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How to Negotiate Debt With Blitt & Gaines

George Simons | August 08, 2024

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: When you're sued for debt, you don't have time waste. Trying to ignore your debt won't make it go away. If you're being sued by Blitt & Gaines, you can negotiate a debt settlement. Just be sure to understand who Blitt and Gaines represents, assess your collection risk, and clearly communicate your situation to negotiate a lower settlement with Blitt & Gaines.

Oh no! You've been sued by Blitt & Gaines and now you're wondering how to resolve the lawsuit.

Getting sued for debt can feel paralyzing. But you can't afford to stick your head in the sand. Ignoring your legal problems won't make them go away. They'll only get worse.

Instead, you need to address your lawsuit head-on. That isn't easy. Luckily, SoloSuit is here to guide you through the journey of negotiating with Blitt and Gaines to settle your debt and resolve the lawsuit.

Settle debt with Blitt & Gaines

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Is Blitt and Gaines legit?

Yes, Blitt & Gaines is a legit debt collection law firm based in Wheeling, Illinois that works in America's $14 trillion debt industry. It's a medium-sized firm that collects debt for some major names, including CapitalOne.

Blitt & Gaines was founded in 1993. Since then, the firm has aquired several up smaller-sized firms. As a result, Blitt & Gaines now has branches in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Its corporate HQ is located at 775 Corporate Woods Parkway, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.

Worried that Blitt & Gaines might be a scam? It's not. This lawsuit is the real deal. If you aren't prepared, you may find yourself in serious trouble. So, don't delay. Be sure to act fast to resolve the lawsuit.

Use SoloSuit to respond to debt collection attorneys in 15 minutes.

Use these expert tips for negotiating with Blitt and Gaines

To settle a debt lawsuit, there are typically three simple steps to follow:

  1. Respond to the lawsuit.
  2. Make an offer to settle.
  3. Get the agreement in writing.

It's easier said than done, and you're probably wondering how to reach an agreement with Blitt & Gaines that is in your favor but also satisfies the debt. Well, to help answer your question, we interviewed an attorney and asked for tips on negotiating with Blitt and Gaines to settle debt. Here's what we learned:

  • Identify the Creditor: Determine if you're dealing with the original creditor or a debt buyer. This influences your negotiation strategy.
  • Understand the Creditor's Position: Original creditors, who lent the money, may be less flexible in settlements compared to debt buyers, who bought the debt for less.
  • Leverage Debt Buyers' Position: Debt buyers, having paid pennies on the dollar, may be more willing to accept a lower settlement.
  • Assess Your Collection Risk: If you're judgment-proof (no real estate, unemployed, or income protected from garnishment), creditors may be more willing to settle.
  • Communicate Your Situation: Clearly convey your financial status to the creditor, highlighting any challenges in collecting from you.
  • Negotiate for Lower Settlements: Use the information about the creditor and your financial situation to negotiate a settlement that's feasible for you.
  • Be Persistent and Patient: Negotiations can take time and multiple rounds of offers and counteroffers.

Watch our full interview with a licensed and practicing attorney below to learn more:

Prepare for Blitt & Gaines Debt Collection Lawsuits

Lawsuits are the final battle of debt collection cases. The cost of these lawsuits can quickly rack up thanks to court costs and attorneys' fees. As a result, lawsuits are usually a debt collector's last resort.

Did you recently receive a packet of legal documents from Blitt & Gaines? In most jurisdictions, these packets include:

  • Complaint - A document detailing Blitt & Gaines' accusations against you. The Complaint should include information like the debt's total value and age.
  • Summons - This document telling you the day, time, and location of your court date.

If you received this packet, you're officially getting sued. Don't be embarrassed, it happens to the best of us sometimes.

Right now, it's important to act quickly. After you receive a Complaint and Summons, you have a limited amount of time to reply. The exact amount of time will depend on your state:

  • Illinois: 30 days
  • Indiana: 21 days (23 if Complaint and Summons were delivered by mail)
  • Wisconsin: 20 days
  • Kansas: 21 days
  • Iowa: 20 days
  • Missouri: 30 days

You must file your response to the Complaint, known as your Answer before the time limit expires. If you don't, Blitt & Gaines can ask the court to file a Default Judgment. If the court grants their request, you'll lose your case automatically. This is how the vast majority of debt collection cases are resolved. The debtor never Answers the Complaint and skips their day in court.

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Make an Offer

Use the right defense when Sued by Blitt & Gaines

You only have one course of action if you want to know how to win when sued by Blitt & Gaines. You need to draft and file your Answer. And fast!

But the court won't just accept any document as your answer. Each state's court system uses its own Answer forms. They're usually available on that state's civil court website. Submitting an incorrect Answer form may cause the court to declare it invalid.

In your Answer, you need to tell the court why you shouldn't owe Blitt & Gaines any money. This can come down to one of three main reasons. You must use one of these three reasons as your defense. Otherwise, the court won't accept your Answer. They may even rule against you.

Make the right defense the right way with SoloSuit.

Defense #1: Statute of Limitations

Debt collectors can't just come after you for age-old debt. A case cannot be legally filed if its statute of limitations has already passed. Each state has a statute of limitations for debt lawsuits. Statutes of limitation for states where Blitt & Gaines operates are:

  • Illinois: 10 years
  • Indiana: 6 years
  • Wisconsin: 6 years
  • Kansas: 5 years
  • Iowa: 10 years
  • Missouri: 10 years

If you can show the court that your debt is outside the statute of limitations for your state, they'll dismiss your case.

Defense #2: Incomplete Paper Trail

Companies like Blitt & Gaines don't offer loans themselves. Instead, they collect debt that was originally offered by someone else. This may sound convoluted, but it's legal.


However, the court takes paper trails very seriously in debt collection cases. Blitt & Gaines will have to show documentation that:

  • You agreed to the debt in the first place. This usually must be a copy of the original loan agreement.
  • That Blitt & Gaines has the right to pursue the debt. To prove that, they'll need to produce a bill of sale transferring the debt from your original creditor to their care.

If Blitt & Gaines can't produce either of these documents, they can't prove that you actually owe the debt. At that point, the judge will toss your case out of court.

Defense #3: Wrong Debt Amount

It should go without saying that Blitt & Gaines must sue you for the correct amount of debt. But you'd be surprised how often debt collection agencies botch their numbers.

Collectors often buy debt “as is,” meaning it may not come with a full paper trail. You may have made payments against the debt that Blitt & Gaines didn't include in their Complaint. If Blitt & Gaines isn't suing you for the correct amount, mention it in your Answer. The court will accept it as a defense in debt collection cases.

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>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit: A Student Solution To Give Utah Debtors A Fighting Chance

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