Broadly, the term "Collections" refers to the practice of creditors attempting to force debtors to pay what they owe. There are various laws and regulations in Lubbock, Texas that govern collection agencies, and strictly limit the types of tactics they are authorized to engage in.
What if I Am Owed Money in Lubbock, Texas?
If someone owes you money and won't pay, you have some legal options to seek repayment of your debt. However, you need to be careful in this area. There are many laws and regulations detailing what debt collectors can and cannot do. Breaking these laws, even inadvertently, can harm your chances at collecting, and maybe even expose you to civil penalties.
For example, when attempting to collect, creditors are not allowed to use abusive language, contact any third party about the debt, and of course they are not allowed to use threats of violence in an attempt to get their money.
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 might be worth it to hire a Lubbock, Texas collections agency, which will probably take its fee in the form of a percentage of the debt collected. You should do some research on various collections agencies in your area, to make sure the one you hire is dependable, and carefully follows the law.
What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Lubbock, Texas?
If you really owe the money being sought, and you are able to pay it, you should of course do so. If the collection caller is behaving cordially, you should do the same. Even if the caller doesn't behave in a cordial manner, you should resist the temptation to respond in kind, and ask to speak with a supervisor, or simply end the conversation. Whatever you do, you should never ignore the issue. This will not make the problem go away.
Luckily, you have some options in Lubbock, 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 normally 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 hired a Lubbock, Texas attorney to help you through this process, he or she might advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from attempting to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.
How Can a Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, Texas attorney, since you might actually have a claim for damages against the creditor.
Also, if you're considering filing for bankruptcy, a good attorney in Texas can tell you if this is a good option, and, if it is, help you through the process.