much the debtor allegedly owes. If there is a large amount of money involved, it may be worth it to hire a Ponchatoula, Louisiana collections agency, which will probably take its fee in the form of a percentage of the debt collected. You should do some research on different collections agencies in your area, to make sure the one you hire is dependable, and meticulously follows the law.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Ponchatoula, Louisiana?

Of course, if you owe money and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so. If the collections caller is behaving courteously, you should do the same. In any case, it is never a good idea to ignore the issue, because that will definitely not make it go away.

Thankfully, you have various options at your disposal in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. First, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if some sort of agreement can be worked out. If this is unsuccessful, you can tell the collectors to stop contacting you, which may work in some instances. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might give you a little bit of breathing room. The collectors will only be allowed to contact you to let you know that they are suing you for the money owed, or that they have stopped trying to collect the debt.

If you have hired a lawyer in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, they might advise that you apply for bankruptcy. Of course, whether or not this is a good idea depends strongly on the facts of your individual case, so you should not do so unless an attorney has reviewed the facts and determined that bankruptcy is a feasible solution.

How Can a Ponchatoula, Louisiana Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its effort to collect, you should probably call a Ponchatoula, Louisiana attorney, since such behavior on the part of the creditor may actually give you a claim for damages against it.

If you are thinking about applying for bankruptcy, a seasoned lawyer in Louisiana can help you with that process, too.