Car manufacturers are in the business of making money, not losing it. So, when a manufacturer, or its agent, realizes that one of their customers has a lemon car, consumers may find that they will quickly be offered a settlement agreement or a replacement vehicle. While this may, at first, appear to be an appealing offer, consulting with a lemon law attorney may allow consumers to obtain more money than they would get through a manufacturer’s settlement agreement. Because lemon law attorneys are highly trained in this specialized section of California law and they have extensive experience ensuring that consumer rights are protected, their clients are able to receive the entire relief they are entitled to.

After spending time and money trying to fix a lemon car, many consumers may be eager to enter into a settlement agreement with the manufacturer and accept a replacement vehicle. But, while this could possibly end the constant trips to the repair technician, the consumer could be missing out on a return of the money they spent for repairs, rental cars, towing costs, and more. Under the California Lemon Law, after a consumer’s attorney successfully argues on their behalf and establishes that the consumer does, in fact, have a lemon car, the consumer will be entitled to either a replacement for their lemon car or monetary compensation in lieu of a replacement vehicle. In addition to this relief, consumers are afforded additional money to help put them back in the position they were in before purchasing their lemon car. This additional money is awarded to the consumer for incidental charges they incurred while trying to fix their lemon car and during lemon law litigation. Entering into a settlement agreement without first consulting with a lemon law attorney could potentially end trips to the repair shop, but the consumer could also miss out on the money they are owed.

Consulting with an experienced and diligent lemon law attorney could even potentially allow consumers to get much more money than the loss they actually incurred because of their lemon car. The California Lemon Law states that should a manufacturer willfully disregard their legal obligations, a judge can order monetary damages, or money owed to the consumer, as a form of punishment to the manufacturer and as a form of consumer protection. This penalty is determined by the judge presiding over the consumer’s legal claim and could be a penalty of up to two times the amount of money the consumer is actually owed. Lemon law attorneys who are skilled in litigation and in this area of California law are aware of these penalties and will remain attentive to ensure that manufacturers are complying with their legal obligations. And, should the manufacturer fail in their obligations, the consumer’s attorney should immediately request punitive damages from the court.

Consulting with a lemon law attorney helps to ensure that consumer rights are protected and that clients are receiving the full amount of the relief that they are owed. But, when consumers enter into settlement agreements with manufacturers before consulting with an attorney, they may not be completely apprised of their legal rights, and these rights and possibly others could be abandoned.

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