Cases in the News
Florida
Metropolitan University / Corinthian Colleges
A class action lawsuit has been filed
in Florida against Florida Metropolitan University (FMU)
and its parent company, Corinthian Colleges, for deceptive
and unfair trade practices. The lawsuit alleges that FMU
has been enrolling students throughout the State of Florida
for a number of years without receiving accreditation from
the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
The lawsuit also alleges that SACS accreditation is required
by a number of schools in the state of Florida, and that
students transferring to a SACS accredited school (such
as most local community colleges and major universities
in Florida) from a non-SACS accredited school (like FMU)
will find that most, if not all, of their credits earned
will not transfer.
The law firm of Clark and Martino,
P.A., represents former FMU students who may have suffered
damages as a result of the above allegations. If you
believe that you have similar claims, or you have questions
or concerns about your enrollment at FMU, please
complete this form and
one of our attorneys will contact you.
Rollins,
Inc. and Orkin Exterminating Company
TAMPA - A judge will allow tens
of thousands of Floridians to join a lawsuit accusing
the Orkin pest control company of defrauding customers.
Hillsborough Circuit Judge Emmett
L. Battles allowed Floridians who have had a contract
with Orkin Inc. since March 9, 1995, to join the 1999
suit that claims the pest control giant falsely told customers
treatments had been made, then reneged on guarantees against
termite damage.
Attorneys bringing the case estimate
as many as 100,000 Florida homeowners could seek damages
for deceptive and unfair trade practices under Battles'
ruling issued Thursday.
Orkin said Tuesday it was appealing
the ruling and will continue to fight the lawsuit.
“The heart of Orkin’s
business is protecting homes, and we do so with diligence,
pride and care for 1.6-million customers,” the Atlanta
company said in a statement to the Associated Press. Dan
Clark, a Tampa lawyer representing the four original plaintiffs
from Tampa, did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday.
Order granting plaintiffs’
motion for class certification. Viewing
this document requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Protecting
Consumers From Deceptive Car Dealers
The Clark Martino law firm is currently
handling numerous consumer class action lawsuits against
Florida automobile dealerships. Most recently, our firm
was successful in certified a statewide class action against
Sonic Automotive, Inc. For more information, see the links
below:
There are a variety of ways you can
protect yourself when purchasing a vehicle. Florida Law
defines deceptive and unfair trade practices as any “unfair
methods of competition, unconscionable acts or practices,
and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct
of any trade or commerce.” Fla. Stat. §501.204.
Simply put, if a car dealership takes advantage of you by
failing to accurately disclose the terms of your financing,
or fails to disclose accurately the types of products (like
warranties, insurance, etc.) that are included in your sales
transaction, that dealership may have violated the law.
There are a variety of ways you can
protect yourself when purchasing a vehicle. For more information,
you can review the following:
 ETCH
/ Vehicle Theft Protection
Over the past few years, car dealerships have been including
what is called ETCH or Vehicle Theft Protection in the sales
transactions. ETCH or Vehicle Theft Protection is a process
of putting traceable numbers on the windows of your vehicle.
Many dealerships exercise “price packing” of
after-market products, such as theft etch protection and
other insurance products that customers had not agreed to
buy.
 Silence
Alarm Protection
Similar to ETCH, car dealerships
are also selling after-market security systems that include
insurance coverage. Often times, consumers do not realize
that the car or truck they are purchasing already has a
manufacturer installed alarm system. In addition, car dealerships
do not disclose that the alarm system comes with insurance
coverage. Such coverage may not provide and protection to
consumers due to other available coverage under the consumer’s
standard auto insurance policy. Thus, the consumer pays
for something that they may not need.
Spot
Deliver / Yo-Yo Deals
Car dealerships perpetrate this
money making scam by “baiting” its less sophisticated
customers and those with poor or no credit into signing
purchase and finance contracts that include mere “guess
work” as to annual percentage rates and finance charges,
along with all other necessary paperwork that purport to
complete the purchase of a car, and then deceptively “switching”
them into higher interest contracts with larger down payments
by strategically refusing to return their trade-in vehicles
or down payments as a means of pressure. The scam is called
“Spot Delivery.” As a result of Spot Delivery,
the consumer may not receive accurate disclosures regarding
their finance and other important information about the
sales transaction.
If you have purchased a car or
truck in the last four years, and would like to have your
sales transaction reviewed by our firm free of charge, please
complete this questionnaire for our review.
Cases Certified Against Car Dealers
Sonic Automotive, Inc.
We represent those
who have victimized by these alleged unfair and deceptive
trade practices.
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