Lemon laws are there to protect you as a consumer in case you buy a vehicle or product that doesn’t conform to quality standards or perform as expected. According to Motor Trend, the Center for Auto Safety started data collection for the number of automotive lemons as early as 1975. If you’re currently dealing with your own lemon law case, here are the possible outcomes you can expect.
Lemon Law Buyback
As the name suggests, this is the process where the company who had previously sold you the car gives you a refund along with all the car payments that you’ve made up until this point. This also includes the down payment. However, the company is titled to an offset based on the number of miles you have driven the car. It’s recommended that you hire a lemon law lawyer to help you negotiate so that you get a better settlement. Otherwise, the auto company may try to claim a higher offset. The lower the deductions, the more compensation you will receive. The good news is that an experienced lawyer will have the negotiation skills to get you the most compensation possible.
Vehicle Replacement
Another possible outcome for a lemon law case is vehicle replacement. This is pretty self-explanatory because it involves replacing your faulty vehicle with a working vehicle that has roughly the same value. Even if your car is financed and you’re still making payments on it, you can swap it for another car that’s not defective. This is also good for your lender since you’re now offering better security for the loan.
Cash Award
Still, another settlement option for a lemon law case is receiving cash compensation. With this kind of settlement, you get to keep the defective vehicle. This offer only makes sense when you receive a large cash award, allowing you to properly fix the car and cover other related expenses, such as attorney fees. It’s often the best option for high mileage or old cars compared to the Lemon Law Buyback, which can see you getting less after the manufacturer has pocketed their offset.
If your car is a lemon, these are the three main outcomes to expect during your law lemon case. If you want the best possible outcome for your case, consider hiring a legal professional who’s well-versed in lemon law. Contact Ginsburg Law Group, P.C. today to learn more.
