Did Life Hand You a Lemon? Let A Lemon Law Attorney Handle Your Case

From statistics, we know that lemons are more common than we think. With one lemon per 76,808 vehicles manufactured. And according to a survey, 21% of respondents said they ended up with a lemon car purchased from a new dealership. Car defects like faulty steering, headlight failure, sudden loss of power, etc. not only substantially impair vehicle owners’ use of their vehicle, but can also lead to fatal accidents. Unfortunately, many vehicle manufacturers are not cooperative as they don’t fully understand the value of satisfied customers or California’s lemon laws. Fortunately, the California Lemon Law and other state laws exist to ensure those car owners aren’t stuck with faulty vehicles that can endanger their lives. As such, it’s essential to understand what qualifies cars as lemons and what you can do if you end up purchasing one! In this infographic, we will cover the details of California Lemon Law.

Summary of the infographic

• What to do if your car is a lemon: document preparation. Make sure you can prove that the problem started early in your ownership, was promptly reported to the dealer and covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, persisted after at least two repair attempts by the dealer, and affects the car’s use, value or safety.
• Seek the advice of a California lemon law attorney. An attorney can judge the strength of your case. The manufacturer must pay the consumer’s attorney’s fees and costs when a lemon is repurchased or replaced, so you should not hesitate to contact a lemon law lawyer.
• Do not take part in the manufacturer’s arbitration program. In most cases it is not a good idea: the program is funded by the manufacturer, statistics show arbitration is very unfavorable to consumers with abnormally high rates of rejected claims, and if the arbitrator rules against you the manufacturer can use that decision against you in any future lemon law lawsuit.
• Common car defects and what cars qualify as lemons. The infographic lists defects that impair a car’s use, value or safety, including engine overheating, engine fire and failure, faulty ignition or fuel delivery, fuel injection leaks, fuel line defects that can cause fires, fluid leaks, steering, suspension and alignment issues, steering pull, power steering loss, transmission problems and failures, shifting defects, brake problems, anti-lock braking system failure, noisy or leaking exhaust, malfunctioning latches, locks or windows, water seeping into the interior or trunk, inaccurate or broken speedometer or gauges, seat belts that do not work or fasten properly, electrical problems, air bag defects, air conditioner mold, body problems like paint defects and rust, engine computer and cruise-control malfunction, stalling, sudden or uncontrolled acceleration, car fires, and gas mileage defects.
• Why hire a California lemon lawyer. Lawyers know the lemon law inside out, while the manufacturer has its own lawyers and will use them against you. The law is surprisingly complex and may be hard to interpret on your own, and hiring a lawyer means letting an expert represent your case, which can raise your chances of getting your vehicle to qualify as a lemon. It is free for you, as the manufacturer must cover your attorney’s fees, court costs and expenses, and because the manufacturer pays them, manufacturers are motivated to resolve cases quickly.
• How to file a lemon law claim. Gather all your documentation, including your purchase or lease agreement, warranty information, repair work bills and receipts, and correspondence with the car dealer or manufacturer. Contact a California lemon law attorney to evaluate your paperwork, and your attorney will help you with the lemon law proceedings.
• Who is the defendant. In lemon law claims, the car manufacturer is usually the sole defendant. The dealer may also be liable for violations of its own warranties, express and implied.
• Conclusion. Have all the documentation in place and hire an experienced lemon law attorney.

The infographic names The Balance, Wisebread, Cosmopolitan, CNN and Investopedia as its sources.