Looking to sue PNC? Small claims court is an option, and you may have others…
At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of people ripped off by big companies like PNC. And we’ve helped get millions of dollars in settlement offers…
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Tired of hitting dead ends when trying to get a refund from PNC? Feeling like there’s nowhere to turn?
You’re not alone. It seems like many people have tried all the PNC customer service options, but still feel unheard.
There are different ways to file a complaint against PNC, but none have the same power and leverage as taking legal action.
So, if you’re thinking of suing PNC, where do you even start? You might expect there to be tons of class action lawsuits against them, but it’s often more complicated than that.
What many people don’t know is that hidden clauses buried deep within their contracts frequently allow companies like PNC to push legal claims into the private realm of consumer arbitration, away from conventional courts.
But here’s the thing: your PNC contract doesn’t have the power to take away your right to pursue legal action by suing them.
Here’s what you can do…
Learn more about the consumer arbitration process here.
If you’re ready to sue PNC in Small Claims Court, read on below:
Before you can sue PNC Bank in small claims court, you have to make sure your situation qualifies. Like most courts, small claims courts are reserved for specific types of cases. There are two things you have to pay attention to.
The first is the type of compensation you want. In traditional lawsuits you can ask for property or money, with small claims courts you can only ask for monetary rewards or a dollar amount. This is probably what you’re looking for from PNC Bank anyway but it’s still good to check.
The second is the amount of compensation. Claims can get very high when finances are involved especially when you account for things like overcharges, overdraft fees from those charges, or fraud. Every state has different limitations for small claims courts. You can find a list of all 50 states’ monetary limits here.
If your claim doesn’t fall within the limits of your state’s small claims court, you’ll have to arbitrate your claim instead.
If you qualify to sue PNC Bank in small claims court, you will have to start the process by sending a demand letter.
Most small claims courts require that you start the process by sending a formal letter to the official legal address for the company and asking them to voluntarily fix the problem.
This can consist of just a few sentences, it doesn’t have to be a Pulitzer prize-winning piece. Just explain who you are, with any contact information, what the problem is, and what you want PNC Bank to do to fix it.
Send a hard copy via certified mail to their official legal address. According to our most recent research, PNC is legally based in Pennsylvania and receives mail at this address. (Check your contract to confirm if this is the right address for legal notices):
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc
PNC Bank, N.A.
Legal Department
PNC Tower (18th Floor)
300 Fifth Avenue
Mailstop: PT-PTWR-18-1
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you can find an excellent guide here.
With the letter out of the way and no response headed your way, you can move on by filling out the right paperwork. In order to sue PNC Bank in small claims court you have to fill out the small claims court paperwork for your state and potentially for your county. Make sure you have the right forms based on where you live. Find your state court website here.
You also need to have the right number of copies. This will become very important in the next step. Most courts require three or four copies and you can verify how many by checking with your court website or calling and asking.
When you’re done filling out the court forms, it’s time to give those forms to the court. This process, called “filing” can be a bit complicated.
After you have filled out the right forms, it’s time to file those forms. In order to sue PNC Bank in small claims court you will most likely have to physically deliver the forms to your Courthouse.
Again, every court is different in terms of what they require so it’s very important that you check ahead of time so that you don’t miss a single step both literally and figuratively. When you get to the court, the clerk will accept your documents assuming everything is in order, stamp them, and give you back your copies along with your hearing date.
One of the stamp copies you get is for PNC. The next step when you sue PNC Bank in small claims court is to let them know that they are being sued. This process is called a serving.
As is the case with almost all the other steps involved, each small claims court has different requirements for how to properly serve a defendant. You need to verify the rules where you live and follow them accordingly. A single mistake can result in your case being thrown out.
So be careful!
Once it’s time for your hearing be sure to show up to court with your copies of the filed documents and any evidence you have to explain to the judge why you decided to sue PNC Bank in small claims court and why you deserve compensation.
The company may or may not send someone to oppose you but either way it’s your job to explain to the judge your side of the story and present any evidence you have.
Ready to sue PNC in small claims court?
If this sounds too hard and expensive, try consumer arbitration instead…
Get justice when a business lets you down:
FairShake’s Ultimate Guide to Consumer Complaints
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