Lemon Law in Florida: When Should You Hire a Lawyer?

As a way to protect people who purchase or lease new vehicles, the lemon law in Florida covers you financially in the event you obtain a vehicle that has substantial defects. If, after a reasonable number of repair attempts, you still feel that you fell victim to purchasing or leasing a lemon, you can contact a lawyer to help you navigate the legal process and seek the appropriate compensation.

Understanding the Lemon Law in Florida

As with most legal statutes, understanding the lemon law can be somewhat confusing. This law has various essential stipulations on what qualifies for compensation and, in many cases, getting in touch with an attorney who knows and understands the law can help you get the most out of your claim.

Defect Criteria

In order for a car, truck, van, recreational vehicle or other mode of personal transportation to be considered a lemon by law, the vehicle will need to have serious defects that make it unsafe, less valuable than what was stated, or impair its intended use entirely. These serious defects will need to remain even after a reasonable number of repair attempts were made.

Reasonable Repair Attempts

After the lease or purchase of the vehicle, the lemon law of Florida states that a reasonable number of repair attempts have to be made on the same defect without any signs of improvement before the vehicle is considered a lemon. These repair attempts usually must be done within the first two years of ownership, or in some cases within the first 24,000 miles. The specific number of repair attempts will depend on the actual defect in question.

Gathering Evidence for Your Lemon Law Case

To have a case regarding your defective vehicle, you will need to collect relevant documentation to support the claim. This can include a wide range of documents such as all repair records, maintenance and service history, as well as photos and video showing the defects on the vehicle.

Keeping detailed records of all communication between yourself and the dealer or manufacturer is important. Letters, emails, and notes from phone conversations can all be valuable in showing you gave proper notice before escalating the claim.

The Role of a Lemon Law Attorney

Once you realize that a claim will need to be made on your vehicle, having legal representation on your side can be pivotal for your position in the complex legal landscape. An attorney will not only advocate for you directly and provide specialized legal expertise in the Florida lemon law criteria, but can also provide a wide range of other valuable services and guidance such as various laywer coupons and much more.

Case Evaluation

Having a firm grasp on the law and everything that relates to lemon vehicles, an attorney can review all aspects of your case and determine whether you can seek compensation.

Legal Strategy

An attorney can customize a legal strategy that works for your circumstances directly. They will use their knowledge of the law, as well as their understanding of your specific case to present a persuasive argument on your behalf that can lead to fair compensation.

Knowing when to consult with an attorney is a vital part of the whole legal process. While you might think it's fine to attempt the claim on your own, an attorney can explain your rights, assist in gathering the right documentation, and help maximize a favorable outcome that is in your best interests and meets your expectations of fair compensation.