Advertising issue

[Kenzie]

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I am not an optometrist but I read this forum often. I plan on going to school staring in 2009. I have a great (older)friend who is not an optometrist, but owns a shop that sells glasses and she also recently hired an optometrist.

Since she just hired an OD she changed her Yellow Pages add to say "Complete Family Eye Care" and has her info and store name at the bottom of the advertisement. Well evidently there is a store in the same town called "Complete Family Eye Care" and that store is suing her for putting that quote in her add. They believe that she is trying to steal her customers I believe. It seems like a very general quote and I don't see how they could win in court, but I truly don't know. They are demanding that she give up her phone number immediately to them. I'm not sure what they're suing for.

Has anybody ran into anything like this before? I respect many of the OD's opinions on here and thought I would help guide her with any help I can offer. Obviously an attorney is the first step, but if anybody has ran into this or heard of this type of situation I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks so much

 

[KHE]

I am not an optometrist but I read this forum often. I plan on going to school staring in 2009. I have a great (older)friend who is not an optometrist, but owns a shop that sells glasses and she also recently hired an optometrist.

Since she just hired an OD she changed her Yellow Pages add to say "Complete Family Eye Care" and has her info and store name at the bottom of the advertisement. Well evidently there is a store in the same town called "Complete Family Eye Care" and that store is suing her for putting that quote in her add. They believe that she is trying to steal her customers I believe. It seems like a very general quote and I don't see how they could win in court, but I truly don't know. They are demanding that she give up her phone number immediately to them. I'm not sure what they're suing for.

Has anybody ran into anything like this before? I respect many of the OD's opinions on here and thought I would help guide her with any help I can offer. Obviously an attorney is the first step, but if anybody has ran into this or heard of this type of situation I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks so much

This really needs a lawyer to be consulted on but I would imagine that if you use another business name in the mannor you described, even if it were unintentional, it could be cause for legal action.

A better way of handling the advertisement might be something like "Complete Eye Care for the Whole Family." or perhaps something like "Comprehensive Eye Care for All Ages." She might want to consider something like that.

 

[xenopsyllus]

I have a great (older)friend who is not an optometrist, but owns a shop that sells glasses and she also recently hired an optometrist.

Where do you live that makes that legal?

EDIT: Independent contractor, right...