Serious Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

The District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act lists 36 examples of violations of the act. The lawyers, such as those at the law firm of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C., know and understand to types of transactions that may violate the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act. The District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act lists 36 examples of how one can utilize it and does not depend on whether the consumer was in fact, misled, deceived or damaged. In fact, it is a violation of the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act “whether or not any consumer is in fact misled, deceived, or damaged”. The District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act has as one of it purposes to raise the level of service and goods provided. Therefore, presumably if the consumer observes a violation he or she need not have been damaged by it to file a lawsuit and seek relief. Other sections in this blog will describe the type of relief that is available, even if you were not damaged. Examples of violations of the Consumer Protection Act, whether or not any consumer is in fact misled, deceived or damaged, include representations that goods or services were approved or certified or contain certain ingredients or characteristics that they in fact do not have. Additionally, if a product or service is represented to have a benefit or is of a certain quantity or may be used for certain purposes, that too would be a violation of the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act.

If you, a family member, or someone you love has been a victim of Consumer Fraud please contact the Consumer Fraud attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. for a free consultation.

By Ira Sherman

The District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act is intended to assure that there is a remedy for any and all improper trade practices and deter them from continuing to take place. The District of Columbia seeks to promote effective enforcement of fair business practices throughout the community and to educate consumers to demand high standards and to seek proper redress of grievances. Accordingly, the District of Columbia law itself states that they are encouraging citizens of the District of Columbia, or individuals who do business in the District of Columbia, to demand high standards, and if they do not get it, to seek a remedy under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act. Moreover, the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act states that it is to be construed “liberally” to promote the purposes of the Act, which were explained in the beginning of this paragraph. Accordingly, the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act encourages people “when in doubt”, assume that the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act applies because its application is to be liberally construed.
That means that all of the terms defined are intended to be broadly interpreted in order to provide the greatest relief possible in order to uphold the stated purpose of the Act - to encourage consumers to demand “high standard” and to seek a remedy for any failure of the merchant to live up to the applicable standards.

For a free consultation about Consumer Fraud please contact the attorneys at the law firm of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C.

By Ira Sherman

Maryland and Virginia have excellent Consumer Protection Acts and each will be addressed separately in later blog entries. The next several entries, however, will address the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Act.

The District of Columbia has a very broad and comprehensive statute permitting recovery by consumers for every consumer transaction including leases and other real estate transactions. A consumer is defined as any person who purchases leases or receives consumer goods or services including mortgages or other debts. A consumer is described as anything, “without exception”, which is primarily for personal, household or family use. The goods and services covered by the Consumer Protection Act include “any and all parts of the economic output of society at any stage or related or necessary point in the economic process”. This includes consumer credit, franchises, real estate transactions and consumer services “of all types”. Any time there is any act which does create or would create, alter, repair, furnish, make available, provide information about, directly or indirectly, solicit or offer a consumer good for sale, lease or transfer, there is a potential for using the consumer protection act if you have been treated unfairly. Therefore, any time you are in any transaction with virtually anybody in the District of Columbia, you must be treated fairly or relief may be available under the Consumer Protection Act.

If you, a family member or someone you love has been treated unfairly please contact the Consumer Fraud attorneys at the law firm of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. for a free consultation.

By Ira Sherman