California Lemon Law Attorneys Protect Consumers Against Unscrupulous Manufacturers

By Deanne Shepard


Few things are as infuriating as saving for a new appliance or car only to end up with a product that either does not work the way it is supposed to, or that breaks down continually. In many cases consumers become frustrated with suppliers and manufacturers because their complaints are simply ignored or they are shunted from one department to another. One solution is to hire the services of California lemon law attorneys who specialize in representing consumers against suppliers and manufacturers.

The Magnuson Moss law, a federal law that was passed in 1975, has done much to protect consumers against unscrupulous manufacturers and dealers. The law is applicable to all states and it covers all mechanical consumer goods. In many states additional laws were subsequently passed, but in most cases these state laws are only applicable to motor vehicles. In terms of these laws consumers can force suppliers to deal with complaints.

In the past manufacturers offered consumers a written warranty on some products. These warranties, called express warranties were often very brad and they seldom made implicit promises of restitution in case of complaints. The law also recognizes implied warranties, however. In terms of these warranties the consumer can expect products to perform as they were designed to do and the manufacturer is assumed to have quality control measures in place.

Some laws cover only mechanical goods while others focus on motor vehicle and a few cover both. However, all the various laws allow consumers to sue manufacturers and suppliers if they have legitimate complaints and if those complaints are not addressed to the satisfaction of the consumer by the manufacturer or dealer. The legal costs of successful consumer actions normally have to be paid by the defendant.

This does not mean that consumers can approach the courts whenever they feel aggrieved. The law requires consumers to communicate with the manufacturer or supplier and they can only go to court if no satisfactory solution is offered by the manufacturer. Consumers must keep copies of all correspondence and they would be well advised to keep a diary on the progress of the complaint.

Consumers can only ask the court to intervene when they can show that they have exhausted all their options. In such cases the consumer will be best advised to hire a lawyer that has experience in representing clients in consumer affair cases. If the manufacturer is sued, he is sure to appoint a legal team to defend the matter and no consumer will be able to negotiate such a case without professional help.

It is important to choose a lawyer with experience in this field. In fact, there are many lawyers that specialize in consumer law. In some cases they will even be willing to accept cases on a contingency basis and there have been many examples of class action suits. In such cases the lawyer represents many clients that have experienced similar problems with a specific product.

Consumers have the right to expect value for money. When they purchase products only to find them defective or unable to perform as they were supposed to, they should have recourse to justice. Lawyers specializing in consumer affairs can help them to obtain such justice, forcing manufacturers to honor their obligations and their promises.




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