Pennsylvania’s Lemon Law

Pennsylvania has an Automobile Lemon Law. The purpose of the legislation is to protect consumers in the state from the potential harm that can come if they purchase defective new vehicles. It is important to understand what and who is covered under Pennsylvania’s Lemon Law so that you know what your rights are if you have purchased or leased a new vehicle and registered it in the Keystone State. 

Understanding Pennsylvania’s Lemon Law

Those who are covered under the Lemon Law in Pennsylvania include individuals who either leased or purchased a new vehicle in the state. It also applies to individuals who have registered a new vehicle in the state. The law is meant to cover personal vehicles that are used for either family or household purposes. Other types of vehicles like commercial vehicles, mobile homes, motorcycles, and more are not covered under the Lemon Law.

After registering a new vehicle, Pennsylvanians have 12 months or 12,000 miles to address problems that arise with their vehicles. The Lemon Law covers new cars that have problems that:

• Substantially harm the value of the vehicle.
• Substantially inhibits the use of the vehicle.
• Substantially causes serious safety issues with the use of the vehicle.

It is important to understand that if a new car has been damaged due to the actions of the owner, such as from modifications that were done or destruction from negligence then the Lemon Law will not apply.

The Lemon Law in PA entitles consumers to file a claim against the entity that was responsible for selling them a defective vehicle. This may mean that a claim could be filed against a car dealership or potentially a car manufacturer. It could be possible to have a defective car fixed, replaced, or refunded.

In situations where the defective vehicle causes a car accident, then it is possible to obtain financial compensation for other losses than just the vehicle itself. Here, a victim of a defective vehicle car accident may also recover other damages that they sustained including medical expenses, pain and suffering, and missed wages, to name a few.

Driving a defective vehicle is incredibly dangerous. Sometimes the vehicle’s deficiency is only detected when an accident happens. In this case, not only is a victim entitled to have their vehicle covered by the Lemon Law but they may also be entitled to file a personal injury claim.

Speak to an Attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP Today

Knowing your legal rights is essential when you purchase a vehicle. Manufacturers or dealers have a duty to sell safe vehicles to the consumer. When they fail in their duty, consumers may be able to have their car fixed, replaced, or refunded depending on the circumstances. When car accidents result from defective vehicles, injured consumers may also take civil actions against the liable party to recover financial compensation for the totality of their losses.

If you or your loved one was harmed in a car accident caused by a defective vehicle, then a Philadelphia defective product attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP, can help you file your claim. Call today at (215) 731-9900 to schedule a free, initial consultation.