Imagine spending money on an item only to have it stop working in a very short time period. Fortunately, consumers find they have options when they end up in this situation and the manufacturer isn’t of any help in resolving the issue. However, there are numerous myths surrounding lemon laws in this country, and consumers need to make certain they have the right facts before processing. Following are four common myths to be aware of at this time.
Lemon Laws Only Apply to Vehicles
Most men and women are familiar with the lemon law as it relates to motor vehicles even while being confused as to exactly what this law covers. However, they fail to realize that these laws cover a wide range of consumer products. In fact, all types of consumer goods that come with a warranty may be covered. This depends in part on the lemon laws in the consumer’s state and federal lemon law as well. To learn more about your lemon law claims and rights as a consumer, contact an attorney who handles cases of this type on a regular basis. They can be of great help in determining if a consumer should go forward with his or her claim.
Certain Steps Must Be Taken Before a Person Can Benefit from Lemon Laws
Consumers often hear they must follow certain steps before filing a lemon law claim. For instance, a person may believe they have to take the car to the dealership five times before they can claim the vehicle is a lemon. However, this is not necessarily true. What needs to be considered at this time is whether a number of reasonable repairs were tried with little success. The number required depends on many factors, such as the state, the type of product, and the warranty offered by the manufacturer.
Hiring an Attorney is Costly
People often hesitate to contact an attorney as they don’t have the money to spend fighting a retailer or vehicle dealer. However, many attorneys in this field work on a contingency basis. This means the attorney only gets paid for his or her time if the case is won. Nevertheless, consumers need to meet with several attorneys and learn more about their fee structures. Some lawyers do charge for certain expenses, and these expenses remain the responsibility of the client regardless of the outcome of the case.
Only New Items Are Covered
Many used items now come with a warranty, and any item that has an active warranty may be covered under current lemon law. Don’t assume that just because a product or vehicle was purchased secondhand any defects become the problem of the new owner. However, if a person purchases a used item and no warranty is provided, he or she is likely stuck with an item that cannot be used until repaired or must pay the bill to have the item up and running as intended.
Consumers deserve to be protected from unscrupulous manufacturers. Lemon laws are designed to ensure they are. If you believe you may have a lemon law claim, speak to an attorney. He or she reviews the facts of the case before providing an honest assessment of whether the claim is valid. This should always be a consumer’s first step when he or she has purchased a defective product and the manufacturer refuses to assist in resolving the issue.
