Sunday, August 23, 2009

The PA Lemon Law

The PA Lemon Law is a Pennsylvania Law that protects purchasers of defective motor vehicles. The PA Lemon Law applies to new model vehicles that are registered for personal use in Pennsylvania, and can apply to cars, trucks, vans or SUV’s. The Lemon Law sets forth protections and rights for the purchaser of a new vehicle which exhibits defects or non-conformities.

If it is found that a new vehicle has defects or non-conformities that substantially affect the use, value or safety of the vehicle, and the dealer or manufacturer cannot repair those defects, the vehicle will be found to be a “lemon”. The first occurrence of the defect must occur within the first 12000 miles, and the dealer/manufacturer must be placed on notice that the defect exists. There is a supposition in Pennsylvania that the dealer/manufacturer must repair the defect within three attempts, or the vehicle may be declared a lemon.

The PA Lemon Law provides that the purchaser is entitled to a free replacement vehicle or a full refund of the purchase price. A refund would include all monies paid towards a down payment, any financing payments, including interest, any positive equity from a trade-in vehicle, plus the tax, title, plates and other associated fees. The Pennsylvania Lemon Law also provides that the manufacturer must pay your attorney fees if your vehicle is found to be a lemon. Because of that powerful provision in the Lemon Law, it would be foolhardy to proceed with a lemon law claim without the assistance of an experienced lemon law attorney.

In order to have a vehicle declared a lemon, the purchaser must first notify the manufacturer in writing of the defects of the vehicle and of the purchaser’s request for a refund/replacement. Many times, the manufacturer will request that you submit a claim to their informal dispute resolution program. The PA Lemon Law provides that this step must be taken if the manufacturer’s informal program complies with the mandates of federal law. The Better Business Bureau, or BBB, handles many manufacturer’s informal programs in Pennsylvania. If you obtain a favorable decision from the BBB, you can accept their decision. If you obtain an unfavorable decision from the BBB, you can proceed to file a formal lawsuit to pursue your legal rights in state court.

Don’t despair if you’ve reached the point of filing a state based lawsuit against the manufacturer. The Pennsylvania Lemon Law is a very powerful statute that provides you with an excellent chance at prevailing in court. If your vehicle exhibits substantial defects, and those defects cannot be repaired in a reasonable number of attempts by the manufacturer, the PA Lemon Law will protect you, and many manufacturers know it. In that regard, over 95% of lemon law related cases settle prior to trial. If you have hired the right lemon law attorney, your chances can increase even further.

Getting Help from a Lemon Law Attorney

If you purchased a vehicle that spends more time being repaired than it does being driven, then it might qualify for the lemon law. People are sometimes sold vehicles that have a long history of mechanical issues. If the mechanical issues keep repeating, then you may have a “lemon” and the lemon laws can assist you. This happens when your car still doesn't work even after you have spent a good amount of money to repair the same problem over and over. How can you be assisted by the lemon law?

If you feel your car is a lemon, a lawyer can help with getting the car returned and your money back. The lemon laws were created to protect consumers. If mechanical problems are preventing you from using your car because it's always in the shop, the California lemon laws can protect you.

If your newly purchased car is in good mechanical shape when you leave the lot but starts having recurring problems shortly after, the lemon laws can help protect your rights. It might not happen immediately, but it could happen after you have been driving it for a while. If you are having problems with the person or dealer you purchased it from, you may need a lemon law attorney to intercede.

If you have a problem car, the lemon laws and a lemon law attorney can help you. A lemon law attorney can advise you, protect your rights, and get you satisfactory results if the dealer you purchased from won't.

How an Asheville, NC Lemon Law Lawyer Can Help You

Believe it or not, consumer rights attorneys are a different breed of lawyer. They stay abreast of what is going on in the world of goods and services in an effort to make sure you--the consumer--are protected from buyer's scams like getting stuck with a "lemon" or becoming a victim of a vehicle "yo-yo" sale. In the event that you find yourself with a lemon in your driveway, your best bet is to get in touch with a qualified and experienced lemon law lawyer. Asheville, NC is home to many a great North Carolina lemon law attorney. Find one to help you with all of your lemon law or consumer protection needs. The right lawyer will educate you on the process, make sure your case meets criteria for protection under the lemon law, and ultimately, get you the compensation you deserve. Don't compromise your rights as a consumer by letting yourself fall victim to a dealership's financial trap. Get in touch with an Asheville NC lemon law lawyer today to see what kinds of legal resources you have available to you.

