How Much Does a Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer Cost?

An experienced Los Angeles lemon law attorney may receive hundreds or thousands of dollars for winning a lemon law claim. That money, however, comes from the automaker – not from the vehicle owner the lawyer represents.

What to Expect After Winning a Lemon Lawsuit

When a vehicle owner succeeds in their lemon law claim, California law allows the owner to receive at least three different types of damages: 

• A replacement vehicle or a refund of the purchase price, whichever the owner prefers,
• Incidental and consequential damages, and
• Attorney’s fees and costs.

Where the auto maker or distributor has willfully failed to repurchase or replace your defective vehicle, you may also be entitled to civil penalty damages up to two times the total of your other actual damages.

Many vehicle owners focus on the replacement vehicle or refund. Yet the other categories of compensation can be precious. 

When an automaker is held liable for selling or leasing a lemon, the automaker must cover the attorney’s fees and costs for the person who bought or leased the defective vehicle. The vehicle owner doesn’t have to pay for their lawyer out of pocket, nor do they have to use part of their refund or other damages to pay their attorney. Compensation for their lawyer becomes the automaker’s responsibility. This allows you,  the consumer, to get the best lawyers available to fight against the automakers’ army of attorneys.

Experienced Los Angeles lemon lawyers understand how each category of damages might apply in a lemon law case. They fight for the maximum compensation for each client. 

Although Los Angeles County ranges from Santa Monica, Brentwood, Santa Clarita, San Fernando Valley, and DTLA, our lawyers understand that anyone can have a lousy lemon on their hands. We work hard to prove your case and push for the compensation you deserve. 

If you need clarification about your vehicle’s defects and how the lemon law applies, you can discuss this with a lemon law lawyer today for free and no obligation. Our experienced Los Angeles lemon law attorneys frequently handle lemon law cases throughout the state of California. By contacting Wirtz Law APC, our lemon law lawyers will answer your questions and explain your legal options. Also, you won’t have to pay out of pocket for the conversation. We offer a case evaluation with no charge and if we take your case, it will be on a contingency fee basis.

Lemon Law Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Lemon Law settlement in California? 

Lemon law settlements are essentially tied to the amount you paid for the vehicle. California law provides a formula in the lemon law statute for the measure of damages. If your vehicle qualifies as a lemon and you choose a buyback, you are entitled the amount you paid or will pay to own the vehicle free and clear plus incidental and consequential damages, less a mileage offset for the good miles driven before the defects in your vehicle making it a lemon manifested. The amount you can get back in a buyback includes:

• Purchase price. The higher the purchase price of the vehicle, the higher the buyback amount will likely be. Leased vehicles may receive lower amounts, as less has been paid.  However, under California’s new lemon law modifications, you may now be entitled to additional amounts when you lease your vehicle.  
• Third Party Add-ons.  If you have purchased third-party contracts or parts, the amounts you spent on those features and benefits will most likely not be recoverable.  
• Consequential and incidental costs. A vehicle is a necessity in Los Angeles or San Diego. When your vehicle won’t run, can’t be trusted, or is sitting in the shop, you need other options. Whether you rent a car, rely on Uber or Lyft, or pay for a taxi, these costs add up. These costs can also be recovered as part of your total lemon law claim. The same is true for towing.  That too is recoverable.  
• Mileage offset.  There is also a mileage offset that is applied against your recovery.  You do not get the value of the good miles driven before the first defect was discovered.  There is a formula in the law for calculating this offset. 

Consulting with an expert lemon law attorney will help you figure out how much you can get back.
Getting a lemon law claim started is simple. If you are wondering what your options are for your lemon of a vehicle, speak with an expert team member by calling (858) 259-5009. You can also start filling out an online form, where we can gather basic information regarding your situation, and a member of our team will reach out to you to discuss the next steps to take.

Each case is unique, so each settlement amount varies. Our top-rated Lemon Law attorneys in Los Angeles can help you determine what your case is worth. We understand it’s not worth the headache to worry about ongoing problems with your vehicle. Let us determine the best course of action for your case to obtain the best solution for you.

How hard is it to win a Los Angeles Lemon Law case?

The toughest way to handle a Los Angeles lemon law case is to go it alone. 

When a vehicle owner tries to handle their own lemon law case, they face off against a massive multinational corporation. Automakers staff entire legal departments with expert attorneys. These attorneys have one job: to protect the automaker from the costs of lawsuits, including lemon law claims. 

Thus, winning your own Los Angeles lemon law claim can be incredibly tough. Here are just a few of the tactics automakers use to ensure they win against individual vehicle owners:

Automakers may undervalue your claim. The automaker may claim your problem isn’t that serious, that your mileage is too high, or that your additional costs are your issue, not theirs. The buyback amount they offer is likely to be far lower than the amount you’re entitled to receive under California lemon law. 

Automakers may push you into arbitration. Arbitration is an alternative to the court system for resolving disputes. Arbitration is most useful between two parties with similar power, resources, and understanding of the issues, such as a dispute between two auto companies. When the dispute is between the auto company and an individual, however, research demonstrates that arbitrators rule in favor of automakers far more often. Many arbitration claims end with a win for the automaker even when the lemon vehicle owner has a valid case. 

Automakers may refuse to negotiate at all. The automaker may argue that you don’t qualify for lemon law protection at all. They may delay and deny, hoping you’ll give up. They’ll assume that you aren’t receiving experienced advice from a lemon law attorney and that you’ll believe what they say about your legal rights. 

Automakers make it as hard as possible for an individual person to win their lemon law claim alone. They count on you becoming confused or frustrated, running out of money, or lacking the knowledge or experience to know when they’re misleading you. 

There’s one way to make it easy to win a lemon law settlement: Work with a top-rated Los Angeles lemon lawyer. Getting started is simple. Call our office today at (858) 259-5009. 

Lemon law attorneys know all the tricks automakers use to wiggle out of responsibility for a lemon vehicle. They know how to navigate rules and paperwork, negotiate for full and fair compensation, and ensure that your rights are respected throughout the process. Your attorney can even win attorney’s fees as part of your settlement, so that you don’t have to pay out of pocket. 

Who can you take to court for selling you a lemon?

Most Los Angeles vehicle owners know that the lemon law protects them if their vehicle is defective. Yet they may not know where to exercise their rights. Do you sue the specific dealer or repair person who worked on your car, the dealership, or the automaker? What paperwork do you need to file, and where do you file it? Are there time limits on your ability to take someone to court for selling you a lemon vehicle? 

Lemon law claims are typically filed against the automaker directly. You don’t have to confront the individual dealership or its employees alone. Contact our top-rated Los Angeles Lemon Law attorneys today by filling out our online form. We can answer your questions and explain the lemon law claim process with you. 

Getting started is simple. Call our office today at (858) 259-5009, and a member of our team will walk you through the basics of the process. Our attorneys understand how to protect your legal rights and target the responsible parties, so you can receive the full, fair compensation you need. Your case helps hold automakers accountable for their actions and the harm they cause. Your lawyer will ensure your case moves smoothly toward resolution, so you can focus on your daily life. 

The attorneys at Wirtz Law APC have decades of experience holding automakers accountable. They’ve had numerous successful cases against Ford, Tesla, GM, Kia, and practically every other automaker on behalf of Los Angeles residents who only wanted a safe, reliable vehicle. To learn more, contact the team at Wirtz Law APC today.