HUNTINGTON – A Huntington woman alleges a debt collection letter sent to her by a Putnam County law office violated collection laws.
Bobbi J. Riddle, on behalf of herself and others similarly situated, filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against Atkins & Ogle Law Offices LC alleging violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
The suit states that the defendant sent the plaintiff a written communication on Feb. 1 in relation to an alleged debt. The suit states the letter stated that the plaintiff was indebted in an amount of $10,014.87 and that the defendant demanded payment within 30 days. The plaintiff alleges this demand could cause a consumer like herself to believe she did not have validation rights and that the letter "correspondingly contradicted, overshadowed and rendered ineffective the validation notice mandated by the FDCPA."
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by Matthew P. Stapleton of Stapleton Law Offices in Huntington.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 3:19-CV-00249