If you've ever bought a brand new vehicle only to find out that you have been stuck with a vehicle with one or more defects, rendering it inoperable or unsafe, then that would be a good time to contact an North Carolina lemon law attorney. In the event that you do have a lemon, it's probably best not to challenge the dealership on your own. NC lemon law, like most legal varieties, can be more complicated than it seems, and therefore it's better to have a qualified Asheville NC lemon law lawyer to interpret it for you and go after the compensation you deserve. If you're concerned about your ability to pay legal fees, particularly since you've already lost money from the purchase of a lemon, then not to worry. Most consumer rights attorneys and lemon lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if you get paid.

So how do you find the right lemon law lawyer, Asheville NC? As with any attorney you hire, you'll want to make sure they have a history of aggressive representation, quality trial skills, and substantial recoveries. Find out how long they've been in practice in your city and what their rate of success is when it comes to protecting consumer rights and winning North Carolina lemon law cases. Don't hesitate to "interview" them to get an idea of whether they'll meet your needs or not. Ask around in your community to find out if anyone has used them and whether or not they come highly recommended.

Once you think you've found the right North Carolina lemon law lawyer, give them the complete details of your situation, as well as any documentation (vehicle title, receipts, repair orders, a list of your complaints about the vehicle, etc.) you may have accumulated from the moment you purchased the vehicle to the moment you've decided to contact an attorney. This will help them determine the degree to which they can help you, as well as how much they think your case is worth. Good luck!

How To Make Georgia Lemon Law Work For You?

Lemon laws are formulated to help a consumer if they have a serious problem with their new car and this is exactly what the Georgia lemon law does. A new car is considered a lemon in Georgia when it proves to be unsafe and unreliable, even when there has been repair attempts with no success. Georgia lemon law does not cover used cars and you have to follow a legal process when you need to make a claim. The vehicles that are covered in this state are new and leased cars or registered by the original buyer in Georgia. Other vehicles that are not covered are mopeds, motorcycles, ATVs, trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds, those that are not self propelled and boats. When you have a vehicle you suspect to be a lemon, the first thing you should do is to take it to the repair shop and alert the manufacturer of the problem.

Your entire case should be within the warranty period because it is the only time that a vehicle can be considered a lemon. Once the problem has not been fixed after several attempts in accordance to the Georgia lemon law, the car owner fills out a notice to the manufacturer of final opportunity to repair where the manufacturer is given 7 days to ask the vehicle to be taken to a repair shop where it has 14 days to be fixed. If the vehicle cannot be fixed, the car owner sends a letter which is certified to the manufacturer asking for a refund and he has 30 days to settle the claims.

You can read more on how the refunds and replacements are agreed upon on the internet when you search for Georgia lemon law. If the manufacturer of the lemon does not comply, the lemon owner has 60 days to file his complaint with the office of consumer affairs in Georgia. There are arbitration channels to follow that the state provides and your case is likely to be solved before it reaches the judicial system. There are many sites that you can print this guidelines for your own personal reference. You will learn that you can appeal your case to the supreme court if you are not satisfied with the ruling and when you win, attorney fees will all be paid plus the lemon compensation.

When you are preparing for the process, the Georgia lemon law will work for you if you have the necessary documents that will strengthen your case. Some of the documents include your warranty, repair orders, your receipts for the payment of the lemon and others. You therefore need to keep everything safely to avoid a compromise that may cost you the case. Georgia lemon law has helped many to claim for their rights and the law has worked very well. Manufacturers are therefore aware of what to expect and they try as much as they can to avoid the selling of lemons and those who do not comply with the standards regulations find themselves in the web of justice. The law will continue to do its work for a long time to come.
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