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Consumer Legal Funding is Even More Necessary Post-Pandemic

The following piece was contributed by Eric Schuller, President of the Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding (ARC). 

Consumer Legal Funding is when a company provides funds to a consumer who has a pending legal claim, typically a car accident, while their case is making its way through the legal system. The funds are used for household needs such as mortgage, rent, car payments, keeping the light on and putting food on the table. The funds are not used to pay for legal fees associated with the claim or case.

This financial product is needed now more than ever as we recover from the pandemic caused by COVID-19. According to MarketWatch, almost half of Americans have saved less than $500 in the past three months. The article goes on to state that 56% are living paycheck to paycheck, and that 48% have experienced an unexpected financial setback in the past three months.

In early July of 2021, Wells Fargo shuttered all of its personal lines of credit. This cut off thousands of consumers from accessing funds that they might need in an emergency, such as being involved in a car accident.

So where are these consumers to go when, by no fault of their own, they are involved in an accident and become injured and cannot work, and therefore have either no income or limited income. These individuals often fall behind in their financial obligations such as their rent and car payments, and with limited-to-no savings, they are stranded.

Banks, such as Wells Fargo, are cutting off their access to financial assistance at a time when consumers need it the most. In addition, according to BankRate “nearly three times as many Americans say they have less emergency savings, versus more since the pandemic”.

Consumer Legal Funding is a non-recourse financial product, meaning you only have to meet the obligation if you are successful in your legal claim. This affords consumers the ability to meet their everyday financial obligations, while they make their way through the legal system.

Because of COVID-19, legal claims are taking longer to make their way through the process. Even insurance companies are saying that it will take longer to get ahold of them. Consumers should learn more about their options when they have a pending legal claim and not be forced to take the first offer that comes along, just because they are financially stressed. Consumer Legal Funding can serve as a source of financial protection and comfort for consumers with nowhere else to turn—and as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, this type of product is needed now more than ever.

Note: When dealing with a funding company, make sure to ask if they follow the industry set of Best Practices that have been set out by ARC and the ARC companies.

Eric Schuller
President
Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding (ARC)

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Florida Funder Targeted by Class Action over Data Breach

By Harry Moran |

Whilst funders are often eager to support class actions on behalf of customers who have been harmed by cybersecurity attacks on other companies, a new complaint filed in Florida seeks to represent individuals who suffered losses because of a funder’s own data breach.

Reporting by Insurance Journal covers a class action that has been filed targeting litigation funder US Claims Capital over allegations that it failed to protect its clients’ personal data. The filing of the claim in the U.S. District Court in Miami follows a data breach in January of this year, with the plaintiff alleging that the funder had not implemented sufficient cybersecurity measures and therefore had not properly secured the personal data of the plaintiffs it had provided funding to.

The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is a Kansas resident named as Timothy Vactor, with the complaint looking to represent other plaintiffs and clients of US Claims whose personal data was exposed as part of the cyberattack. The filing argued that due to the breach, the plaintiffs’ “private information is forever exposed and unsecure”, and that the “exposure of one’s private information to cybercriminals is a bell that cannot be un-rung”.

The funder had reportedly informed plaintiffs it had worked with of the data breach in a letter sent on April 11, over three months after the cyberattack on January 7. The letter informed US Claims’ clients that “certain information related to you may have been acquired by an unauthorized individual as part of the event”. The funder subsequently provided these individuals with an insurance policy in case they had suffered financial losses, as well as some assistance around identity theft protection and cyber monitoring.

At the time of reporting, US Claims has not filed a response to the complaint.

Announcements Consumer

34% of Americans Trust ChatGPT Over Human Experts, But Not for Legal or Medical Advice

By Harry Moran |

A newly released study from Express Legal Funding, conducted with the help of SurveyMonkey, reveals that while 34% of Americans say they trust ChatGPT more than human experts, the majority still draw a hard line when it comes to using generative AI for serious matters like legal or medical advice. The findings highlight a growing national tension between fascination with artificial intelligence and fear of misusing it for high-stakes decisions.

Key Findings from the ChatGPT Trust Survey:

  • 60% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT to seek advice or information—signaling widespread awareness and early adoption.
  • Of those who used it, 70% said the advice was helpful, suggesting that users generally find value in the chatbot's responses.
  • The most trusted use cases for ChatGPT are:
    • Career advice
    • Educational support
    • Product recommendations
  • The least trusted use cases are:
    • Legal advice
    • Medical advice
  • 34% of respondents say they trust ChatGPT more than a human expert in at least one area.
  • Despite its growing popularity, only 11.1% believe ChatGPT will improve their personal financial situation.
  • Younger adults (ages 18–29) and Android and iPhone users report significantly higher trust in ChatGPT compared to older generations and Desktop (Mac/Windows) users.
  • Older adults and high-income earners remain the most skeptical about ChatGPT's reliability and societal role.
  • When asked about the broader implications of AI, only 14.1% of respondents strongly agree that ChatGPT will benefit humanity.

