Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act

Houston Deceptive Trade Practices Lawyers

Experienced Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act - DTPA Attorneys

Did you purchase a used car from your local dealership after being told that the vehicle only had 32,000 miles on it, only to learn later that it had been through more than 67,000 miles of wear and tear? Did you visit the new Italian restaurant in town solely for the reason that it falsely advertised a four-star review from a nationally known dining guide? Did you hire a contractor to repave your driveway and when you did some research into why the finished product looked so bad, you realized that the builder you hired had never mixed a bag of cement in his life?

These are just three examples of ways in which consumers of goods and services can be the victim of poor business practices, and the state of Texas has laws in place that offer legal recourse to those involved in such schemes. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act (also called the DTPA) was passed in 1973 and is found as part of the Texas Business and Commerce Code. Did you know that within the text of DTPA, there are twenty-five specific violations for which the sellers of goods and services can be held accountable? This list provides extensive protections to consumers in our state of Texas.

Overall, the DTPA is intended:

To protect consumers against false, misleading, and deceptive business and insurance practices, unconscionable actions, and breaches of warranty

An attorney may be able to enforce the Texas DTPA even if the consumer is not able to prove that the defendant "intentionally" or "knowingly" violated the DTPA, which places the law largely in favor of the consumer and creates an incentive for sellers to be vigilant watchdogs over their own practices.

If you believe that you have a case that involves your rights under the Texas DTPA, your lawyer must first notify the alleged violator of your complaint and allow 60 days for a response. In many cases, a DTPA lawyer can propose a settlement offer that can then be accepted or rejected. If the details of an offer are not to you and your attorney's satisfaction, a lawsuit may be filed and the process moves forward through the judicial system. You only have two years from the date the deceptive act or practice occurred to file a DTPA lawsuit. And, this step should never be done without the guidance of an experienced DTPA attorney.

The lawyers at Bertolino LLP have experience in both the mediation room and the courtroom when it comes to disputes involving the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act. We have offices in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio and we are ready to assist you with issues ranging from a $100 overcharge on a spa service to a remodeling project that resulted in tens of thousands of dollars of damage to your home.

If you have been the victim of fraud or misleading business practices, you should not go another day without getting compensation for the wrong that was done. Bertolino LLP can help.

Contact an Experienced DTPA Lawyer at Bertolino LLP

To learn more about how Bertolino LLP can help with your legal objectives, feel free to contact their Austin, Houston and San Antonio law offices by phone or e-mail. To contact the Firm's Austin law office, call 512.476.5757. For the San Antonio office, call 210.223.5553. For the Houston office, call 713.225.7474. For online assistance, contact the Firm by e-mail.