Understanding Lemon Laws
In the United States many laws have been enacted for protecting the rights of consumers from unscrupulous sellers. These laws have been commonly nicknamed as Lemon Laws. And the defective item that you purchase by the error of your judgment is a "Lemon". However, nowadays, this term is used more in context of cars and locomotive vehicles.
Lemon Laws can be broadly classified into two categories. These are the Federal Lemon Laws and the State Lemon Laws.
The Federal Lemon Laws apply to all the states in a more general manner. The State Lemon Laws apply more specifically to the respective states and each state has its own names for them. However, they all serve the same purpose, and that is to provide legal remedies to consumers when they buy faulty or defective consumer products.
In the year 1975, the first Federal Lemon Law was enacted by the Government. It was sponsored by two Democrat senators, Warren G. Magnuson of Washington and Frank Moss of Utah. Conveniently, the statute was named after them as "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act". The Act protected the citizens of all states and laid down specific conditions, under which a consumer could obtain a legal remedy in case he purchased a faulty or a defective consumer product. A "consumer product" under this Act, has been defined as any tangible and personal property which is available for sale. It should be used for personal or household purposes only. A "consumer" is defined as anybody who buys for personal use, and not for resale. And a "supplier" is defined as anybody who makes a consumer product available, either directly or indirectly, to the consumers. On the basis of these definitions, from 1975 onwards, it has become much easier to curtail the widespread misuse by merchants of warranties and disclaimers that are expressed in writing on their products. In other words, the law states that although providing a warranty is not essential, but if one is given by a supplier then it should be simple, clear and conspicuously written, and it should fully disclose the terms and conditions of the warranty. Therefore, if you end up purchasing a "lemon" then getting a top rated lemon law attorney should be your first priority to file for arbitration or mediation. Lemon law lawyers are not difficult to find no matter whichever state you are in. Since, merchants are usually reluctant to refund money or exchange the faulty item for a better one; you must go for the best lemon law attorney in your state. Under these laws, a consumer can either ask for the refund of his money or get the faulty item replaced. The disputes also get quickly solved due to arbitration and/or mediation procedures, if you are able to engage a good lemon law attorney. The court stands out as a last resort, whereby the complainant can always file a suit for an alleged Magnuson-Moss Act violation. Along with the Magnuson-Moss Act, the states Lemon Laws guarantee the consumers a value for their money.
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