Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors attempting to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are many laws and regulations in Bridge City, Texas that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are allowed to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Bridge City, Texas?
If somebody owes you money and is refusing to pay, you have several 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.
The law prohibits creditors from engaging in any form of violence against the debtor in an attempt to collect. It also bars them from using abusive language or contacting third parties about the debt owed by the debtor.
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 significant, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Bridge City, Texas. You should make sure that any agency you hire is reputable, and has not been cited for violations of the laws governing collections.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Bridge City, Texas?
If you know that you owe the money being sought of you, and have the resources 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 cordially 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.
Luckily, you have some options in Bridge City, Texas. First of all, you should attempt to directly contact the creditor, and see if some adjusted payment plan can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can ask the collectors to stop contacting you by phone, and they will usually be obliged to do so. Of course, this doesn't make the debt go away, but it might give you some time to collect yourself and prepare a legal defense. Once this happens, the collection agency can only contact you to inform you that it intends to sue you for the debt owed.
If you have retained the services of a Bridge City, Texas attorney, they might advise that you declare bankruptcy, depending on your particular situation. In any case, you shouldn't consider bankruptcy before weighing other options, and discussing the matter with an attorney.
How Can a Bridge City, Texas 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 Bridge City, Texas attorney, since you might actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, a good lawyer in Texas can help you with that process, too.