Montana Legal Services Tip of the Week: Wheelchair Warranty

Did you know . . .

that you can receive free repairs for a wheelchair if it breaks in a year after it’s delivered to you?  Or, you could get a refund.  This applies to some scooters, too.  The Montana Wheelchair Warranty Act of 1995 says that the company who makes your wheelchair or scooter has to fix it.  That’s true even if you didn’t buy a one-year express warranty.  If the company doesn’t repair or refund your broken wheelchair or scooter, you can sue them.  You may even be able to get three times the amount of money they owe you.

For more information, please visit the Consumer section of MontanaLawHelp.org.  Or, call the Montana Legal Services Association Helpline at 1 (800) 666-6899.

Montana Legal Services’ Legal Tip of the Week

Did you know . . .

now you’d better have money in your account when you write a check?

To learn more, visit MontanaLawHelp.org. 

National Consumer Protection Week

 

February 4th - 10th, 2007 is National Consumer Protection Week.  The theme this year is “Read up and Reach Out — Be an Informed Consumer.”  If you’re looking to brush up on consumer rights and the law, you might want to try the following free online resources.  If you can’t find what you are looking for online, contact us — we have dozens of consumer law books and other resources here at the law library, many of which can be checked out and mailed to you at no charge!  

Montana Office of Consumer Protection of the Attorney General’s Office enforces Montana’s consumer protection laws involving these subjects:

deceptive and misleading advertising, including “bait and switch” and false claims

unfair acts by a business, including changing a contract after a sale, abusive arbitration and debt collection misconduct

door-to-door sales

telemarketing, including running Montana’s do-not-call list

car and truck sales and repair, including the New Vehicle Warranty Act (or Lemon Law) violations

antitrust issues, including price fixing, monopoly abuse and restraint of trade

Web site with free consumer information and compliance assistance for businesses:  http://doj.mt.gov/consumer/consumer/default.asp  

Hotline:  406-444-4500

MontanaLawHelp’s Consumer Page provides free information on the following topics:

• Bankruptcy
• Borrowing Against Your Home
• Buying a Home
• Buying and selling cars and car repairs
• Contracts and Warranties and other buying tips
• Credit and Credit Reports
• Credit Counseling and Repair
• Debt Collection, Garnishment, and Repossession
• Foreclosure
• Fraud, Scams, and Complaints
• Money Management
• Payday, Title, Advanced Fee Loans and Rent-to-Own
• Paying for College
• Privacy and Identify Theft
• Public Utilities
• Selling Your Home

Web site:  www.MontanaLawHelp.org

Federal Citizen Information Center’s Consumer Action Web site provides free information on the following topics:

• General Buying Tips
• Shopping From Home
• Telemarketing and Junk Mail
• Protect Your Identity
• Protect your Privacy
• Automobiles
• Banking
• Credit
• Handling Debt
• Education
• Employment
• Food and Nutrition
• Health Care
• Housing
• Insurance
• Investing
• Phones
• Travel
• Utilities
• Wills & Funerals
• Filing a Complaint

Web site:  http://www.consumeraction.gov/

OPINION: Redies v. ALPS

The Montana Supreme Court has issued an Opinion in the following case:

No. 05-438,

2007 MT 9,

JANET REDIES,

Plaintiff and Appellant,

v.

ATTORNEYS LIABILITY PROTECTION SOCIETY

(A Mutual Risk Retention Group), a Montana

corporation, ROBERT TAMBLER, and

JOHN DOES 1-3,

Defendants and Respondents.

OPINION: Sampson v. Nat’l Farmers Union

The Montana Supreme Court has issued an Opinion in the following case:

No. 05-211

2006 MT 241

DELORES SAMPSON and BEVERLY CYBULSKI,

Plaintiffs and Appellants,

v.

NATIONAL FARMERS UNION PROPERTY

AND CASUALTY COMPANY, NATIONAL

FARMERS UNION STANDARD INSURANCE

COMPANY, and JOHN DOES I and II,

Defendants and Respondents.