Did you know about "Arbitration and Mediation" FAQ?

[cathyroberson3]

I have just made a discovery that many of you frustrated Verizon customers will be very interested in knowing about. Did you know that you can type in legal action in the search verizon.com box and you will find a category called "Arbitration & Mediation" FAQ? For those of you, like myself who have been dealing with months and months of issues with Verizon and you are getting nowhere, you might check this out. It is very interesting.This may have saved me hours and hours of time and some over the top emotion that our situation has caused.

[ShanaK]

Is it better to do one over the other? Is it better to mediate first then arbitrate. Or would it just save time to jump straight to arbitration?

[MiiHere]

I believe first you mediate and then arbitrate. Arbitrate involves a judge I believe and they will want to know if you first tried to mediate.

[Snn5]

Start here, processes must be done in certain orders.

From:  Customer Agreement | Verizon Wireless

HOW DO I RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH VERIZON WIRELESS?

WE HOPE TO MAKE YOU A HAPPY CUSTOMER, BUT IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED, THIS SECTION OUTLINES WHAT'S EXPECTED OF BOTH OF US.

YOU AND VERIZON WIRELESS BOTH AGREE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES ONLY BY ARBITRATION OR IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BY THIS AGREEMENT YOU ARE GIVING UP THE RIGHT TO BRING A CLAIM IN COURT OR IN FRONT OF A JURY. WHILE THE PROCEDURES MAY BE DIFFERENT, AN ARBITRATOR CAN AWARD YOU THE SAME DAMAGES AND RELIEF, AND MUST HONOR THE SAME TERMS IN THIS AGREEMENT, AS A COURT WOULD. IF THE LAW ALLOWS FOR AN AWARD OF ATTORNEYS' FEES, AN ARBITRATOR CAN AWARD THEM TOO. WE ALSO BOTH AGREE THAT:

(1) THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT APPLIES TO THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT FOR SMALL CLAIMS COURT CASES THAT QUALIFY, ANY DISPUTE THAT IN ANY WAY RELATES TO OR ARISES OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR FROM ANY EQUIPMENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES YOU RECEIVE FROM US (OR FROM ANY ADVERTISING FOR ANY SUCH PRODUCTS OR SERVICES), INCLUDING ANY DISPUTES YOU HAVE WITH OUR EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS, WILL BE RESOLVED BY ONE OR MORE NEUTRAL ARBITRATORS BEFORE THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION ("AAA") OR BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU ("BBB"). YOU CAN ALSO BRING ANY ISSUES YOU MAY HAVE TO THE ATTENTION OF FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND IF THE LAW ALLOWS, THEY CAN SEEK RELIEF AGAINST US FOR YOU.

(2) UNLESS YOU AND VERIZON WIRELESS AGREE OTHERWISE, THE ARBITRATION WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE COUNTY OF YOUR BILLING ADDRESS. FOR CLAIMS OVER $10,000, THE AAA'S WIRELESS INDUSTRY ARBITRATION ("WIA") RULES WILL APPLY. IN SUCH CASES, THE LOSER CAN ASK FOR A PANEL OF THREE NEW ARBITRATORS TO REVIEW THE AWARD. FOR CLAIMS OF $10,000 OR LESS, THE PARTY BRINGING THE CLAIM CAN CHOOSE EITHER THE AAA'S RULES FOR CONSUMER DISPUTES OR THE BBB'S RULES FOR BINDING ARBITRATION OR, ALTERNATIVELY, CAN BRING AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT. YOU CAN GET PROCEDURES, RULES AND FEE INFORMATION FROM THE AAA (WWW.ADR.ORG), THE BBB (WWW.BBB.ORG) OR FROM US. FOR CLAIMS OF $10,000 OR LESS, YOU CAN CHOOSE WHETHER YOU'D LIKE THE ARBITRATION CARRIED OUT BASED ONLY ON DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE ARBITRATOR, OR BY A HEARING IN PERSON OR BY PHONE.

(3) THIS AGREEMENT DOESN'T ALLOW CLASS OR COLLECTIVE ARBITRATIONS EVEN IF THE AAA OR BBB PROCEDURES OR RULES WOULD. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD MONEY OR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF ONLY IN FAVOR OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTY SEEKING RELIEF AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE RELIEF WARRANTED BY THAT PARTY'S INDIVIDUAL CLAIM. NO CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL THEORIES OF LIABILITY OR PRAYERS FOR RELIEF MAY BE MAINTAINED IN ANY ARBITRATION HELD UNDER THIS AGREEMENT. ANY QUESTION REGARDING THE ENFORCEABILITY OR INTERPRETATION OF THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE DECIDED BY A COURT AND NOT THE ARBITRATOR.

