(a) A creditor, as defined in section 36a-645, who uses any abusive, harassing, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading representation, device or practice with respect to any person to collect or attempt to collect a debt in violation of section 36a-646, section 36a-805 or the regulations adopted pursuant to section 36a-647 or 36a-809 shall be liable to such person in an amount equal to the sum of: (1) Any actual damages sustained by such person, (2) if such person is an individual, such additional damages as the court may award, not to exceed one thousand dollars, and (3) in the case of any successful action to enforce liability under the provisions of this subsection, the costs of the action and, in the discretion of the court, a reasonable attorney’s fee.

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Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 36a-648

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: means an individual, company, including a company described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subdivision (12) of this section, or any other legal entity, including a federal, state or municipal government or agency or any political subdivision thereof. See Connecticut General Statutes 36a-2

(b) In determining the amount of liability in an action brought pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the trier of fact shall consider, among other relevant factors, the frequency and persistence of noncompliance by the creditor, the nature of such noncompliance and the extent to which such noncompliance was intentional.

(c) A creditor may not be held liable in an action brought under this section if the creditor shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the violation was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error, notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adopted by the creditor to avoid any such error.

(d) An action to enforce liability under this section may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction not later than one year after the date on which the violation occurs.