Looking to sue Verizon Fios? Small claims court is an option, and you may have others…
At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of people with claims against Verizon Fios and other big companies that ripped them off get over $8 million in settlement offers… [continued below]
Maybe you’ve tried all the Verizon Fios customer service options. Maybe you’ve even tried other ways to bring your Verizon Fios complaint.
But some people say it’s hard to get a refund from Verizon Fios. And while you might think you have the right to a class action lawsuit against Verizon Fios, it’s actually more complicated.
A lot of companies like Verizon Fios add what’s called an arbitration clause to their contracts. It gives them the right to force legal claims out of state or federal courts. But you still have rights to sue under your Verizon Fios contract.
Here’s what you can do…
The first way to sue Verizon Fios is through consumer arbitration. If your contract has an arbitration clause it gives you the right take legal action against Verizon Fios through an officially-designated, independent dispute process that’s not a court and won’t require showing up in person. This can be a better option for a lot of regular people.
The second way to sue Verizon Fios, if you want to avoid the arbitration system, is to use Small Claims Court. While their contract may keep lawsuits out of state and federal courts, they can’t stop you from pursuing the small claims process. If you’re ready to sue Verizon Fios on your own, read on below:
Just because you are ready to sue Verizon in small claims court doesn’t mean small claims court is ready to accept. There are specifications for each state, in terms of the type of compensation you can ask for when you sue Verizon, and the amount of compensation you can ask for:
If your claim doesn’t fall within the limits of your state’s small claims court, you’ll have to arbitrate your claim instead.
Verizon Communications Inc.
C/O THE CORPORATION TRUST COMPANY
CORPORATION TRUST CENTER 1209 ORANGE ST
WILMINGTON, DE 19801
If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you can find an excellent guide here.
Each state has a set of forms that need to be filled out to file a claim, and sometimes counties will provide additional forms. So, check your state court website for state and county specific forms. You can download them for free, but make sure you print and fill out enough copies. Most courts require 3 or 4 and if you don’t have enough, you don’t get to file.
Start Your ClaimOnce the right number are filled out, you can “file” officially with the court. Most courts require you come in, in person, during specific business hours (usually right when you are at work, too) which can be a bit tricky.
Regardless of how you file, you will have to pay a small claims court fee to sue Verizon. The amount you pay should be listed on your state court website. This fee can sometimes be waved if you are a low income plaintiff.
When you file your forms, the court clerk will provide you with a stamped copy of the forms and a court date. Save your copy and save that date.
Start Your ClaimTo do this, you need to deliver a copy of your filed papers to Verizon.
Look at your court’s website for instructions on how to properly deliver your forms to Verizon, or search for “[your state] small claims service of process”. Courts have many strange rules about how to serve a defendant, and your claim will be dropped if you do not follow them perfectly. So be careful!
Start Your ClaimBring your copy of your filed forms, and any other evidence that backs up your case against Verizon.
Sometimes, Verizon will not show up to oppose you. If that happens, take advantage of the situation to focus on your side of the story.
Ready to sue Verizon? Consumer Arbitration is often cheaper and easier than taking Verizon to Small Claims Court.