A dispute has broken out between Los Angeles’ Bureau of Sanitation and the trash companies responsible for the city’s trash. Recently, the city of Los Angeles implemented a new recycling program called RecycLA, causing complications for the trash haulers in the city. The companies responsible for hauling trash have accused the city of disregarding their contract approved over a year ago regarding refuse removal in the city. As a result, over 300 customers received fees that were riddled with errors. The city has issued letters to the trash companies demanding that they correct their mistakes, marking it the first step towards compensating customers for the damages.
Landowners and businesses have also complained about L.A’s new recycling program. Due to the new rules laid out by the L.A City Council, customers have noted missed trash collection days and a hike in trash collection prices. While L.A city mayor, Eric Garcetti tried to downplay the severity of the issue, some 70,000 customers have been hit with these higher trash collection bills. The focal point of this dispute is centered around the fact that trash collection companies are charging extra for opening gates at customers’ properties and pulling bins away an appropriate distance from the curb so that they can be picked up.
The new program, RecycLA, allows for trash pick up companies to charge extra fees for these additional services. While this aspect of the program has been appropriately placed on the bills of some homeowners, over 300 customers have received extra charges for the service. The city of L.A has made efforts to make these companies are aware of this mistake. However, a majority of these companies have disputed with the city’s claims.
The dispute truly began on October 3rd, when city leaders sent the trash companies a detailed list of all of the charging errors. The trash haulers disputed these claims, stating that the city was blatantly disregarding the language of the contract. The negotiations have only become worse since then. Customers have made efforts to remedy the situation, by pushing bins to the street, or positioning bins so that they are fewer than 100 feet from the curb. However, if you have received extra charges on your waste bill as a result of RecycLA, you may be able to pursue further action in the form of a class action lawsuit. When filing this lawsuit, it is highly recommended that you seek legal representation from an attorney well versed in the subject of class action law and the process of suing a company for failing to follow the terms of a contract properly.
What is a Class Action Lawsuit & How to File
A class action lawsuit is a suit that involves multiple parties instead of just one. In most cases, class action lawsuits involve a group of individuals suing a company or organization for their actions and behavior. The individuals that make up this group should all have received similar damages from the same source or action. Class action lawsuits can vary drastically from each case, and as such, there is no one way to bring them to a successful settlement. Often cases, when victims file a class action lawsuit, they don’t expect to receive a sizeable monetary settlement. This is because, settlements made in class action lawsuits are dispersed amongst all parties involved, minimizing the amount an individual may receive.
While the subject and resolution of class action lawsuits can vary dramatically between cases, two factors are always present. These two factors are listed as follows:
- The issues that are being disputed are common to all members of the class
- The persons affected are so large in number as to make it impracticable to bring them all before a court
Regarding this case, a class action lawsuit can be filed against the city or company responsible for the error. Regardless of which party you deem liable, you must be able to show that they acted negligently and that their negligent actions directly led to your damages. Through a claim of negligence, you can show that the trash companies or the city were responsible for causing the hike in charges. A claim of negligence is often proven through substantial supporting evidence. Regarding this case, some of the supporting evidence you could use include items like the contract which the city and the trash companies agreed upon; photographs showing errors in the trash company’s conduct; or the accounts of other trash collecting customers. Regardless of what evidence you gather, these items can be used to support the core elements of a claim of negligence, which are listed as follows:
- Duty: The plaintiff (injured or damaged party) must be able to show that the defendant (The City or Trash Companies) owed a legal duty to the plaintiff under the particular circumstances of the case.
- Breach: The plaintiff must be able to show that the defendant breached said legal duty through specific actions or failure to act appropriately
- Causation: The plaintiff must be able to show that the defendant’s actions or lack thereof caused the plaintiff’s injuries
- Damages: The plaintiff must be able to show that they endured some specific damages. This can usually be shown through the presentation of medical records, a loss of wages, or a loss of potential income.
Who is Liable for the Damages?
If you or a loved one have received an extra charge on your waste bill as a result of this new RecycLA program, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the party deemed liable for the damages. In this case, determining liability can be tricky, as both sides are pointing blame at each other. However, with the help of a class action attorney you can better identify the liability of the trash companies and their failure to uphold their part of the contract. You could also find liability in the city for failing to draft and enact a concise and understandable bill which as a result caused the hike in charges for many customers throughout the L.A area. Or you could find fault between both parties, the city for failing to draft a clear contract, and trash companies for failing to fix errors made in the billing process. Regardless of what route you decide to take, you can seek compensation for your damages through a class action lawsuit. However, like all class action lawsuits, it is, crucial that you seek legal guidance and representation from a class action lawyer experienced in disputes between city government bodies and local public service companies. With the right attorney by your side, you can better identify who is liable in this case, and better your chances or earn suitable compensation for your damages.
How Normandie Law Firm Can Help
If you or a loved one live in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and believe you have experienced a hike in the price of trash removal services, you may be eligible to file a claim for monetary compensation. At Normandie Law Firm our class action lawyers can guide you through the often complicated process of building a case, filing a claim, and reaching a settlement that satisfies all parties involved. Those who have experienced similar damages can contact our law offices for a free consultation, as well as more information about how to receive compensation for their damages. While our law firm is based in Los Angeles, our skilled class action attorneys also practice in Fresno, Chino, Riverside, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Riverside, Stockton, and throughout the state of California.
Free Second Opinions
Other attorneys will sign you up for their firm but will disappear once your name is on the paper as they are busy signing up more cases. In these instances, their business is based more on volume and will attempt to sign up as many cases as possible. In turn, they will spend less time on cases resulting in severely reduced settlements. Our firm will not treat you like a number. We will be in communication with you throughout our lawsuit and will treat you like family. So if you already have an attorney don’t worry, we’ll give you a second review of your case 100% free of charge.
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If you contact our law offices today, we can walk you through the complicated process of filing your claim completely free of charge. As a show this commitment to you and your case we offer our clients the benefits of a zero fee guarantee policy. Under our zero fee policy, all clients don’t pay for our services until their case is won. If you feel in need of a second opinion, second opinion case reviews are also free under this policy. Please, feel free to give us a call, and we can guide you down the path of receiving proper compensation for your damages.
