Lemon laws offer some protection and recourse for car buyers who purchase a defective vehicle. Every state has a lemon law. The specifics vary from state to state, but there are some basic concepts which apply across the board.
What is a lemon law?
Lemons laws allow you to get your money back or a replacement vehicle when the vehicle you have purchased is defective and cannot be repaired or is not repaired after a reasonable number or attempts, and the vehicle is still covered under warrantee.
Defects covered are typically those which impair the use or safety of the vehicle.
Lemon laws vary
Lemon laws are different in each state. For instance:
- Some states will reduce the amount you can get back based on how much you have used the car, usually determined by mileage.
- In some states you can recover attorney’s fees under the lemon law.
- Each state also has its own way of defining what types of vehicles are covered. So, used cars, motorcycles, RVs, etc may or may not be covered.
- The number of necessary attempts to repair a vehicle vary from state to state
If your vehicle or situation is not covered by your state lemon law you may still be covered under Federal Law.
Keep your receipts and read them carefully
Your receipts are your proof that:
- You have had the problem or problems
- You have done your part in trying to get the problem corrected
- You have tried to get the problem fixed within the necessary time under the law
- The dealership has failed to correct the problem
When you take your vehicle in for repairs, read your receipt very carefully. Make sure that it contains:
- A full and accurate account of all of your complaints about the vehicle
- All of the work done on the vehicle
- All dates are correct
- The mileage is correct
These are key elements in your case. If they refuse to give you an accurate receipt, you need to talk to an attorney right away, before enough time passes to hurt your case.
Getting help
Car dealers and manufacturers stand to save a lot of money by delaying or discouraging you in taking action on a lemon. The laws vary in each state and if they can stall you long enough, you may run out of time to file your case. An experienced lemon law attorney can save you time and money, often getting matters resolved out of court.
The cost of a lemon
Depending on the nature of the problem, a defective vehicle can cost you time and effort or it can cost you your life. A car with safety problems, such as defective brakes can mean an accident injuring or killing you and your family. Even less serious problems can mean a breakdown, leaving you stranded, or at the very least multiple trips to have the vehicle unsuccessfully repaired. Either way, when you purchase a vehicle, you expect it to function properly. That is what you are paying for, and you should not have to deal with the hassle, and possible danger, of a defective vehicle.
If you believe that you may have a claim under lemon law, contact an experienced lemon law attorney today.
