how much for the letter

[Dermdoc]

How much does Oscar's letter cost and when in the whole process should it be used?

paul

[Matthew Chan]

I have been meaning to put an update on the website of the cost of Oscar's letter service.  It is only $150.  Can you believe this?  He also includes a consultation beforehand and afterwards if and when Getty responds.  You also get that peace of mind of having a respected and experienced NY attorney on your side.  Oh, he has a pretty good sense of humor to top it off.  :-)

I am privileged to call Oscar my friend and business associate.

[Oscar Michelen]

Thanks, much appreciated.  I have written these response letters for several clients now with the earliest one dating back to about 6 weeks ago. We simply state what we believe the correct legal position is - for innocent infringement, the maximum statutory award is usually $200 per infringement.  You are only entitled to statutory damages if you have actually registered your copyright with the Copyright Office.  Most photographers have not.  That means that Getty can only get "actual damages" We are stating that their actual damages are $49.00 since that is the usual cost for a Getty image. But what the letter provides is  peace of mind. In the letter, we advise Getty or their  "Collection Agency" to have no further direct contact with our client.  That means that Getty will no longer send you a letter email or call you.  I felt something had to be done to level the playing field and counter Getty's actions here. It is not a form letter either.  While each letter uses some stock language (don't worry, I wrote it so the copyright to the stock language is mine) each letter is tailored to the individual client's particular situation. I would be glad to discuss the letter with anyone in a free consultation as well.  I can be reached at 1-800-640-2000