Morgan & Morgan attorney Billy Howard represents victims of bill collector harassment and abusive debt collection practices. In a recent segment, Peter King of CBS Radio News covered the issue of illegal debt collection practices and used the story of one of Howard's clients to make a point about the seriousness of this problem. As more and more Americans are falling behind on their bills due to the country's economic problems, bill collector harassment has become increasingly common in Florida and throughout the country.

The CBS Radio News segment, which aired on November 4, 2009, reported on the efforts of Florida's Attorney General and Chief Financial Officer to crack down on abusive debt collectors. Both have pledged to push for tougher laws and punishments for bill collectors who use threatening or obscene language in an attempt to harass consumers into making payments. It also told the story of one of Billy Howard's current clients, Dianne McLeod. Dianne believes that a bill collector's harassing phone calls were so stressful for her husband that they contributed to his death. A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the mortgage company responsible for the calls.

For more information about debt harassment and what you can do if you have been the victim of abusive debt collection practices, visit Morgan & Morgan's Debt Harassment Resource Center today. A Free Case Evaluation is available for all consumers who are interested in participating in a debt harassment lawsuit. Information about bill collector harassment, credit reporting problems, and consumer protection statutes is available on this webpage, along with a video featuring Howard, McLeod, and another one of Howard's debt harassment clients.

About Morgan & Morgan

Morgan & Morgan is one of the largest Personal Injury law firms in the country with offices nationwide. The firm handles product liability cases, personal injury cases, and medical malpractice cases, as well as claims against drug and medical device manufacturers. Visit ForThePeople.com for a free case evaluation and information about your legal rights.

Debt harassment lawyer Billy Howard of Morgan & Morgan, PA was featured on a recent Call Kurtis Investigation into abusive debt collection practices. Airing on CBS 13, the report by Kurtis Ming examined instances of debt collectors using abusive tactics intended to traumatize consumers and bully them into making payments.

Billy Howard, who defines debt harassment as "intentional, malicious conduct aimed at getting money," is currently representing Dianne McLeod, Erica Cartagena, and hundreds of others in debt harassment lawsuits. Dianne McLeod and her husband Stanley began receiving offensive phone calls from debt collectors after Stanley suffered a heart attack and had to stop working. The couple fell behind on their mortgage payments and received up to ten calls per day from debt collectors. These calls were extremely stressful for Stanley and often made his blood pressure rise. After Stanley passed away, Dianne filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that the stress caused by the debt collector's harassment had contributed to his death.

Another one of Howard's clients, Erica Cartagena, was not even behind on her car payments. However, a debt collector left a message on her friend's answering machine stating that he understood that Erica had died and asking the friend to confirm if this was true. The friend called Erica's brother, who spent several traumatic hours trying to get a hold of his sister. Although he was grateful to find out that she was alive, he feels the debt collector's actions were out of line.

To see a video clip of this Call Kurtis debt harassment investigation, visit the Debt Harassment Information Center.

Bill collectors are getting increasingly aggressive as the struggling economy and high unemployment rates leave more people unable to pay their bills. During the first six months of 2009, the government received over 45,000 complaints about abusive debt collectors. Consumers should be aware that it is illegal for debt collectors to harass them or use threatening or obscene language. In addition, debt collectors are only allowed to call between the hours of 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM.

If you feel that your rights have been violated by an abusive debt collector, please visit Morgan & Morgan's Debt Harassment Information Center and complete the Free Case Evaluation form. The collection harassment lawyers at Morgan & Morgan are dedicated to protecting the rights of debt harassment victims.

About Morgan & Morgan

Morgan & Morgan is one of the largest Personal Injury law firms in the country with offices nationwide. The firm handles product liability cases, personal injury cases, and medical malpractice cases, as well as claims against drug and medical device manufacturers. Visit ForThePeople.com for a free case evaluation and information about your legal rights.

In the recent challenging economic times, instances of debt collectors using abusive tactics to bully creditors have become increasingly more common. Debt harassment attorney Billy Howard of Morgan & Morgan, PA has worked tirelessly to protect victims of debt harassment throughout Florida. His efforts on behalf of consumers who have been subject to illegal debt collection practices have brought attention to the issue, sparking a proposed change in Florida's state law that would increase the state Attorney General's ability to take action against abusive debt collectors.

