Complain about a product or service

Reader Comment

Justice Denied

UnumProvident • Consumer Complaints • Reader Comments News: • UnumProvident Agrees to "Sweeping Reforms" • In Settlement with NY, Unum Agrees to Review Denied Disability Claims • Unum Class Action Filed • $31 Million Jury Verdict • Georgia Fines Unum $1 Million

In the Unum-Provident article where the woman could not collect on her disability, a statement was made in the email newsletter about people who think the courts are clogged up with trials. This article was certainly a prime example of what a total MYTH that is about people suing everyone for frivolous things and winning huge awards.

Even people with valid, serious cases are finding they can't use the courts. Just finding a competent lawyer, who doesnt lose interest for some other better-paying venture, is hard enough.

I sympathize with this woman, not only because of her debilitating disease and the extreme financial strain this has put on her entire family, but because of the complete mistrust she must be feeling for our so-called œjustice system, and corporate America, by now.

Then there is arbitration; I volunteer for a consumer advocacy non profit and I see complaints EVERY DAY from people that have valid, well substantiated cases, and are very much damaged financially and emotionally, and most cannot find lawyers to help -- not that most of them will be able to use the courts anyway, because they signed an arbitration clause with the builder, and lost their 7th amendment right to a trial.

Since arbitration clauses are in just about everything now, I have to wonder if the woman with the severe illness was further harmed by an arbitration clause, too. If she was given no option but arbitration I'm sure she knows by now that the arbitrator will be someone friendly to the industry she's got a dispute with, making this a kangaroo court that's not public record and often comes with a gag order to make sure she can't warn others.

Cindy Schnackel
Oklahoma Chapter, Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings
HADD is a national non profit organization
Member, Oklahomans for Quality in Residential Construction (OQRC)

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Back to the top |