Hannah Locklear | December 09, 2022
Summary: GLA Collections is a debt collection agency that specializes in collecting medical debt. If you have been contacted by GLA Collections, don’t ignore it. You can fight back by sending a Debt Validation Letter and forcing them to validate the debt. If the matter escalates to court, respond to a debt lawsuit against GLA Collections with SoloSuit.
Facing a fierce debt collection agency in court, like GLA Collections, can be intimidating. Debt collection companies like GLA Collections understand the ins-and-outs of debt collection laws and may seem to have the upper hand against you in a legal proceeding.
However, there are strategies you can use to beat GLA Collections in court. This article explains how to achieve that and everything else you need to know about debt collection lawsuits and GLA Collections.
GLA Collections, formally known as GLA Collection Company Inc., is a debt collection agency operating out of Kentucky. The company has been in the debt collection business since 1974. In addition to its main operation in Kentucky, GLA Collections has offices in Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Tennessee.The company specializes in the collection of medical debt.
GLA Collections is known for using a number of questionable collection tactics, such as robocalling, using an auto-dialer to confirm information. and pressuring consumers to complete their “collections process.”
GLA is also known for quickly reporting an uncollected debt to the big credit rating agencies in an effort to impact a consumer’s credit score and overall credit health. For example, it has been reported that GLA Collections will notify the big credit rating agencies if they fail to collect on a debt after 60 days.
If you need to reach someone at GLA Collections, below is the contact information to do so:
GLA COLLECTION COMPANY, INCORPORATED
2630 Gleeson Lane
Louisville, KY 40299
(502) 267-7522
The reputation of GLA Collections is dubious at best. They have received numerous consumer complaints containing troubling allegations of blatant Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) violations. For example, consumers have reported debtor collectors affiliated with GLA sharing personal information about delinquent debts with unauthorized third parties and failing to provide consumers with written verification of debts.
So, if you feel like you’ve been treated unfairly by GLA Collections, you’re not alone.
As of 2022, the Better Business Bureau has received more than 30 complaints against GLA Collections in the last three years. Even worse, the Consumers Financial Protection Bureau has reported more than 600 complaints against GLA Collections over the last ten years.
Below is an example of a real consumer complaint from GLA Collections’ BBB profile (edited for clarity):
“They are harassing me, calling at least once per day using robo callers. Under the law, if you call someone more than 3 times in a row and they don't answer, that's harassment. They have called me at least 20 times even though I haven't responded because I already worked out a payment date next month that apparently GLA Collections is not honoring.”
If you are being harassed by a debt collector affiliated with GLA Collections, it is important to understand that you do not have to endure unethical, and likely illegal, collection tactics. You have statutory protections and rights under the aforementioned FDCPA.
The FDCPA is a federal law designed to regulate the actions of debt collection agencies. The FDCPA accomplishes this objective by setting forth specific prohibitions of certain types of collection tactics. For example, the FDCPA prohibits the use of abusive or threatening language by a debt collector when communicating with a consumer, as well as acts of harassment or the use of false or misleading information in an effort to collect on a debt.
Learn more about how the FDCPA can protect you from debt collectors like GLA Collections.
In addition to the FDCPA, consumers have statutory protections under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA). For example, the FCRA contains specific regulations governing how debt collection agencies like GLA Collections can report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies.
As mentioned, you do not have to suffer through a seemingly-endless number of debt collection phone calls from GLA.
When GLA Collections first contacts you about a debt, sending a Debt Validation Letter can help you get them off your back. This letter will force GLA Collections to prove the debt is valid before they can continue collection efforts.
Learn more about how a Debt Validation Letter can help you beat GLA Collections:
Under federal law, you have a right to privacy. As a result, when you receive a phone call from a debt collector affiliated with GLA Collections, advise them you would like all future communications to be in writing. In addition, send a formal request to have communications issued in writing via certified mail.
In that same request, state you are the only person they have the right to contact and are prohibited from contacting unauthorized third parties (e.g., family members, employers, neighbors, and friends). Make sure to send this formal request via certified mail with a return receipt, so you know that GLA Collections received a copy of your letter.
If GLA continues to engage in harassing communications via phone calls and other platforms, you at the very least have rock solid evidence that could be used in a counterclaim against the debt collection agency reflecting clear violations of the FDCPA.
If you want to know how to beat GLA Collections, the answer is: be proactive. Do not ignore correspondence, phone calls, and (especially) a court summons from the debt collection agency.
Why is responding to GLA Collections so important? Because if you bury your head in the proverbial sand and ignore a debt collection court summons, you are raising the flag of defeat and letting GLA Collections win.
When a consumer fails to respond to a debt collection summons, in most instances, a court will have no choice but to enter a “default judgment” against you and in favor of GLA Collections. As a result, GLA Collections will likely request the court to enter an order allowing the debt collection agency to initiate wage garnishment in order to recover the amount owed.
Do not let this happen to you. Respond to the debt collection summons filed by GLA Collections by filing an Answer.
Follow these three steps to Answer a debt lawsuit against GLA Collections:
Now, let’s break down each of these steps a little further. Don’t like reading? Check out this video instead:
A debt lawsuit begins when you receive the Summons and Complaint documents, usually in the mail.
The Summons notifies you of the case and the case details. The Complaint (also known as a Petition in some states) lists all the claims against you. The first section of your Answer should focus on responding to each claim listed in the Complaint.
Use one of the following answers to respond to each claim:
Most attorneys recommend that you deny as many allegations as possible. This forces GLA Collections to prove the claim, and if they can’t, they might just drop the case altogether.
Respond to GLA Collections claims in minutes online.
When it comes to understanding how to beat GLA Collections, conducting research and assessing different affirmative defenses is critically important. Why? Because affirmative defenses are basically legal reasons why you think GLA’s case lacks merit or legal sufficiency.
Examples of affirmative defenses include the following:
Asserting your affirmative defenses is kind of like telling your side of the story, but using legal wording and formatting.
SoloSuit can help you make the right defense the right way.
Once you’ve drafted your Answer with your responses and affirmative defenses, you must file the original copy with the court and send a copy to the attorney representing GLA Collections.
Each court throughout the US has unique filing requirements. For example, some courts only accept documents through electronic filing. Others require additional documents to be filed with the Answer. SoloSuit has done the heavy lifting to figure out your court’s conditions and requirements so you don’t have to.
After filing, be sure to serve the opposing attorney with a copy of your Answer. Send your Answer to GLA Collections’ lawyer using USPS certified mail with a return receipt requested.
Now, let’s take a look at an example of how one consumer beat GLA Collections in court.
Example: Jennifer was sued by GLA Collections for an old medical debt that she had already paid off. She used SoloSuit to draft and file an Answer to the lawsuit. In her Answer document, Jennifer denied all of GLA Collections’ claims and listed several affirmative defenses, including the fact that the debt had already been satisfied in full. After a few weeks, Jennifer was relieved to hear that the court had dismissed the case.
In addition to responding to a debt collection summons filed by GLA Collections, you have the ability to file a counterclaim and pursue compensatory damages from the collection agency. For example, the FDCPA enables consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
In terms of learning how to beat GLA Collection, here is a brief summary of what to do if this debt collection agency files a lawsuit against you:
SoloSuit makes it easy to fight debt collectors.
You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt.
SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.
>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)
Here's a list of guides for other states.
Being sued by a different debt collector? Were making guides on how to beat each one.
You can ask your questions on the SoloSuit forum and the community will help you out. Whether you need help now are are just look for support, we're here for you.
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Out Debt Validation Letter is the best way to respond to a collection letter. Many debt collectors will simply give up after receiving it.
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