A recent legal battle highlights the challenges consumers face when dealing with debt collectors. Wilson Solivan Jr. has filed a complaint against LVNV Funding, LLC in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 21, 2025. The lawsuit accuses LVNV Funding of violating multiple consumer protection laws.
Wilson Solivan Jr., a resident of Pennsylvania, is taking legal action against LVNV Funding, LLC, a Nevada-based debt collection company. According to the complaint, Solivan alleges that LVNV Funding wrongfully reported a debt to credit agencies that he does not owe. This situation arose after an arbitration held on December 21, 2023, ruled in favor of Solivan concerning an alleged debt initially brought by LVNV Funding on June 22, 2023. Despite winning the arbitration and no appeal being filed by LVNV Funding within the allotted time frame, Solivan claims that since April 2024, he has been disputing the presence of this debt on his credit report. As of July 2024, LVNV Funding allegedly continued to report this disputed debt.
The complaint outlines several counts under which Solivan believes LVNV Funding has violated the law. These include breaches of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), where it is claimed that LVNV knowingly misrepresented the legal status and amount of the debt to credit reporting agencies in violation of sections such as 15 U.S.C § 1692e(2)(A) and § 1692e(8). Furthermore, Solivan argues that these actions also breach Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL) and the Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act (FCEUA). The plaintiff asserts that these violations have resulted in ascertainable losses and damages.
In terms of relief sought from the court, Solivan requests judgment against LVNV Funding for various forms of compensation. This includes actual compensatory damages for emotional distress under FDCPA provisions, statutory damages up to $1,000 for FDCPA violations, reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred during litigation processes as per FDCPA guidelines. Additionally, under UTPCPL and FCEUA claims, he seeks treble damages along with any other economic or equitable relief deemed appropriate by the court's jurisdiction.
Representing Wilson Solivan Jr. is attorney John T. Shaffer Jr., Esq., from Starks Law P.C., located in Pittsburgh. The case is identified under an unspecified Case No.CVPDD008S354F062, filed in Allegheny County's Court of Common Pleas.