Expert Insight:

"This study highlights how many Americans are navigating the fast-growing influence of generative AI and natural language processing agents in their daily lives and that ChatGPT is far from being just a fringe use tool," said Aaron Winston, PhD, Strategy Director at Express Legal Funding and lead author of the report. "Most people are open to using ChatGPT for advice—and over a third even say they trust it more than a human expert. But when it comes to high-stakes decisions involving legal, financial, or medical matters, most still prefer real-world professionals. It's a sign that while AI is gaining ground quickly, trust is still tied to context."

Why It Matters:

As AI tools like ChatGPT become more integrated into everyday life, understanding where people draw the line between curiosity and trust is critical. This distinction helps reveal not only how Americans are using AI today but also where they're still relying on human expertise for reassurance and accuracy.

About Express Legal Funding:

Express Legal Funding is a leading pre-settlement funding company headquartered in Plano, Texas, serving plaintiffs nationwide. Recognized for its commitment to ethical funding practices and consumer advocacy, the firm provides non-recourse financial support to individuals involved in personal injury and civil lawsuits—helping clients cover essential living expenses while their legal claims move forward. Beyond funding, Express Legal Funding is a trusted voice in the legal tech and finance space, publishing original research and data-driven insights that inform public discourse and guide industry best practices.

Announcements Consumer

Legal-Bay Lawsuit Funder Launches Legal Funding Calculator for Consumers

By Harry Moran |

Legal Bay Presettlement Funding announces their new funding calculator for customers to compare pricing models of lawsuit loans between funding firms. It should be noted that Legal Bay doesn't charge compounding interest like many other legal funding companies, keeping payback costs lower right from the start. As one of the best lawsuit loan companies in the industry, Legal Bay ensures flat pricing, transparent contracts, and a helpful, knowledgeable staff to walk you through every step of the lawsuit loan funding process.

  1. Legal Bay is a direct funder—not a legal funding broker—which is the first distinction customers should make when researching legal funding options. Here's why:
  2. Being a direct funder allows Legal Bay to expedite cases faster, normally within 24-48 hours after applying, once all documents have been received.
  3. Being a direct funder allows Legal Bay to provide lawsuit loans with cap out provisions for cases that qualify without additional broker fees.
  4. Compound rates can grow substantially over the course of your case settlement funding, while flat interest stays the same at about 20% percent every 6 months.
  5. Legal Bay's lawsuit settlement programs are non-recourse which means the client will not have to pay back the loan if the case does not settle.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, commented, "Our funding calculator gives consumers an invaluable tool to compare payback costs. Plaintiffs will see that our direct funder platform means you deal directly with our staff and underwriters—not a broker. Our direct funding model allows for the fastest approvals, reduced rates, and no added broker fees, keeping your costs low. Legal-Bay's flat pricing—as opposed to compounding interest—and our best price guarantee ensures the lowest rates in the litigation finance industry. On large funding amounts, consumers should be aware of payback costs. The savings of Legal-Bay's flat-rate pricing versus contracts with compounding interest can be substantial."

Legal-Bay's funding model is designed to put more money back in the plaintiff's pocket at settlement. If you or a loved one need an immediate lawsuit loan in advance of your impending lawsuit settlement, please apply online HERE or call toll free at 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by.

Legal-Bay assists plaintiffs in all types of lawsuits, including commercial and mass tort litigation, personal injury cases, slip and fall accidents, property damage, car accidents, medical malpractice, wildfires, and many more. If you're looking for the lowest rates in legal funding, legal funding companies without broker, flat rate pricing or simple pricing legal funding companies, easy to use funding calculator, calculator for lawsuit loans, then Legal Bay is here to help.

Their loan for settlement funding programs are designed to provide immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. While it's common to refer to these legal funding requests as settlement loans, loans for settlements, law suit loans, loans for lawsuits, etc., the "lawsuit loan" funds are, in fact, non-recourse. That means there's no risk when it comes to loans in lawsuit settlements because there is no obligation to repay the money if the recipient loses their case. Therefore, terms like settlement loan, loans for lawsuit, loans on settlement, or lawsuit loan funds don't necessarily apply, as the "loan on lawsuit" isn't really a loan at all, but rather a stress-free cash advance.

For more information about lawsuit loans, please visit us HERE or call toll free at 877.571.0405 where a skilled agent can answer any questions you may have.