Los Angeles Lemon Law Process

Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorneys Work to Protect Vehicle Owners

California’s lemon law protects vehicle owners when their newly purchased or leased vehicle has a dangerous or persistent defect. It may have one defect or many.  Lemon car owners may seek a replacement vehicle, a refund, and other compensation for their losses. 

Although the law allows vehicle owners to file a lawsuit against an automaker for a defective vehicle, most lemon law claims don’t go all the way to trial. Instead, experienced lemon lawyers in Los Angeles and other California locations aggressively work to negotiate a fair settlement under the state’s lemon laws. 

Talk to the team at Wirtz Law APC today if you have a lemon and need help. Our experienced Los Angeles lemon law attorneys can help you navigate the legal process and obtain the compensation you deserve. 

Time Limits on Lemon Law Claims

If you think your vehicle is a lemon, it’s essential to act quickly. California lemon law requires claims to be filed within four years of when the claim arises.

As soon as you suspect you have a lemon, reach out to an experienced Los Angeles lemon law attorney. The benefits of speaking with an attorney early on are:

• You and your lawyer can decide on an action plan quickly so that you receive the compensation you need sooner;
• Your lawyer can help you gather supporting evidence for your lemon law claim before it disappears or becomes hard to access; and 
• You shorten the time you must spend struggling with your lemon vehicle and the unnecessary stress it causes. 

Look for a lemon lawyer who offers free initial consultations. You will be able to ask questions and discover how the California lemon law applies to your situation without spending extra money. 

Evidence To Support Your Los Angeles Lemon Law Claim

Every legal case is built on evidence, and lemon law cases are no exception. If you have been dealing with constant trips to the mechanic and are still experiencing vehicle problems, chances are good that you already have some evidence to help you and your lawyer build a strong case. 

To help your case move smoothly through the legal process, keep all information related to your vehicle in one safe location. Items to collect can include:

• Your vehicle’s manual;
• Sales brochure; 
• Copies of your purchase or lease paperwork, including the vehicle warranty;
• Service records related to your vehicle’s problems and repair attempts; and
• Copies of receipts for expenses related to your vehicle’s problems, including repair bills and costs like finding alternative transportation. 

This evidence can help you build a strong case for the compensation you deserve. In addition to this evidence, your attorney may seek other items. You may be asked to give a deposition in some lemon law claims. A deposition is a testimony given under oath. It typically takes place in a lawyer’s office rather than a courtroom. If a deposition is needed in your case, an experienced lawyer can help you prepare.

If you find that you can not track or locate specific documents for your cases, do not panic. Our legal team is here to help. Through litigation, we can help obtain required documents and help keep your case organized. Let us help you prepare a strong case against your car’s automaker. 

What Can I Expect from a Lemon Law Claim? 

The lemon law requires automakers to provide either a replacement vehicle or a refund to vehicle owners. A vehicle owner may choose which one they want. Refunds are calculated via a formula based on California’s lemon law. It’s essential to choose a lawyer who understands this formula so that you do not accept a settlement that is less than the law provides. 

Replacements and refunds are a vital part of any lemon law claim. Yet they are not the only compensation the law provides for vehicle owners. In addition to a replacement or refund, lemon law includes three additional categories of compensation for lemon owners:

• Incidental and consequential damages; 
• Civil Penalties; and
• Attorney’s fees and costs and expenses. 

Incidental and consequential damages are expenses you would not have had if your vehicle hadn’t turned out to be a lemon. If you had to rent a car to get to a worksite because your car was in the shop, the rental costs might be considered as incidental or consequential damages. 

California’s lemon law also provides for civil penalties to be paid by the automaker to the vehicle owner.  Civil penalties can be up to two times the amount of actual damages. These additional damages are available to punish automakers who have willfully failed to follow California’s lemon law. For example, if a automaker willfully failed to buy back a vehicle that qualified as a lemon, it may be liable for civil penalties. Civil penalties are designed to discourage future willful failures to comply with the lemon law.

Also, automakers are required to pay a vehicle owner’s legal fees and costs as well as expenses if the vehicle is a lemon. When your case succeeds, you do not have to pay your attorney – the automaker must pay instead. Choose a lawyer who will fight for the maximum compensation you are owed, not merely a replacement vehicle or refund. 

How to Choose an Experienced Lemon Law Attorney

Many owners of lemon vehicles have little or no experience with the legal system. They know they need help. They know they deserve compensation for the stress and risk they’ve faced. Yet they don’t always know what makes a good lemon lawyer – or how to tell they’ve made the best choice. 

When you are shopping around for a lemon law attorney, look for:

A record of winning lemon law claims. Lemon law claims often look simple on their face, but they may become more complex. Sometimes, the automaker fights back, making the case more complicated. Experienced lemon lawyers know what to expect. They anticipate common tactics by automakers, and they plan for success all the way through jury trial if necessary.

A contingency fee arrangement. A “contingency” arrangement ensures that you won’t pay out of pocket. When you win, your lawyer is paid by the automaker under the requirements of California lemon law. If you lose, your lawyer doesn’t receive a fee. Contingency fee arrangements use lemon law as intended – to require automakers to compensate vehicle owners for attorney’s fees and other losses. They also encourage your lawyer to fight for the best possible outcome in your case. 

Knowledge of lemon law processes and tactics. Automakers have spent considerable resources creating an arbitration system for lemon law claims. Arbitration can sound appealing: It is often less complex than a courtroom trial, and the arbitrators focus on lemon law claims. In practice, however, arbitration of lemon law claims tends to lead to less favorable outcomes for vehicle owners. Look for an attorney who understands how to try your case to a jury or to an arbitrator and can provide a frank assessment of whether settlement or trial is the right choice for your claim.

Clear communication. You will work with your lawyer throughout your entire case. It is essential to choose a lemon law attorney and team with whom you can communicate. When looking for a lawyer, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Consider whether the lawyer answers your questions in a way you understand. Ask how you can reach the attorney if you have additional questions. Discuss ways to help build your case by gathering necessary paperwork. 

Not all law firms have experienced, knowledgeable attorneys to reach the best possible outcome in lemon law claims. Our Los Angeles law team focuses specifically on lemon law claims in Anaheim, Arcadia, Brentwood, Burbank, Calabasas, Downey, Downtown Los Angeles, Culver City, Glendale, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Torrance, and West Covina to name a few. We constantly work to build our legal knowledge and have the required skills to secure the best outcomes for our clients. Contact us today to learn more.

Contact Our Experienced Los Angeles Lemon Law Process Attorneys Today

Wirtz Law APC provides one of the best Lemon Law attorney services in Southern California, Northern California, Central California, and Eastern California. If you are looking for a Los Angeles Lemon Law firm, look no further than Wirtz Law APC. If you have had enough, are fed up, and think your car is a lemon, call us at (858) 259-5009 for a free no obligation evaluation. If your vehicle is a lemon, we will take your case at no charge to you on a contingency fee basis. 

If your hybrid, truck, car, EV, or SUV is experiencing substantial or repeated issues, you should speak with one of our Los Angeles lemon law attorneys at the Wirtz Law APC. Our firm focuses on helping California consumers get the compensation they deserve after purchasing a lemon. Our team has a well-earned and well-deserved reputation as motor vehicle consumer advocates. 

Our Los Angeles County lemon law team has a proven track record, having recovered $45 million for our clients. We fight for our clients so that they receive the compensation they deserve. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation.