After saving your money and doing your research, you finally decide on a car to purchase. Unfortunately, in some cases, this purchase may turn into a nightmare if the motor vehicle does not live up to your expectations. Manufacturers that sell their vehicles with warranties may be responsible for fixing problems when the cars do not meet the warranty requirements. The Commonwealth of Virginia provides consumers with certain protections under its Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act, otherwise known as the lemon law.
Useful Information About Virginia’s Lemon Law
In order to take full advantage of this protection, it is important to understand the motivation behind the law and some of its key components. The following is an overview:
- When a consumer purchases a motor vehicle, this is often a significant expense.
- If the motor vehicle is defective, this can create a hardship for the consumer.
- The Commonwealth of Virginia enacted the lemon law in order to help consumers obtain resolution from the vehicle’s manufacturer for a defect that cannot be repaired within a reasonable period of time when a good faith motor vehicle warranty complaint is filed.
- The rights under the lemon law, however, are limited to a specific time period.
- The lemon law provides specific statutory procedures in order to help a consumer obtain a replacement vehicle or a full refund if the motor vehicle cannot be brought into conformity with the warranty that was issued by the manufacturer.
- Attorney's fees and expert fees will be awarded if you win your case.
In addition, it is important to note that the purpose of the lemon law was not to supersede or eliminate a consumer’s other rights or remedies available under other state or federal laws. Fully understanding your rights as a consumer under the lemon law often requires the guidance of a knowledgeable attorney. We encourage you to contact us today for more information at 804-282-7900.
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