Many people avoid reaching out to an attorney because of cost concerns. This is especially common if they’re already dealing with frustrating car repairs.
However, lemon law cases work differently than other legal matters. Unlike the typical personal injury case where lawyers charge clients on contingency fee basis (usually ⅓ of the total recovery), federal and state lemon law provisions generally provide that when the consumer prevails they may recover payment of their attorney’s fees and costs incurred on top of the amount awarded. Therefore, when you have a lemon, the car company usually pays your attorney fees, not you. This makes it possible for almost anyone to get legal help with their lemon law claim.
If you’re considering hiring a lemon law attorney, you probably have questions about costs. Here’s what you need to know about legal fees in lemon law cases.
Who Pays For the Attorney?
In almost every state, the automobile manufacturer must pay your legal fees when you win your case. In the very few states that do not have such a “fee-shifting” provision, you’re responsible for your own attorney’s fees. However, these fees are typically subtracted from the payout of your case. And with Krohn & Moss, Ltd., if you don’t get paid, neither do we.
In other states, you’re responsible for paying your own attorney’s fees. However, these fees are typically subtracted from your payout from the case. And with Krohn & Moss, Ltd., if you don’t get paid, neither do we.
It’s important to note that the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act provides even greater protection. This federal lemon law allows consumers to seek coverage for attorney’s fees IN ADDITION to compensation for their lemons.
During your initial consultation, our lawyers will lay out expected costs so you understand what to expect.
Are Lemon Law Lawyers Free?
Lemon law lawyers are not free. However, successful lemon law claims rarely require the consumer to pay legal fees out of pocket. As a claimant, your attorney will typically be paid on top of your settlement or award. Doing so enables anyone with a lemon to get experienced legal counsel without having to pay their lawyer directly. The “fee-shifting” provisions of federal and state lemon laws level the playing field to enable consumers to obtain representation and go up against some of the world’s largest corporations.
How Do Fees Work in Lemon Law Cases?
Most lemon law attorneys collect their fees from the car manufacturer, not their client. This means we only get paid if you win or settle your case. Here’s how this payment structure works:
- You typically pay nothing upfront as the attorneys will rely on the “fee-shifting” provisions of federal and/or state lemon laws to be paid.
- If you win your case, the manufacturer must pay for the attorney’s fees and costs incurred by your lawyers.
- If you don’t win, and your lawyers relied on these “fee-shifting” provisions, you don’t owe your lawyers any money.
It’s always best to ask about expected costs during your free case review so you have a rough idea of what to expect.
How Much Does a Lemon Law Lawyer Cost?
In virtually every state where we practice, we rely solely on the “fee-shifting” provisions of the federal and state law to be paid. In these situations, we never charge our clients for our services. Instead, we rely on our ability to settle or win your case to be paid. If we don’t win your case, we simply don’t get paid. For this reason, we are very selective of the cases we take.
At Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®, our lawyers have years of experience working with major automobile manufacturers. We always fight to secure the most favorable outcome for our clients and never charge them for our services if we lose a case.
Reach Out to Our Lemon Law Attorneys
If you have purchased or leased a vehicle that you believe to be a lemon, it’s time to contact the team at Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®. As an experienced law firm with over 60,000 success stories, our knowledge of state and federal lemon laws sets us apart from the competition.
Schedule a free case evaluation with our team today.