Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors attempting to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are numerous laws and regulations in Crossville, Tennessee that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are permitted to engage in.

What if I Am Owed Money in Crossville, Tennessee?

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

As an example, when trying to collect, creditors may not use abusive language, contact third parties regarding the debt, or use violence or threats of violence.

What you can do, however, is send an invoice of the debt to the debtor, along with a firm (but civil) demand for timely payment. If the debt is substantial, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Crossville, Tennessee. You should make sure that any agency you hire is trustworthy, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Crossville, Tennessee?

If you know that you owe the money being sought of you, and have the capacity to pay it, you should do so - this is the quickest and surest way to end collections calls. Of course, this is not the case for everyone. Whatever your situation, you should always behave civilly with the collection callers, especially if they are doing the same. Whatever you do, you should not ignore the matter, because this will never make the problem go away, and will make things worse in the long run.

Fortunately, you have some options in Crossville, Tennessee. First of all, you should try to contact the creditor directly, and see if something can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can demand that the collection agency stop contacting you by phone. When this happens, they are not permitted to contact you further. This, of course, doesn't make the debt go away, but if the calls are becoming unbearable, it might buy you a little bit of time. Usually, when this happens, the creditor gives up on extra-judicial collections, and files a lawsuit against the debtor.

If you have retained the services of a Crossville, Tennessee attorney, they might advise that you declare bankruptcy, depending on your specific situation. In any case, you shouldn't consider bankruptcy before weighing other options, and discussing the matter with an attorney.

How Can a Crossville, Tennessee Collections Attorney Help?

If you believe that a creditor is violating the law in its attempts to collect from you, you should get in touch with a Crossville, Tennessee attorney, since you might truly have a claim for damages against the creditor.

If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, a good lawyer in Tennessee can help you with that process, too.