Verizon Wireless Bogus Fees Consumer Arbitration Actions

If you are a current or former Verizon Wireless customer, then you may have a claim for monthly overcharges.

Customers complain that Verizon Wireless has been imposing an invented “Administrative Charge” of $1.95 per line per month above and beyond Verizon’s advertised price for the service. (Verizon has been imposing the so-called Administrative Charge for many years on all of its wireless plans with the sole exception of its prepaid plans.)

Customers say that Verizon does not disclose the Administrative Charge when customers sign up, and that then on the customer bill Verizon Wireless hides the charge and falsely indicates it is a government-related surcharge.

To date, Verizon Wireless has collected more than $5 billion in charges from its subscribers nationwide through these “Administrative Charges.”

Hattis Law is working to recover money to Verizon Wireless subscribers and to get the company to change its ways and comply with the law.

Taking Legal Action Against Verizon

Currently, Verizon’s “Customer Agreement” attempts to prohibit consumers from bringing or being part of a class action. Verizon’s Customer Agreement instead states that each customer must separately bring an individual private “arbitration” to be decided by a private organization, not by a court.

Hattis Law PLLC d/b/a Hattis & Lukacs is seeking to represent numerous Verizon Wireless customers in arbitrations. Lawyers will file many separate arbitrations against Verizon Wireless simultaneously before the American Arbitration Association (an organization that the Verizon specifies may hold such arbitrations).

Verizon may try to dodge the arbitration rules or proceedings. There is a possibility the American Arbitration Association will be unable to hold these arbitrations because Verizon refuses to participate in, or pay the required fees for, the arbitrations.

If that occurs, and if the law firm had accepted you to be a client in arbitration, then at that point the attorney-client relationship will end, and the law firm will no longer represent you.

Instead, the law firm will file one or more class action lawsuits in court against Verizon Wireless for refund of the “Administrative Charges” to its customers. Although you would not be a client of the law firm at that point, you could potentially be a class member in one of those cases. We would update you about any such class action cases that may apply to you.

Apply To Be A Client In Verizon Wireless Bogus Fee Arbitrations

If you are a current or former Verizon Wireless customer (excluding only prepaid customers), you can apply to be a client to get legal help to recover the Administrative Charges you paid. Please note, you will not be a client until we contact you to let you know we have accepted your application.

Unique ID

First Name(Required)

Last Name(Required)

City(Required)

State(Required)

Phone(Required)

Email(Required)

Information Needed Regarding Your Verizon Wireless Account

1. Are you a current Verizon Wireless customer?(Required)

How long has it been since you were last a customer with Verizon Wireless?

2. About how many years have/had you been a Verizon Wireless subscriber?(Required)

3. Is/was the Verizon Wireless account held in your name?(Required)

First Name (of account holder)

Last Name (of account holder)

4. Please list a phone number that is/was in your Verizon Wireless account(Required)

5. Please provide your Verizon Wireless account billing address(Required)

Billing City

Billing State

Billing Zip

6. How many phone lines do/did you have in your Verizon Wireless account?(Required)

7. Are/were you signed up for automatic bill pay with Verizon Wireless?

8. When did you last make changes to your Verizon Wireless plan?(Required)

9. How did you make that most recent change to your wireless plan?(Required)

What was the other store or website where you updated your wireless plan?

Name of other store:

10. Have you ever used Verizon's phone financing program to purchase a phone on monthly installments?(Required)

How many of your current phones are still on a Verizon financing payment program (being charged to your bill)?

(Optional but helpful) Please upload one or more recent Verizon bills, which will remain confidential.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 12.

Additional comments about your Verizon Wireless account or experience

Application To Be A Client In Arbitration (scroll-down required)

Terms of Client Application Agreement for Arbitration (Must Scroll-Down To End)(Required)

1. I understand and agree that these terms will become effective ONLY if Hattis Law PLLC d/b/a Hattis & Lukacs, (“ATTORNEYS”) notifies me via email that they have accepted this application and thus that I have been chosen to be a client.

2. If I am chosen to be a client, ATTORNEYS will represent me for the sole purpose of investigating, and if appropriate in the ATTORNEYS’ opinion, filing an arbitration against Verizon Wireless before the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) to pursue my claims in arbitration concerning my payments of Verizon’s “Administrative Charge.” (In this agreement, “Verizon Wireless” or “Verizon” means Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless and/or Verizon Communications Inc.)

3. I understand that, if I am chosen to be a client, it is possible the AAA may refuse or be unable to hold the arbitration. For example, Verizon may refuse to participate in or pay the required fees for the arbitration. I agree that, if the AAA refuses or is unable to hold the arbitration, then ATTORNEYS may immediately terminate the attorney-client relationship and no longer represent me in any capacity.

