"We need the money more than the consumer does"
Well, now I've heard it all.
In a recent final pretrial in a case, the manufacturer's attorney didn't argue about whether or not the car was a lemon, he didn't even argue about whether or not it had been in the shop too many times or the defects weren't really there.
No, he came up with a new argument entirely: "We need the money more than your client does." Never mind the fact that the Lemon Law says they have to buy it back and make a total refund. Never mind the fact that the courts say the same thing, too. "We need the money" is not a defense to the Lemon Law. Never has been; not likely it ever will be.
"Needing money" so to speak, should have nothing to do with lawsuits or lemon cars and it shouldn't have anything to do with any manufacturer's attitude about them either. Matter of fact, taking care of their customers is what manufacturers should be thinking about. If they did that, then maybe they'd build the cars right in the first place and, when they didn't, maybe they'd just do what the law says they are supposed to do: just buy it back.
Until then, when a client says they've got a lemon, we'll keep doing what we have been doing since 1978 . . . helping people get a fair result.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.