Topics: Consumer Law - 55 results

Lawyers.com reported earlier today that singer Dionne Warwick recently filed for bankruptcy, due to a $10.2 million tax debt with the state of California and the IRS. But as to the overall country, bankruptcies are down, comparing 2012 with the prior three years. The Start Fresh Today infographic below also shows important upcoming dates for federal bankruptcy exemptions, new regulations on student loans and revisions to bankruptcy forms. Warwick filed for bankruptcy in New Jersey. Can you guess the states …

The U.S. Supreme Court today heard arguments over whether big pharmaceutical companies can pay generic drug manufacturers to delay their entry into the marketplace. In FTC v. Actavis, the court will rule if payments made to preserve a name-brand prescription drug’s grip on the market count as collusion that violates federal antitrust laws, as the Federal Trade Commission is arguing. Opponents of the “pay-to-delay” system claim that the name-brand companies are essentially bribing their cheaper competitors to stay away, in …

  Signs of spring’s arrival often include cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and packing tape. More than 40 million Americans make a move each year. But unfortunately, one in five moves involve claims for damages. Lawyers.com Editor-in-Chief Larry Bodine provides advice on how to protect yourself from rogue moving companies. He describes the most typical complaints against movers — one of which is withholding property while demanding grossly inflated prices. Larry tells you the best way to get an estimate and …

Zip codes are considered personal information when it comes to Massachusetts consumer privacy laws, the state Supreme Court ruled last week in a decision that could have national implications for large retail chains. In Tyler v. Michaels Stores, the court unanimously agreed that “a zip code constitutes personal identification information” and therefore could not be solicited during credit card purchases unless the consumer volunteers to provide it, with the knowledge that it could be used for marketing purposes. The suit …

The reports from the Carnival Triumph, the cruise ship that was stranded for days in February without electricity or working plumbing, were viscerally horrific.  One passenger described the experience as just like camping “except crowded and unhygienic.” “People are getting sick because sewage everyone; urine on the floors, waste in bags, and undercooked food, [sic]” the passenger said on Reddit. “Strong fecal and urine stench near the cabins and just a poor environment.” As the public relations repercussions continue to …