People who have troubles with their newly acquired cars often cower from Georgia Lemon Law thinking that it is beyond their understanding or only those who don smart ties and dark leather suitcases are fit to study state legislations. There can never be farther from the truth – laws are made for people, not people made for laws. In this article, we deconstruct the nature of Lemon Law in Georgia into three manageable chunks: its subject, processes, and compensation.

Subject. A lemon is a car or vehicle that, simply put, conks out due to manufacturing defects without the owner’s knowledge at the time of purchase. The defects must be serious enough that the car is rendered beyond professional repair. Needless to say, a car that has seen better days (or was acquired not as brand new) is not included. Moreover, the people who are eligible in summoning this law must be those who are buying vehicles for private use. Companies with more than ten workers and earn an annual income of 10,000 dollars are likewise excluded.

Why do people use lemon law? To protect them from purchasing vehicles that did not meet automotive standards. A car costs a lot and if it does not run the way it should or fails to meet its specifications stated by the dealer or the manufacturer, then it is an expensive and unfair acquisition.

Process. The law does not mean to scare car dealers or put undue advantage on buyers. For example, clients who did not know the defects at the time of the purchase are the only people who can avail the protection of the law. Agreements like second-hand cars and/or with “as is” condition (which means that the buyer agreed to buy the vehicle knowing fully well its problems) would render the law inapplicable.

The car must undergo repairs within the first year from its purchase date or has run not over 12,000 miles. The manufacturer should also be allowed to do the repairs, and the car must be proven out of service within the period. Make sure to check and save all documents that relate to the repairs for any lawsuit or claims that you want to have in the future.

Compensation. If all circumstances are proven true and if you are eligible, you can require the dealer or manufacturer to reimburse the money of the repairs and refund the amount you paid for the vehicle. Most often, documents, entitlements, and repair receipts will be presented so it is a wise move not to discard any important files.

In order for the law to work in your favor, you must arm yourself with a good lawyer, a reasonable claim, sufficient evidences, and a sincere demand for indemnification. You must also be patient enough to wait as the wheels of justice will be set in motion. Ordinary claims can be processed without as fast as a month to six months, depending on the outcome of the case. There are situations where the claimer is not satisfied with the decision and would proceed to filing the before the Supreme Court for a final ruling.

There are other important requirements before Georgia Lemon Law can be called in full force. With the brevity of this article, it is impossible to include them all here. But with these three things in mind, you can start on a sure footing if you ever decide to process a claim.