What is online community dispute resolution (OCDR)? Community dispute resolution is PeopleClaim's new way to resolve disputes that engages the public to help in the resolution process and create greater access to justice. OCDR allows Peoplecaim users to post their disputes publicly (without the claiming party’s name or private info), and invite our community of online mediators to review, comment on, and propose creative resolutions to help bring both sides to a successful settlement. OCDR is a fairness-based system, which works because businesses and other organizations are increasingly aware of public opinion about the fairness of their policies and actions. OCDR can create a “public verdict” about the fairness of your claim and the best terms under which it should be resolved. OCDR is the future of justice – it's affordable to anyone, effective, and better reflects public expectations for fair treatment and good business practices.

How does OCDR differ from traditional mediation or other forms of dispute resolution? PeopleClaim’s OCDR process differs from traditional mediation and other forms of dispute resolution in several ways. It's generally much cheaper (free to extremely low cost) because our community helps resolve your case. It doesn’t require the consent of the other party to start a case – although cases are settled when both parties agree to terms of resolution submitted by either party or by the online mediation community. You and the other party can receive multiple resolutions from our community mediators to choose from. Cases may be negotiated in public or private at the claiming party’s option. Also, resolving a case on PeopleClaim doesn’t require court appearances, legal representation, or complicated processes. Simply tell the other party why you’re dissatisfied and what you want to make it right.

Is OCDR right for my Problem? PeopleClaim can help resolve a wide variety of dispute types and sizes in almost any location. You an use PeopleClaim as a first line of resolution to any claim. If your claim isn’t resolved by OCDR you can always pursue traditional options such as formal mediation or litigation. Our goal is to give you an effective, quick, and cost-effective way to resolve your dispute without the expense or hassle of courts or other processes. PeopleClaim cannot be used for certain types of claims where preempted by law, such as claims against businesses or individuals operating under bankruptcy protection.

How long will it take me to file? Claims typically take 7-12 minutes to file depending on how much information you want to include. We've made it easy to file: you don't need to speak "legalese;" just state what happened and what you want. You can return to your claim at any time to add info or make changes.

How long will it take to get my claim resolved? That depends on the nature of your claim, the reasonableness of your demands, and the motivation of the other party to do the right thing and manage their online reputation. Claims can be resolved in as little as a few hours; others take longer. In some cases claims are resolved after people with similar problems file additional claims, which can increase the incentive for the party you're filing against.

Who can I file against? You can use PeopleClaim to resolve a dispute against anyone, anywhere, including product and service providers, police and government agencies, professionals, and individuals. In cases where the counterparty has filed for bankruptcy, users are strongly encouraged to check relevant laws. In general it is illegal to try to collect from a business operating under federal bankruptcy protection.

Can I file a claim without the other party's permission? PeopleClaim allows you engage any individual, business, or goverment agency in a negotiated process of dispute resolution. We send your claim demands by email, physical delivery, and/or posting on the web. Not responding to claims results in a downgrading of the party's PeopleClaim reliabilty rating, and claim details remain posted on the web until they're resolved to your satisfaction.

What information do I need to file a claim? Can I add information later? You need the name of the business or other party you're filing against. It's best to have an email address for them too, but not essential. You can add as much or as little information as you want to suppport your claim. In general it's best to stick to simple facts and what you are asking for. The other party can request additional facts, and you can always add supporting documentation later.

Is there a fee? You can file up to three claims per month for free. Optional services, including having your claim post publicly, copied to regulators, or sent by mail, involve small fees: public posting, $14.99; delivery by regular mail, $4.99; copying your claim to regulators, $14.99, A discounted bundled rate for all three of these optional services is $25.00.

Is your free claim-filing service really free? You can use PeopleClaim to file up to three claims per month at no charge, and use the system for as long as it takes to resolve the claim. Because free claims make it harder to know the identity of the filer, they do not include public posting. They also are not eligible for third-party recommendations, and if unresponded to they do not count against the other party's reliability rating. There are no hidden charges in filing or resolving a PeopleClaim; however if your claim is not resolved we may suggest you try one or more premium options to expedite resolution.

How is your system so inexpensive? PeopleClaim offers a powerful automated peer-to-peer system that allows you to engage counterparties in an online process of claim statement, negotiation, and resolution. Our goal is to make PeopleClaim affordable and easy to use for any type of complaint or dispute.

Is PeopleClaim part of the legal system? Is it litigation or mediation? PeopleClaim is an independent resolution channel that allows users to exercise their rights to resolve disputes through direct negotiation and in a public forum. It does not require lawyers, mediators, or knowlege of law, and avoids many of the restrictions and costs of formal legal process.

Does PeopleClaim refer cases to lawyers? PeopleClaim does not refer cases to lawyers and is not a legal referral service. However, if your claim posts publicly and you enabled the lawyer-contact feature when you filed your claim, lawyers may review the details of your claim online and contact you to discuss your case.

Do you guarantee I’ll get my claim resolved? PeopleClaim cannot guarantee claims will be resolved; however if you choose the public posting option we do guarnatee that if it's not resolved to your satsifaction it will remain online and available to search engine queries and public comment. This provides a powerful and ongoing incentive to fair resolution. We also offer a money back guarantee on the public posting fee if your claim is not resolved in 90 days. Charges for physical mail delivery and copying to regulators are not refundable.

How does making a claim public help get it resolved? Businesses today want to do the right thing, or at least appear to do the right thing. Exposure of bad behavior has become a stronger motivation in many cases than going to court. Public posting on PeopleClaim allows search engines to index your claim and make it easy for people to discover your problem. Bad behavior or unfair treatment is a turnoff to other consumers using the web to make purchasing or hiring decisions. The more people filing against the same party the stronger the incentive to setttlement, which means that most businesses would rather fix a problem that's disclosed online than let it remain posted. By making a claim public, you may also be able to get the public to weigh in on suggestions for resolving your complaint.

What can I expect in terms of public participation? The PeopleClaim system encourages the public to offer suggestions that both parties can "like" as potential solutions to their dispute, thereby forming a basis for potential settlement. There's a scoring system and participants compete to offer the best and fairest resoluton suggestions. Such crowdsourced solutions reflect public expectations of fairness and good business behavior. Any company interested in its online reputation will consider these in deciding what to do about your claim. Each case is different, but if public viewers find your case interesting you could be on the receiving end of fresh ideas that move things toward resolution.

Can I talk to other people who have posted claims on PeopleClaim? Yes. PeopleClaim allows you to communicate with claimants who've agreed to receive communications from other parties. You can share information, pool resources, and compare notes about the party you're filing against.

Why do businesses settle claims through PeopleClaim? PeopleClaim helps businesses manage their online reputations through prompt and fair settlement of claims posted through the PeopleClaim system. A business's PeopleClaim reliabiltiy rating is determined largely by their resposiveness to PeopleClaims filed against them – and maintaining a high rating is a strong incentive to fair resolution. Publicly posted PeopleClaims bring issues to light that responsible businesses want to know about and fix.