In early November, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum sent a letter to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives requesting expanded authority to bring civil suits against debt collectors who engage in abusive and illegal practices. McCollum's proposals would expand the protection offered to consumers by making certain debt collection practices a "per se" violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. In addition, McCollum has worked to help debt harassment victims by developing a more efficient complaint referral system and setting up a joint task force with the Office of Financial Regulation.

Read the letter sent by Attorney General Bill McCollum.

If you feel that you have been the victim of debt collector abuse, visit http://www.forthepeople.com/collection_harassment.htm today. This web page has been designed to provide legal information and help for those who are being harassed by debt and bill collectors. Articles about common credit reporting problems, how to dispute credit report errors, and the laws that prohibit debt collectors from engaging in abusive conduct are available for consumers to review. To contact Morgan & Morgan's debt harassment attorneys regarding your potential claim, please fill out the Free Case Evaluation form.

About Morgan & Morgan

Morgan & Morgan is one of the largest Personal Injury law firms in the country with offices nationwide. The firm handles product liability cases, personal injury cases, and medical malpractice cases, as well as claims against drug and medical device manufacturers. Visit ForThePeople.com for a free case evaluation and information about your legal rights.

Lawyer Central has released an updated Bankruptcy Information Center featuring legal articles about Commercial Bankruptcy, Consumer Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, and Loan Modification. It is important for individuals who are struggling financially to be informed and aware of their options. If you are considering filing for bankruptcy or are in danger of losing your home, Lawyer Central can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about your financial future. A Free Case Evaluation is also available for anyone who is interested in discussing their case with an experienced bankruptcy, foreclosure, or loan modification lawyer.

For those who are considering filing for bankruptcy, Lawyer Central offers an overview of Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Chapter 12 bankruptcy, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Answers to frequently asked questions, an explanation of how bankruptcy can affect your home and property, and a guide to understanding the New Bankruptcy Law are also available. A bankruptcy attorney can guide you through this process and provide valuable legal advice to help you solve your debt problems.

If you have fallen behind on your mortgage, Lawyer Central can help you find a foreclosure lawyer who can help you avoid foreclosure and save your home. Foreclosure attorneys can negotiate directly with your lender in order to reduce interest rates, forgive past due payments, or extend the term of your loan. One option for avoiding foreclosure is a loan modification. Loan modifications restructure your mortgage loan to make payments more affordable, which may help stop the foreclosure process. The loan modification procedure is complex, and a loan modification lawyer can advocate on your behalf to ensure that you are not taken advantage of during this process.

Take the first step toward taking charge of your finances by visiting Lawyer Central's Bankruptcy Information Center today. Complete the Free Bankruptcy Consultation form to get connected to a local bankruptcy lawyer who can help you deal with your financial situation. There is no obligation for this free consultation. Lawyer Central's national attorney network also includes experienced foreclosure lawyers and loan modification attorneys nationwide who can help you avoid foreclosure and stay in your home.

About Lawyer Central

The Lawyer Central Network is an exclusive nationwide network of attorneys highly dedicated to their unique areas of practice, including bankruptcy law. Lawyer Central is emerging as the leading public relations and mixed media marketing organization for fast-growing personal injury law firms and forward-thinking personal injury attorneys. Lawyer Central membership includes a variety of media exposure ranging from personal injury practice area video filming, through interviews and complete public relations and internet relations management.

Lawyer Central announces that it has recently released a Loan Modification Resource Center for homeowners who are facing the prospect of foreclosure and are in need of assistance. The Loan Modification Resource Center provides a comprehensive overview of the loan modification process, which can help families to avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.

With a loan modification, the mortgage loan is restructured in order to make payments more affordable and within the homeowner's budget. Usually this occurs in the form of a rate reduction and fixing the rate for a certain amount of time. A loan modification lawyer can help you negotiate with the lender and work to ensure that you get a loan modification with a low monthly payment that is within your means. Lawyer Central's Loan Modification Resource Center provides detailed information about loan modification, including the requirements, purposes, and types of loan modifications. Frequently asked questions and information about loan modifications as a form of foreclosure prevention are also featured.

Visit Lawyer Central's Loan Modification Resources today to learn more about ways in which you can avoid foreclosure and save your home. If you are a homeowner seeking assistance from a loan modification lawyer, fill out the form on the right side of the page for a free, no obligation consultation. You can also ask questions and get advice about loan modification, foreclosure, and other legal issues on Lawyer Central's free legal forum.

