How to Sue US Cellular in Small Claims Court

So you want to sue US Cellular?

At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of users with claims against US Cellular and other big companies that ripped them off get over $5 million in settlement offers… [continued below]

US Cellular complaint?

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Maybe you’ve tried all the US Cellular customer service escalation options. Maybe you’ve even tried other ways to bring your US Cellular complaint.

Either way, you might think you know how suing US Cellular works. Especially if a bunch of people have the same problem, wouldn’t you find a lawyer and bring a class action suit against US Cellular?

Well, that’s where an obscure term of company contracts comes in — it’s called consumer arbitration — and it’s incredibly common.

If there’s a consumer arbitration clause in your contract with US Cellular then you probably can’t sue US Cellular in a “real” court — like state or federal court. And you probably can’t sue US Cellular as part of a class action.

So what can you do?

Two ways to Sue US Cellular

The first way to sue US Cellular is through consumer arbitration. If your contract has an arbitration clause it gives you the right take legal action against US Cellular through an officially-designated, independent dispute process that’s not a court and won’t require showing up in person. This can be a better option for a lot of regular people.

The second way to sue US Cellular, if you have the time and dedication, is to use Small Claims Court. If you’re ready to sue US Cellular in Small Claims Court, read on below:

Taking US Cellular to Small Claims Court Step-by-Step

Does your case qualify to US Cellular?

Ready to sue U.S. Cellular in small claims court? First you need to check that your situation qualifies. Small claims courts are only for certain types of claims, and you might be limited by two factors:

The type of compensation: In most courts you can ask for monetary compensation, a dollar amount, or equitable compensation, anything that isn’t money, like a physical cell phone. But with small claims courts you are usually limited to monetary compensation.
The amount of money: Every small claims court sets a maximum dollar size for how much money you can ask for in compensation. 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.

Send US Cellular a demand letter.

Before you sue US Cellular you have to give them the chance to voluntarily fix your problem. This starts with the demand letter.

The demand letter is just that: a letter. It can be a simple and straightforward letter where you write to US Cellular and tell them who you are (your name, address, phone number and account number), what the problem is, and what you want from them.

In an ideal world, they will receive the letter and respond to it.

When you’re done writing, you need to mail a hard copy of the letter, preferably as certified mail or some other service that allows you to confirm delivery. According to our most recent research, US Cellular is legally based in Delaware and receives mail at this address:

USCC SERVICES, LLC
C/O CORPORATION SERVICE COMPANY
251 LITTLE FALLS DRIVE
WILMINGTON, DE 19808

If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you can find an excellent guide here.

Fill out court forms.

If they don’t respond to your letter, you move forward and sue U.S. Cellular in small claims court by filling out some paper work.

Each state (and sometimes county) has a different set of forms to fill out, which you can get for free on your court website. Find your state court website here.

Be sure to have the right number of copies. When you move on to the next step, you will likely need 3 or 4 copies. If you don’t, the court won’t let you sue US Cellular.

File your forms with the court.

Once the forms are done, you have to “file” them with the courts, a process that has very specific steps to follow.

Most courts will require you to physically deliver the forms to the court to sue US Cellular. You usually have to deliver it during specific hours and days of the week. There are a few courts that will let you file by mail, fax, or online.

You will need to pay the small claims court filing fee to sue US Cellular after which the clerk will give you back your stamped copies and assign a court date.

“Serve” US Cellular.

Hang in there, you are almost through it. Now you have to take one of the copies you got back from the clerk and “serve” US Cellular. Effectively you have to legally inform the company that they are being sued.

To do this you have to deliver a copy following the rules for your court.

Look at your court’s website for instructions on how to properly deliver your forms to U.S. Cellular, or search for “[your state] small claims service of process”. Be advised: your claim will be dropped if you do not follow them perfectly.

Show up for court.

After you have served US Cellular, you have to attend your court date.

This is the hearing where you present to the judge your reasons why you decided to sue US Cellular and why you deserve compensation. So, bring your copy of the filed forms and any other evidence you have.

The company may or may not send someone to oppose you but in any case, focus on your side of the story.

Ready to sue US Cellular in small claims court?
If this sounds too hard and expensive, try consumer arbitration instead…

How to Sue US Cellular