What Happens After I Win My Lemon Law Claim?

There are millions of vehicles sold every year, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that numerous of these cars make it to market with some kinds of defects or faults. Understanding your rights as a consumer is one of the most important things when it comes to lemon law in California. The process of filing a claim is a multi-step process that can be time consuming and incredibly challenging. Luckily, lemon law attorneys are lawyers who are specially trained to understand the legal requirements of lemon law and are meant to assist you through every step of filing your lemon law claim and determining the best outcome with your manufacturer. In many cases when vehicle owners file a lemon law claim, manufacturers argue that they are not at fault for the issues you experience with your vehicle. Unfortunately, this can make it challenging to resolve lemon law claims quickly.

When you have an experienced lemon law attorney on your team representing you, the better off you are when it comes to fighting large manufacturing companies to receive the refund or replacement that you are legally entitled to. If you are currently involved in a lemon law claim or have any questions regarding what happens after you win…

Decide Which Option is Best for You: Replacement Vehicle or Refund

In California, lemon law protects consumers and legally entitles them to receive a refund for the original cost of their vehicle or receive a replacement vehicle of the same value and similar model from your manufacturer. Which choice is the best choice for you depends on your unique needs and circumstances, but there are a few important things you should consider when deciding whether you prefer a refund or replacement vehicle.

Refund for the Original Cost of Your Car

The refund you could receive from your manufacturer includes the cost of your original down payment, state taxes you paid on your car, any registration fees, all remaining loan balances on your car, and any monthly payments you made to fulfill the loan for yuur vehicle. Additionally, the amount you receive as a reimbursement would likely include your out-of-pocket costs that were a direct result of your faulty vehicle. An example of this could be any legal fees you paid for your lemon law attorney, towing costs, taxi costs, uber costs, etc. However, even though it seems like this reimbursement accounts for a lot of your expenses, it’s important to know that the manufacturer can deduct specific costs from your buyback cost. These deductions include any late fees you incurred on loan payments, any aftermarket add-ons you purchased, and the most notably the biggest deduction manufacturers make is the mileage offset. Mileage offset accounts for the depreciation in the value of your car due to the mileage on the vehicle before mechanical issues occurred.

Replacement Vehicle

If instead of a refund you decide that a replacement vehicle is the best option for you, the replacement from your manufacturer will be a similar vehicle model and must be of equal value. This option would be best for people who don’t want to invest the time searching for a new car because it saves you time in this respect, but keep in mind that your replacement vehicle will come from the same manufacturer that sold you the lemon.

If You Need Assistance With the Aftermath of Your Lemon Law Claim, Speak With an Attorney Today.

You should not have to wait a long period of time for either your refund or replacement, and you should reasonably expect to hear back from your manufacturer about their determination within 30 days of winning your claim. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that manufacturers often attempt to drag out your payment or providing your replacement in the hopes that you will drop their claim. Do not get taken advantage of by big manufacturing companies who do not care about your best interests. At Help With Lemons, we know how manufacturers operate and we are committed to getting you the refund or replacement that you are legally entitled to when you win your claim. If you are struggling to communicate with your manufacturer after winning your lemon law claim, please give us a call at 844-744-0146 or email us at info@helpwithlemons.com for a free consultation.