Chase Auto Finance is being sued for emotional and property damages by a Wisconsin family claiming their car was repossessed after they had satisfied all debts on the vehicle, the plaintiff’s attorneys announced in a press release this morning.
The family’s legal representation is asking for a relatively small amount of compensation — $1,000 in statutory damages, payments already made to the $9,000 used car, and attorney fees — but they say the case represents a larger “systemic” problem with auto repossessions.
Teresa and Ronald Olstad claim they had fallen behind on their payments, but had agreed on a plan to pay off their debts in March 2016. In May 2016, they came up with the money and Chase sent the couple a letter confirming the repayment of debts, according to the case filing.
However, two weeks later, while Teresa was at work, a tow truck pulled up in the parking lot and took the vehicle. Ronald arranged a meeting with the towing company, Tri State Recovery Inc., and presented the documentation proving he had paid off his debts. When Tri State Recovery contacted Primeritus Financial — the repossession manager for Chase — they would not lift the repossession. That same day, the Olstads went to their local Chase branch and sat with a manager for an hour before concluding that it was too late to stop the repossession.
“I look at it and ask, ‘Is there any sort of systemic problem with this?’ and I think the answer is yes,” Nathan DeLadurantey, owner of Milwaukee-based DeLadurantey Law Office representing the Olstads, told Auto Finance News. “One of the factors is, was there a breach of the peace in this repossession, and that regularly occurs in Wisconsin for consumers.”
The Olstads are requesting a trial by jury but the defendants have motioned to compel the case to arbitration, which would put it behind doors, the plaintiffs said.
A Chase Auto Finance spokeswoman declined to comment on pending litigation.
