Lemon Law Basics

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Learn the basics of Lemon Law

Monday, October 23, 2006

You Have More Chances To Win When Your Lemon law Attorney Claims The Compensation

Lemon law is a state law of the United States, whereby the Government protects the right of the consumers who are deceived with a defective piece of automobile that is still under its warranty period. Lemon law differs from one state to another and like all other legal matters; there are people with specialization in this field who are called Lemon law attorneys. A lemon law attorney will fight your case against the automobile manufacturer / dealer and will help you to receive proper compensation.

The role of the lemon law attorney

Every defective piece of automobile may not come under lemon law and hence before filing any kind of case, it is wise to ascertain with the help of your lemon law attorney, whether your vehicle can be regarded as a "lemon" or not. In spite of varying versions of lemon laws in varied states, it is possible to form a general definition. A vehicle with a severe manufacturing defect (such as to affect its performance, value or safety) that has required repairing on more than four occasions or any vehicle that is not in working condition for 30 days or more within the first year of purchase, can be termed as a "lemon" and is covered by the lemon law.

If you own such a vehicle, you are eligible to file a lawsuit against your car manufacturer. Initially, the manufacturer may try to pull the stunt by saying that in your purchase / lease contract you have wavered the rights by agreeing on a certain clause or may try to persuade you for mediation or even may deny any liability. After receiving the notice of denial of your lemon law claims, let your attorney handle the case.

Your lemon law attorney will then write a letter to the car manufacturer and on receiving the reply (mostly a denial) he will file the summons and lodge a lawsuit. A competent lawyer with lemon law background and experience will help you to obtain a replacement or a refund for the disputed vehicle. Moreover, he will make the manufacturer pay the cost incurred by you on repair and legal fees, too.

How to find a competent lemon law attorney?

Though any attorney can fight a lemon lawsuit, it's wise to go for a specialized one, with say, 20 years of experience in this field. The prior experience of handling the trials or hearing the similar cases enable the lemon law attorney to know the law thoroughly and to understand the concealed motives of the car company. You can find the reference of such lemon law attorneys in the Attorney Directory from the Resources for Attorneys, who also maintain a website. Moreover, you can find a lawyer from the recommendation of a relative / friend or can contact the bar association for a lawyer referral service. Generally, the attorney should not charge for an initial consultation but you are required to keep your chequebook ready for the following phase.

Therefore before taking a legal action regarding a defective automobile do not forget to consult a lemon law attorney.

by: Kevin Bishop

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Lemon Laws and Extended Warranties - What You Should Know

Lemon laws are regulations enforced by various states that protect customers
from defective vehicles. Different states have different rules when it comes to
lemon laws, but most of them share some common aspects.


For example, lemon laws require that the problem with the vehicle be taken
care of by the manufacturer, not the car dealership. There are certain
characteristics a vehicle must meet to be qualified as a lemon. If a car is
worked on repeatedly for the same issue and the issue keeps reoccuring, then the
car will most likely be designated a lemon. If you purchase a lemon, you are
often entitled to some sort of compensation that deals with how much you paid
for the vehicle and how many miles are on it. As stated before, different states
have different lemon laws.


Some states cover used cars under their lemon laws, while some only cover new
vehicles. There are many websites where you can find out your state's particular
policy regarding lemon vehicles. Simply go to the search engine of your choice
and type in your state's name followed by 'lemon law.' You will then be
presented with multiple websites that can educate you on your particular state's
policies regarding lemon laws.


So...even if your state has a lemon law, do you need an extended warranty?
The answer is a definite yes. Cars that are not qualified as lemons can suffer
wear, tear, and component failure. If your state does have a lemon law, it's
still quite prudent to purchase an extended warranty. Problems with a vehicle do
not necessarily qualify it as a lemon, and that's a crucial fact you need to
understand when considering purchasing a warranty. If you fail to purchase an
extended warranty and end up needing repair, it's unlikely that your state's
lemon laws will cover you, unless of course the vehicle has experienced the same
problem multiple times with no record of satisfactory repair after numerous
attempts.


There are many types of extended auto warranties available. You can purchase
one from the dealership where you got your vehicle, or go to the source and deal
directly with a company that specializes in extended auto warranties.


What your warranty will cover depends on what kind of policy you choose.
Ideally, you will want a policy that covers parts and labor, as well as wear,
tear and breakdown. Some plans will require you to pay a deductible, others
won't.


Be sure to do your research and choose a warranty provider and plan that
suits your needs and your budget. By being educated, you can save yourself a lot
of trouble and avoid being duped into getting a policy that you do not want.
Before shopping for a policy, be clear on what you need, and don't let slick
salespeople convince you otherwise.

by: Jackie Jones