Consumer FYIs

There is a cap on how much a airline must compensate you for lost baggage. For domestic flights, it’s $3,800. For international flights, the cap is approximately $1,700. Check out the U.S. Department of Transportation for more information. Airlines can, if they choose, compensate more; they just do not have to by law. Some airlines allow you to pay more when you check your bag and claim excess value to get more compensation in case it is lost (American Airlines).  

Before purchasing a car, particularly a used one, try to look up the car’s repair history by its VIN (vehicle identification number). Doing so could help you identify a “lemon” and avoid the headache of repair after repair. Lemons are cars that have been serviced three or more times for the same problem and aren’t fixed or cars that have been out of service for than 30 days in one year. Lemons can be resold by a manufacturer, so protect yourself by doing a bit of research.  

Check out the Virginia Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act for more information or the DMV.  

See what the Federal Trade Commission says about consumer protection: https://consumer.ftc.gov/ 

File a complaint with the VA Attorney General’s office: https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/index.php/file-a-compla…