Building economic stability in low-income communities

LaShayia never thought one dentist appointment could change so much

When LaShayia’s dad died, she lost her best friend. She also lost her insurance. When she got a serious toothache, she went to the only dentist she could afford to have the tooth pulled. After the procedure, LaShayia knew something was not right. She realized they had pulled the wrong tooth.

When she told her dentist, they refused to compensate her. LaShayia called a dozen private attorneys, and they all turned the case down because the payout wouldn’t be high enough.

Lashayia found Open Door Legal. We took her case, and in the end got the dentist’s office to pay for the entire procedure, the new implant she’d need, plus additional funds for pain and suffering. Now, she and her daughter can finally relax.

The problem

For low-income people, a wrongful debt, an injury, or a malpractice case can ruin their economic well being. For private attorneys though, the payout isn’t high enough to take on the case. Since most non-profits do not take consumer cases, low-income people are unable to seek recourse.

Our solution

Provide universal access to all consumer civil litigation problems so that low-income people can effectively defend their rights.

More than 1/3 of low-income people struggle with a consumer legal issue

According to the Legal Services Corporation, over one-third (37%) of low-income households have experienced consumer and finance problems in the past year.¹ The most common issues in this area include difficulties with creditors or collection agencies (affecting 16% of households), having utilities disconnected due to nonpayment or a billing dispute (14%), and having problems buying or paying for a car, including repossession (8%).

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