Source: http://www.hawaii-attorney.net/blog/2006/09/05/unfair-and-deceptive-trade-practices-in-hawaii
Timestamp: 2018-04-21 10:16:38
Document Index: 323618886

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 480', '§ 480', '§ 480', '§ 480', '§ 480', '§ 480']

Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices in Hawaii | Hawaii Attorney Blog
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 480-2 provides a powerful tool to protect investors or consumers who have been injured by misleading or deceptive advertising. The Hawaii Supreme Court has concluded that if advertising has a “capacity to mislead” it may violate the Hawaii Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
The reason this tool is so helpful to investors or consumers is two-fold. First, it is much easier to prove a violation of H.R.S. § 480-2 than it is to prove a claim of fraud. Unlike a fraud claim, to prevail in a H.R.S. § 480-2 case, the victim does not have to demonstrate that the advertiser intended to mislead the consumer. Indeed, the consumer must only demonstrate that the advertising has a “capacity to mislead.” A far easier standard of proof.
The second reason H.R.S. § 480-2 is so important in the protection of Hawaii consumers is the damages that are recoverable. An investor or consumer injured under H.R.S. § 480-2 may recover actual damages trebled (multiplied by three), attorneys fees and costs. Obviously, when faced with the prospect of paying treble damages and attorneys fees, a company in Hawaii should be highly motivated to truthfully advertise its products. As such, H.R.S. § 480-2 is a vital weapon in the fight for truth in advertising.