Class action lawsuit filed against debt collectors
Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006
A class-action lawsuit was filed Friday in Washington County Circuit Court on behalf of a Springdale man and others against out-of-state debt collectors because the companies allegedly did not register with the Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies.
The lead plaintiff is Eddie Dickard, and the defendants are Intraoperative Monitoring Company, American Intraoperative Monitoring, Oklahoma Management Services for Physicians and Orthopedic Management Services.
The suit seeks monetary damages and injunctive relief.
The class is defined in the suit as any Arkansas residents who have been contacted by the defendants about the collection of alleged outstanding consumer debts any time since August 2001.
Under Arkansas law, according to the plaintiffs’ attorney, Tim Hutchinson of Rogers, companies are not permitted to contact an Arkansas resident about the collection of debt unless they are registered with the Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies.
The suit specifically claims the defendants committed fraud and violated the Federal Fair Debt Collection Act.
It alleges that the companies have “ repeatedly contacted” Dickard and other state residents.
As a result of their “ unlawful, multiple contacts” with Dickard, he paid them fees, which may have included interest, costs and penalties, according to the suit. Similar allegations in the suit are made regarding other people.
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