Don't wait until you lose your home to foreclosure. Talk to a loan modification lawyer today to see if this is the right option for you.

About Lawyer Central

The Lawyer Central Network is an exclusive nationwide network of attorneys highly dedicated to their unique areas of practice, including loan and foreclosure law. Lawyer Central is emerging as the leading public relations and mixed media marketing organization for fast-growing law firms and forward-thinking attorneys. Lawyer Central membership includes a variety of media exposure ranging from practice area video filming, through interviews and complete public relations and internet relations management.

ForThePeople.com, the website for national plaintiff's law firm Morgan & Morgan, is now offering a Debt Harassment Information Center. This practice area page has been designed to provide legal information and help for those who are being harassed by debt and bill collectors. If you've been harassed by bill collectors regarding your debts, you may not realize that you have rights and that the law restricts the power of debt collectors. The Debt Harassment Information Center is designed to help you learn about the laws pertaining to debt collection and your legal rights as a consumer.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) provides protection for consumers from bill collectors who act in an abusive manner when attempting to collect a consumer's debt. Morgan & Morgan's Debt Harassment Information Center provides a link to the FDCPA where consumers can review a list of specific conduct that is against the law, as well as the policies debt collectors are legally obligated to follow when collecting debts. For example, Section 807 states the boundaries that collectors must stay within and gives examples of 16 different bill collecting schemes that are against the law. If bill collectors are found guilty of violating the FDCPA, they can be fined as much as $1,000 per infringement. In some cases, victims have the opportunity to recover compensation for punitive damages.

View the video entitled Morgan & Morgan Attorney Represents Victims of Bill Collector Harassment on the ForThePeople.com homepage (www.ForThePeople.com) to learn more about what the lawyers at Morgan & Morgan are doing to protect the rights of consumers.

If you have experienced debt collector harassment, fill out the free case evaluation form and get connected to one of Morgan & Morgan's debt harassment experts today. Visit the Debt Harassment Information Center to learn more about the FDCPA and access this free evaluation form.

About Morgan & Morgan

Morgan & Morgan is one of the largest Personal Injury law firms in the country with offices nationwide. The firm handles debt harassment cases, personal injury cases, medical malpractice cases, and consumer fraud, as well as claims against drug and medical device manufacturers. Visit ForThePeople.com for a free case evaluation and information about your legal rights.

Lawyer Central has recently updated its Commercial Bankruptcy Resource Center, a source of legal information for business owners who are struggling financially and want to educate themselves on the legal aspects of bankruptcy. If your business is facing debt problems, you can find helpful, easy to understand information on key commercial bankruptcy concepts and learn how to take action to address debt problems here.

Commercial bankruptcy is a legally declared inability of a business to pay creditors. Creditors may file a bankruptcy petition against a debtor (known as involuntary bankruptcy) in an effort to recover a portion of what is owed. In most cases, bankruptcy is filed by the debtor (known as voluntary bankruptcy). The Commercial Bankruptcy Resource Center provides free information about all of your business bankruptcy options, so that you can make an informed decision when deciding if bankruptcy is the best option for your future and the future of your business.

Lawyer Central's Commercial Bankruptcy Resource Center offers comprehensive business bankruptcy information. Answers to frequently asked commercial bankruptcy questions and an overview of Chapter 7 bankruptcy, Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Chapter 12 Bankruptcy are among the topics covered. Learn how bankruptcy will affect your business, how to determine if bankruptcy is the right choice, what types of debts cannot be discharged, and more. Official links to further internet bankruptcy resources and a bankruptcy news center are also available on the site.

Visit http://bankruptcy.lawyercentral.com/Commercial-Bankruptcy-Lawyers-Attorneys--1-47.html to view Lawyer Central's Commercial Bankruptcy Resource Center and learn more about bankruptcy law.

If your business is facing mounting debts during these difficult economic times, Lawyer Central's commercial bankruptcy attorneys can help you decide if bankruptcy is the best choice for you and guide you through the process. Fill out the free bankruptcy case evaluation form on the right side of the page and you will receive a prompt response from an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Discuss debt relief, types of bankruptcy, and other legal issues on Lawyer Central's free legal forum.

