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Connecticut Lemon Law Information
What is the ‘Lemon Law’?
Lemon Laws are
consumer protection statutes. These laws are enacted by the
states to give legal recourse to purchasers of defective
automobiles. Typically, within a short period of time after
purchasing or leasing a new automobile, if a consumer has had
their vehicle repaired a certain number of times, or if the
vehicle has been out of service for repair for a certain amount
of time, then the consumer is entitled to have the vehicle
repurchased by the manufacturer.
What do I stand to gain by asserting a claim
under the Lemon Law?
Depending upon how
many repairs you have, or how many days out of service the
vehicle has been out for repair, you may possibly be entitled to
a repurchase of your vehicle, a brand new replacement vehicle,
or monetary compensation. In those cases where you keep the
vehicle and are compensated monetarily, we can often negotiate
an extended warranty as well.
How many repairs or days out of service do I
need to establish a viable Lemon Law case?
Each state Lemon Law has different requirements for the number
of repairs or days out of service necessary to establish a
claim.
Who is the Defendant in a
Lemon Law Case?
Although you have
had your vehicle repaired at the dealership, it is actually the
manufacturer of your vehicle who is responsible under the
various state Lemon Laws. In some states which have used car
lemon laws, the dealership is the responsible party.
What is the process for asserting a Lemon Law
Claim?
The first step is to determine whether or not you have a viable
claim under your state’s Lemon Law. You can click on the Free Case
Evaluation at the bottom of this page, or call us toll-free at 1
(877) 50-LEMON so that we can evaluate your case.
If you have a viable
case and you agree to allow us to represent you, then our first step
is to issue a demand letter to your vehicle’s manufacturer. Most of
our cases are resolved by directly negotiating a settlement in this
manner.
If we are unable to negotiate a
settlement of your matter, then the next step may be a lawsuit
or arbitration. We will discuss these options with you,
detailing their pros and cons.
What
other laws protect my rights?
Beside the various
state Lemon Laws, there is another important law that protects the
rights of automobile owners. The Magnusson Moss Warranty Act is a
Federal Law that applies broadly to most consumer goods that come
with an express warranty. This law takes into account repairs that
occur throughout the entire period of the manufacturer’s warranty.
The various state Lemon Laws, by way of comparison, often take into
account repairs that occur within the first 10,000 to 18,000 miles.
In many instances where a state lemon law will not apply because of
the mileage on the vehicle when the repairs occurred, the Magnusson
Moss Warranty Act can be utilized to obtain recourse against the
manufacturer.
Additionally, there
may be other state specific laws that can be utilized under some
circumstances.
Are there any time limits for bringing a
Lemon Law case?
The time limit for
bringing a case under the Lemon Law, known as the ‘statute of
limitation’ varies by state. Usually the time limit begins
running on the date that you purchase or leased your vehicle,
although that can vary. As a practical matter, it is always best
to address legal issues sooner rather than later, as evidence
can be lost or grow ‘stale’ over time, and moreover, a claim
brought late can give rise to an inference that the problems
with your vehicle did not cause undue hardship at the time they
were occurring.
Who pays your attorney fee?
The various state
Lemon Laws and other consumer protection statutes that we
utilize generally contain ‘fee-shifting provisions’ that allow
us to collect an attorney fee directly from the defendant
automobile manufacturer. Thus, we are happy to state that if you
have a lemon law case, you will never be under any obligation to
pay us a dime of attorney fees out of pocket.
How do I get started?
If you believe you
may have a case, and you live within one of the states we service,
we would be happy to evaluate your case for free, with absolutely no
obligation. You can either call us toll-free at 1 (877) 50-LEMON, or
you can provide us information by clicking the “Free Case
Evaluation” button below.
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