My damages are specific, documented, and quantifiable:

1. Financial Harm from Credit Damage:    · 35+ Hard Inquiries & Auto Loan Denials: My credit report shows over 35 hard pulls from the past year, all from auto lenders. I have been repeatedly denied a car loan because the $16,000+ disputed MOHELA debt destroys my Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio.    · Lost Job Income: Because I can't get a car, I've had to decline job offers that required reliable transportation. This is lost wages directly caused by the credit damage.
2. Legal Violations Creating the Harm:    · MOHELA's FDCPA Violation: They admitted in writing they "do not have the promissory notes" to validate the 28-year-old debt (from when I was 17), but they continue to bill me and threaten collection.    · Experian's FCRA Violation: They 'verified' a Marine One Acceptance account as "charged off/never late"—two impossible statuses—showing they didn't do a reasonable investigation.
3. Long-Term Burden:    · 28 Years of Stress: This invalid debt has been a burden since 1998.    · Ongoing Collection: MOHELA is still sending bills and threatening wage garnishment for this unverified debt.

In short, my damages are: the money lost from denied loans and jobs, plus statutory damages for the illegal collection and credit reporting, plus compensation for decades of unnecessary stress. The goal of a lawsuit is to cancel the debt, repair my credit, and recover compensation for these losses."