When a consumer is faced with the proposition of going to lemon law arbitration with a manufacturer over their lemon vehicle, the question looms, should I do it?

Most consumers think by so doing they are going to a neutral forum where justice will be served. However what they don’t know is that the manufacturer pays for this service, and arbitrations are a majority of the time in favor of the manufacturer. All too often a consumer is “awarded” additional repairs to the defect they have already given the manufacturer a reasonable opportunity to repair. Ironically, this is no award at all because typically the consumer still has warranty coverage, or if the general warranty expired, the warranty as to the defect they failed to repair (at least in California) is extended for the defect the manufacturer failed to repair during the existence of the warranty. In the few instances where an award is made, many times it is not in accordance with the laws i.e. it may look like a “lemon law buyback” but the consumer is shorted the complete remedy the law allows.

Why bother going to a forum that is more often than not biased in favor of the manufacturer? Why put yourself through the frustration of having your case fall on deaf ears? Most people would like to give the benefit of the doubt to a process like this. It sounds appealing; it avoids lawyers and the court. But the truth of the matter is, you’d be better off not going through this process (unless it is required in your state; it is not required in California) and retaining a lemon law attorney to help you. Many times cases can be resolved without going to court. Many attorneys will represent the consumer at no cost.

Don’t fall prey to this pretentious trap. Bypass any offers to go to arbitration and get a lemon law attorney today!