Verizon Wireless Abuses Mentally Impaired Portland Consumer, Complaint Alleges

By Michael Fuller, Portland Trial Attorney

A Portland, Oregon consumer of mental health services alleges Verizon Wireless continues to harass him, in direct violation of his pro bono attorney's multiple cease and desist warnings.

According to a federal court complaint filed November 1, 2013, case number 3:13-cv-01940-MO, a Portland consumer claims the Verizon Wireless store in the Bridgeport Mall and its third party debt collectors continue to knowingly interfere with his mental health treatment.

The lawsuit alleges that in January 2013 Verizon Wireless offered its cell service to a consumer it knew lacked financial capacity to enter the contract.

"The consumer told Verizon he was a war hero pilot who had just thrown his cell phone out of his cockpit," the complaint alleges.

"The consumer bragged about being a personal friend of billionaire Richard Branson, [made] a loud maniacal phone call, and exhibited overt signs of severe mental impairment while in the Verizon store."

The consumer had been released from a mental health facility shortly before entering the Verizon Store, and was readmitted shortly after leaving.

Verizon Wireless allegedly ignores multiple cease and desist requests and continues to harass the consumer directly to pay its disputed debt.

The consumer's pro bono attorney says he lacked the financial capacity to enter the cell service contract and obtained no benefit from Verizon Wireless.

The complaint alleges Verizon Wireless wrongfully collected on its alleged debt and violated the Oregon Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities Abuse Prevention Act, the Oregon Unlawful Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

[United States District Court Portland Division Case Number 3:13-cv-01940-MO]