Ray Edwin Gallo's Answers

Can i go with another attorney

What they told you is probably correct. Notices go out if a class is certified. If you're in the class then you have a limited time to ask to be excluded (opt out). If you don't, you're in the class for good. You may not have received the notice as it would have been sent to the "best available" address or even just published in a newspaper if it was impossible to say exactly who should get the notice. You can, however, ask that the lawyers tell you how (or to what address) you were...

My toaster oven caught on fire after toasting some bread while I was in the bathroom. Can sue or file a class action lawsuit?

If many others had the same experience, it's a good class action. The point of a class action is that while your damages are small, the damages suffered by all buyers of this product could be big. If 5,000 people are each out $40, you've got a $200 million case. That said, it's more likely your toaster over was the defective one, or just one of a few. Just ask the company if this is a common problem and if there's been any kind of recall. If so, consider bringing a class action. If not,...

What legal action can I take on an upstairs neighbor pounding on our ceiling to make us quite at all times of the day?

My best legal advice is this: Move. Seriously. Legal remedies will cost more than they're worth. And if you're scared of this guy, and he's unstable, antagonizing him with legal proceedings with make that worse not better. I am all for productive conflict. This isn't it. Make sure your next place to live is single family or has thick walls. And take the upstairs!

Personal liabilty installing speed bumps on a private road easement

This is primarily a real estate question. The basic answer is this: Do the easement rights of anyone burden your parcel, and if so do they prohibit you from installing speed bumps? That will depend on the language of the easement. Get a copy and read it. If the language of the easement grant says you can't do anything to interfere with others' use of their easement rights, then arguably you could be liable (though it seems to me they'd never sue you because they'd have a hard time saying...

Slick high pressure salesman promised. Foolishly I signed the contract

You are not bound by terms you did not agree to. So, if you didn't get that page, you may not be bound by its terms. (Although, since you knew there were other terms, you may be bound by reasonable terms in addition to those you unquestionably did agree to.) You should act promptly to address this. Get a lawyer.

Same lawyer defending me and countersuing for a huge class action(possible huge settlement for the attorney)/other counterclaims

Yes. It is absolutely appropriate to see if the lawyer will defend the case for free in consideration of a larger contingency fee on the cross-complaint. At some point, a contingency fee is not permitted if it makes the case too much the lawyer's and not enough yours. I believe more than 50% becomes difficult, which could be an issue here. But, under these unique circumstances, where you first were paying hourly on the defense, it's even possible it woudl be legal for him to charge you more...

If I hire a someone to do a trade and the bill doesn't get paid, can they put a lein on my property

Good instincts. The answer is probably yes, particularly if they know or discover their cement was used to improve your property. The mason needs to get a release from the cement company. You need all parties at the table to make a deal. By the way, it is unlikely the cement is the problem. But if it is, then there probably will be others who had a problem and it should be easier to pursue the cement company for damages, or at least a release.

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Can I sue for of private information was release without consent

The release to your parents sounds actionable. It'll be hard to show you have any damage (an essential elemenet of any legal claim), but the Fair Debt Collection Practices statutes generally provide for "statutory damages," i.e., you often get a minimum of $1,000 or so. If they made these disclosures in writing, I and any good class action lawyer might well be interested in your case, since they probably did it to lots of other people too. (The release to your wife probably isn't...

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How can I get a full refund for classes I did not attend?

Your question is not complete. We obviously need a copy of whatever it was you did sign. But, what you say sounds like a possibly violation of laws that regulate for profit schools. You are welcome to contact me for some free advice.

Can I sue a cell phone company who put my payment on someone else's cell phone bill and refused to give back my money?

Yes.