4. If I am chosen to be a client and a difference of opinion arises between me and ATTORNEYS on a significant issue, ATTORNEYS shall have the right to withdraw as my counsel of record, and I shall have the right to discharge ATTORNEYS as my individual counsel. I also acknowledge that ATTORNEYS have the right to stop representing me at any time if, in their professional judgment and consistent with their ethical responsibilities, they come to believe that my potential claims are unlikely to result in a recovery.

5. If I am chosen to be a client, I agree that ATTORNEYS may represent, and I consent to ATTORNEYS representing, multiple clients with similar or identical claims against Verizon.

6. ATTORNEYS intend to represent many clients with similar or identical claims against Verizon. At this time, ATTORNEYS know of no conflicts of interest that would have an adverse impact on ATTORNEYS’ representation of you. It is, however, possible that conflicts may arise in the future, including: Verizon offers an aggregate or “lump sum” settlement to all of ATTORNEYS’ clients that does not specify the amount each client will receive; or Verizon offers to settle, but only if a certain percentage, or even all, of ATTORNEYS’ clients accept the proposed settlement. ATTORNEYS also may be required by the applicable rules of professional conduct to share material information about your claims and negotiating position with ATTORNEYS’ other clients with similar claims. While ATTORNEYS will try to avoid these issues if it is practical to do so, they might occur. If you are chosen to be a client and any conflict of interest affecting you does arise, ATTORNEYS will inform you promptly and work with you on how best to proceed in accordance with the applicable rules of professional conduct.

7. If I am chosen to be a client, and my case is resolved via settlement with Verizon BEFORE an arbitration with the AAA has commenced (i.e., before all AAA filing fees have been paid by Verizon and before the arbitrator for my case has been appointed), then I agree that ATTORNEYS will be entitled to a flat attorneys’ fee of $750 out of any recovery from Verizon as payment for having prepared my claim, having made a demand to Verizon, and having negotiated a resolution. In that event, any amount greater than $750 that is recovered from Verizon will be mine to keep. I agree that $750 is a reasonable attorneys’ fee for settlement of my claims prior to an arbitration being commenced, and is reflective of the time, effort, expense and skill ATTORNEYS will put into my case up until that point. I understand that ATTORNEYS’ compensation is not set by law but is negotiable between attorney and client. (Some state laws require us to disclose our regular hourly rates; these rates, which will not be charged to you, range from $200 for junior paralegal staff to $800 for senior partners.)

8. If I am chosen to be a client, and my case is resolved AFTER the arbitration with the AAA has commenced (i.e., after all AAA filing fees have been paid and after the arbitrator has been appointed), I authorize ATTORNEYS to apply to the arbitrator for, or to obtain directly from Verizon, attorneys’ fees and costs separate and distinct from any payment I receive for my claims. In the event that Verizon offers and I accept a settlement of my claims which does not include a separate payment to ATTORNEYS of their reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, I agree that ATTORNEYS will be entitled to compensation for their services in the amount of one-third (33-1/3%) of my monetary recovery under such settlement. I understand that ATTORNEYS’ compensation is not set by law but is negotiable between attorney and client.

9. If I am chosen to be a client, ATTORNEYS are hereby authorized but are not obligated to accept a settlement offer, without further authorization or direction by me, that includes: (1) a payment by Verizon to me equal to or more than the amount of all of the Administrative Charges I have paid to Verizon; and (2) a payment by Verizon to ATTORNEYS for attorneys’ fees and costs separate and distinct from any payment I receive for my claims.

10. If I am chosen to be a client, I authorize ATTORNEYS to associate with other attorneys to assist with my potential claims at no additional expense to me.

11. If I am chosen to be a client, I will provide to ATTORNEYS on a timely basis any information or documents reasonably requested by ATTORNEYS and, if necessary, to provide evidence in the arbitration. If I do not timely respond to requests by ATTORNEYS, including for the purpose of a potential settlement, I understand that ATTORNEYS may immediately terminate the attorney-client relationship such that ATTORNEYS would no longer represent me in any capacity.

12. If I am chosen to be a client, I authorize ATTORNEYS to present to Verizon a document with my digital signature stating: that I have retained ATTORNEYS to represent me with regard to my claims; information necessary to notify Verizon of my claims including my Verizon phone number or account number, service address and relevant contact information; and that I authorize Verizon to provide to ATTORNEYS my confidential account records if necessary in resolving my claims.

13. I acknowledge that ATTORNEYS have not and will not provide any guarantee about the outcome of my claims.

14. I authorize ATTORNEYS to send me text messages related to this matter to the phone number or numbers I provided in this application to be a client. I represent that I am the subscriber of those numbers and I have the authority to give such consent. (You are not required to provide this authorization for us to represent you. If you do not wish us to communicate with you via text message, please let us know by sending an email to notexts@hattislaw.com indicating that you do not wish to receive text messages.)

I agree to the terms of the application (You Must Scroll to the Bottom of the Terms before Checking the Box)

By my signature below, I agree to the terms of the application.(Required)