California Lemon Law

In California, lemon law protects consumers who own or lease vehicles, motorcycles, and other types of motor vehicles. But, if you’re not familiar with lemon law, it can be confusing to understand what these protections are. Essentially, lemon law protects consumers when their vehicle is faulty or defective, resulting in any effects that negatively impact the vehicle’s safety or use. These negative impacts are often proved when the consumer has to take their vehicle into the shop to be repaired an unreasonable amount of times throughout the validity period of their warranty. Filing a lemon law claim when you own or lease a faulty vehicle in California is the best option for you to keep yourself and your passengers safe every time you get on the road. If you are interested in learning more about lemon law in California or think you may have a lemon on your hands…

How Do You Establish an Unreasonable History of Repair?

Because the word “unreasonable” is so general and can be subjective, there is no rule of thumb for what is considered an unreasonable amount of pairs that applies to every lemon law case. However, during a consultation with your lemon law attorney, you can discuss what an unreasonable repair history looks like based on your specific circumstances. In general, attorneys attempt to determine an unreasonable repair history objectively by considering what an “average” person would view as unreasonable given your specific circumstances.

What Do Lemon Law Protections Afford You if You Win Your Case?

In California, lemon law protections allow for the replacement or refund of your vehicle (minus something called a reasonable usage fee depending on the mileage of your car). The replacement vehicle from your manufacturer must be a vehicle that is substantially similar to the vehicle that you filed your lemon law claim for. Additionally, there could be added opportunity for an increased fee paid by the manufacturer for something called a “civil penalty.” A civil penalty can be up to two times the cost of damages if you are able to prove that the manufacturer of your lemon willingly broke the law. Regardless of whether your vehicle repairs were at no cost because they were covered under your warranty, you are still entitled to these protections under California lemon law. That is because the qualification of your vehicle as a lemon does not depend on the amount spent on repairs, rather it is based on the fact that your vehicle had to be repaired an unreasonable amount of times.

If You Are Looking to File a Lemon Law Claim,
Speak With an Attorney Today

While you can choose to file your lemon law claim through a court of law or arbitration (which does not require you to have an attorney), it is in your best interest to seek the assistance of a skilled attorney to help you through the process. Filing a lemon law claim can be a confusing process, especially if you are unfamiliar with the specific legal requirements to file your claim in California. At California Lemon Attorneys, we are skilled in the legal field of lemon law and we are dedicated to representing you and your best interests either in a court of law or through arbitration. If you are in need of a lemon law attorney to represent you through the process of filing your lemon law claim in California, please give us a call at 310-922-1199 or email us at info@calemonattorneys.com.com for a free consultation.