About Lawyer Central

The Lawyer Central Network is an exclusive nationwide network of attorneys highly dedicated to their unique areas of practice, including bankruptcy law. Lawyer Central is emerging as the leading public relations and mixed media marketing organization for fast-growing law firms and forward-thinking attorneys. Lawyer Central membership includes a variety of media exposure ranging from practice area video filming, through interviews and complete public relations and internet relations management.

Story Created: Nov 18, 2008 at 3:46 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 5:56 AM MST By Kiersten Throndsen 2news.tv Boise, Idaho

BOISE - Everyone can relate to being stressed out about money. You can lose sleep, spend your days worrying. But now a growing number of people are turning to their last ditch effort to stay afloat: bankruptcy.

The number of people filing for bankruptcy is up more than 30 percent nationwide from this time last year and in Idaho, that trend is the same. But before you decide to make the choice there are some things to know.

Home foreclosures are up, the number of unemployed is up, and now so is the number of personal bankruptcy filings.

"It's very, very important that people realize that this is serious business," said Jake Peterson, a bankruptcy attorney in Boise.

Peterson says his business is booming but his clients are taking a big financial blow.

"They realize looking forward in the future they won't be able to make those house payments and so that's very disheartening," said Peterson.

Here's what's happening in Idaho:

In October of 2007, 336 Idahoans filed for personal bankruptcy. Compare that to this October where 498 people filed, and that number is up almost 50 percent. More than half of those filings are from the Boise area.

"That's scary," said Paul Murray, a Boise resident.

When asked if Tanner Allen, another Boise resident, knows anyone who has filed for bankruptcy, he said: "My parents."

Why? "They couldn't afford to pay for the house."

But not everyone who files gets all of their debt wiped out. Peterson says if someone makes more than the median income for the county they live in, they'll likely have to file for chapter 13 which means they'll still owe money.

"They'll have to pay back money based on the difference between their income and expenses for a term of 60 months," he said.

Bankruptcy stays on a persons credit report for 10 years. While people may still be able to get a loan, interest rates may be higher and down payments larger.

"If you're concerned about your credit score, maybe you shouldn't file bankruptcy," said Peterson.

But he says if the rising numbers prove anything, filing doesn't come with the same stigma it use to, after all, almost 500 people for the month of October are in the same boat.

Something else to note if you're looking to file bankruptcy is that filing has no affect on certain types of debt including alimony, child support, taxes and student loans.

Lawyer Central has updated its Consumer Bankruptcy Resource Center, which provides online information for those who are interested in learning about the legal aspects of bankruptcy and may be seeking the services of a bankruptcy attorney. If you are facing debt problems, you can find helpful, easy to understand information on key bankruptcy concepts and learn how to take action to address those problems here.

Bankruptcy is a legal proceeding that offers relief for debtors by providing a temporary or permanent stay on some or all of their debts. Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy are the two types of bankruptcy that apply to consumers. During these difficult economic times, many individuals may find themselves overwhelmed with debt and considering filing for bankruptcy. The Consumer Bankruptcy Resource Center provides free information about all of your personal bankruptcy options, so that you can make an informed decision when deciding if bankruptcy is the best choice for you and your future.

Lawyer Central's Consumer Bankruptcy Resource Center offers a great deal of practical information regarding personal bankruptcy and debt relief. Our guide to understanding the New Bankruptcy Law, which was passed in 2005 and significantly reformed our nation's bankruptcy laws, is one of the most important topics and should be reviewed carefully during your bankruptcy research. Answers to frequently asked personal bankruptcy questions, on overview of Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and an explanation of how your home and property will be handled during a bankruptcy proceeding are among the other topics covered. Official links to further internet bankruptcy resources and an up-to-date bankruptcy news center are also available on the site.

Visit Lawyer Central's Consumer Bankruptcy Resource Center to learn more about bankruptcy law.

If you are looking for a bankruptcy lawyer to help you handle your debts and get you back on the road to financial stability, you can complete a free personal bankruptcy case evaluation and receive a response from an experienced attorney within 24 hours. Ask questions and get advice about debt relief, bankruptcy options, and other legal issues on Lawyer Central's free legal forum.

About Lawyer Central

The Lawyer Central Network is an exclusive nationwide network of attorneys highly dedicated to their unique areas of practice, including bankruptcy law. Lawyer Central is emerging as the leading public relations and mixed media marketing organization for fast-growing law firms and forward-thinking attorneys. Lawyer Central membership includes a variety of media exposure ranging from practice area video filming, through interviews and complete public relations and internet relations management.