(4) IF EITHER OF US INTENDS TO SEEK ARBITRATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, THE PARTY SEEKING ARBITRATION MUST FIRST NOTIFY THE OTHER PARTY OF THE DISPUTE IN WRITING AT LEAST 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF INITIATING THE ARBITRATION. NOTICE TO VERIZON WIRELESS SHOULD BE SENT TO VERIZON WIRELESS DISPUTE RESOLUTION MANAGER, ONE VERIZON WAY, VC52N061, BASKING RIDGE, NJ 07920. THE NOTICE MUST DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF THE CLAIM AND THE RELIEF BEING SOUGHT. IF WE ARE UNABLE TO RESOLVE OUR DISPUTE WITHIN 30 DAYS, EITHER PARTY MAY THEN PROCEED TO FILE A CLAIM FOR ARBITRATION. WE'LL PAY ANY FILING FEE THAT THE AAA OR BBB CHARGES YOU FOR ARBITRATION OF THE DISPUTE. IF YOU PROVIDE US WITH SIGNED WRITTEN NOTICE THAT YOU CANNOT PAY THE FILING FEE, VERIZON WIRELESS WILL PAY THE FEE DIRECTLY TO THE AAA OR BBB. IF THAT ARBITRATION PROCEEDS, WE'LL ALSO PAY ANY ADMINISTRATIVE AND ARBITRATOR FEES CHARGED LATER, AS WELL AS FOR ANY APPEAL TO A PANEL OF THREE NEW ARBITRATORS (IF THE ARBITRATION AWARD IS APPEALABLE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT).

(5) WE ALSO OFFER CUSTOMERS THE OPTION OF PARTICIPATING IN A FREE INTERNAL MEDIATION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY AND DOES NOT AFFECT EITHER PARTY'S RIGHTS IN ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THESE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES. IN OUR VOLUNTARY MEDIATION PROGRAM, WE WILL ASSIGN AN EMPLOYEE WHO'S NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE DISPUTE TO HELP BOTH SIDES REACH AN AGREEMENT. THAT PERSON HAS ALL THE RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS OF A MEDIATOR AND THE PROCESS HAS ALL OF THE PROTECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MEDIATION. FOR EXAMPLE, NOTHING SAID IN THE MEDIATION CAN BE USED LATER IN AN ARBITRATION OR LAWSUIT. IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT VERIZONWIRELESS.COMOR THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO START THE MEDIATION PROCESS, PLEASE GO TO VERIZONWIRELESS.COM OR CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR A NOTICE OF DISPUTE FORM TO FILL OUT, AND MAIL, FAX OR EMAIL IT TO US ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS ON THE FORM.

(6) WE MAY, BUT ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO, MAKE A WRITTEN SETTLEMENT OFFER ANYTIME BEFORE ARBITRATION BEGINS. THE AMOUNT OR TERMS OF ANY SETTLEMENT OFFER MAY NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THE ARBITRATOR UNTIL AFTER THE ARBITRATOR ISSUES AN AWARD ON THE CLAIM. IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT THE OFFER AND THE ARBITRATOR AWARDS YOU AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S MORE THAN OUR OFFER BUT LESS THAN $5,000, OR IF WE DON'T MAKE YOU AN OFFER, AND THE ARBITRATOR AWARDS YOU ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY BUT LESS THAN $5,000, THEN WE AGREE TO PAY YOU $5,000 INSTEAD OF THE AMOUNT AWARDED. IN THAT CASE WE ALSO AGREE TO PAY ANY REASONABLE ATTORNEYS' FEES AND EXPENSES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE LAW REQUIRES IT FOR YOUR CASE. IF THE ARBITRATOR AWARDS YOU MORE THAN $5,000, THEN WE WILL PAY YOU THAT AMOUNT.

(7) AN ARBITRATION AWARD AND ANY JUDGMENT CONFIRMING IT APPLY ONLY TO THAT SPECIFIC CASE; IT CAN'T BE USED IN ANY OTHER CASE EXCEPT TO ENFORCE THE AWARD ITSELF.

(8) IF FOR SOME REASON THE PROHIBITION ON CLASS ARBITRATIONS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (3) CANNOT BE ENFORCED, THEN THE AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE WILL NOT APPLY.

(9) IF FOR ANY REASON A CLAIM PROCEEDS IN COURT RATHER THAN THROUGH ARBITRATION, YOU AND VERIZON WIRELESS AGREE THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A JURY TRIAL. YOU AND VERIZON WIRELESS UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IN ANY WAY. IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, THIS PARAGRAPH MAY BE FILED TO SHOW A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

[ShanaK]

Thank you kindly for the information.