Ct Healthmarket via BizWire
08-06-2003, 11:30 AM
Hyatt Legal Plans Sees Requests for Debt Collection Defense up 23% from Last Year
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CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2003--Outstanding consumer
credit has increased approximately 34% over the last five years,
according to statistics from the Federal Reserve. Lower interest rates
encourage consumers to purchase cars and homes, thereby taking on
additional debt. Hyatt Legal Plans, which provides plan participants
with advice on a wide range of personal legal issues, has seen the
number of participants requesting advice on credit issues increase 23%
over last year alone. In addition, the number of personal bankruptcy
issues Hyatt Legal Plans' lawyers have handled is up 38% from last
year. For consumers who find themselves unable to meet creditors'
demands, a lawyer can help them understand the laws that protect them
and can assist in developing a viable solution.
"The worst thing a person can do when creditors are calling is to
ignore the situation. A delay could lead to foreclosure on a home or
repossession of a car. Because of the way group legal plans are
delivered--unlike fee per service--they can be very beneficial to
consumers in serious debt who don't have discretionary funds," says
Bill Brooks, CEO of Hyatt Legal Plans.
Mr. Brooks offers the following suggestions on how consumers can
benefit from legal advice when facing credit issues:
-- A lawyer can help consumers understand their rights under the
Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. This includes preventing
collection agencies from making numerous calls to the
consumers or their employers. In addition, once the attorney
contacts the collection agency, he or she becomes the sole
point of contact for the agency.
-- A lawyer can help if wages are being garnished by the creditor
to settle the debt. A lawyer can determine if the garnishment
is proper, and, if not, work to have it set aside. Even if the
garnishment is valid, the lawyer may be able to get the amount
of the garnishment reduced.
Hyatt Legal Plans' debt collection defense assistance covers
advice and representation in court through trial for personal debt
collection, foreclosure, repossession and garnishment of wages.
Hyatt Legal Plans, a MetLife subsidiary, is the largest provider
of group legal plans in the country, serving 1.5 million participants
through a nationwide network of 4,000 law firms. For less than $20 a
month in payroll deductions, the MetLaw Legal Plan(SM) covers a wide
selection of personal legal matters, including wills and trusts, real
estate transactions, adoptions, debt problems, traffic offenses and
civil litigation defense. A key service is unlimited telephone advice
and office consultations.
For more information about Hyatt Legal Plans, please call Marcia
L. Messett at (800) 423-0300 or e-mail mmessett@legalplans.com. Hyatt
Legal Plans is headquartered at 1111 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio
44114. Its web site address is www.legalplans.com.
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CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2003--Outstanding consumer
credit has increased approximately 34% over the last five years,
according to statistics from the Federal Reserve. Lower interest rates
encourage consumers to purchase cars and homes, thereby taking on
additional debt. Hyatt Legal Plans, which provides plan participants
with advice on a wide range of personal legal issues, has seen the
number of participants requesting advice on credit issues increase 23%
over last year alone. In addition, the number of personal bankruptcy
issues Hyatt Legal Plans' lawyers have handled is up 38% from last
year. For consumers who find themselves unable to meet creditors'
demands, a lawyer can help them understand the laws that protect them
and can assist in developing a viable solution.
"The worst thing a person can do when creditors are calling is to
ignore the situation. A delay could lead to foreclosure on a home or
repossession of a car. Because of the way group legal plans are
delivered--unlike fee per service--they can be very beneficial to
consumers in serious debt who don't have discretionary funds," says
Bill Brooks, CEO of Hyatt Legal Plans.
Mr. Brooks offers the following suggestions on how consumers can
benefit from legal advice when facing credit issues:
-- A lawyer can help consumers understand their rights under the
Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. This includes preventing
collection agencies from making numerous calls to the
consumers or their employers. In addition, once the attorney
contacts the collection agency, he or she becomes the sole
point of contact for the agency.
-- A lawyer can help if wages are being garnished by the creditor
to settle the debt. A lawyer can determine if the garnishment
is proper, and, if not, work to have it set aside. Even if the
garnishment is valid, the lawyer may be able to get the amount
of the garnishment reduced.
Hyatt Legal Plans' debt collection defense assistance covers
advice and representation in court through trial for personal debt
collection, foreclosure, repossession and garnishment of wages.
Hyatt Legal Plans, a MetLife subsidiary, is the largest provider
of group legal plans in the country, serving 1.5 million participants
through a nationwide network of 4,000 law firms. For less than $20 a
month in payroll deductions, the MetLaw Legal Plan(SM) covers a wide
selection of personal legal matters, including wills and trusts, real
estate transactions, adoptions, debt problems, traffic offenses and
civil litigation defense. A key service is unlimited telephone advice
and office consultations.
For more information about Hyatt Legal Plans, please call Marcia
L. Messett at (800) 423-0300 or e-mail mmessett@legalplans.com. Hyatt
Legal Plans is headquartered at 1111 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio
44114. Its web site address is www.legalplans.com.
