Little guy beats GM in Wisconsin lemon law case

According to news reports, Todd Van Natta purchased a 2007 GM pick up truck. However, once he got it home, he had nothing but problems. The truck’s power steering simply stopped working after he would apply the brakes in situations where he was traveling slowly. He complained to GM, but it did nothing to fix the problem. So, Van Natta sued GM under Wisconsin’s lemon law statute – and won. A jury awarded him $120,000 and ordered GM to pay his attorney’s fees.

Van Natta’s lawyer was savvy in this case. He was able to get his hands on an internal GM memo which stated, "A lack of steering assist could occur if the brakes are applied and [the driver is] turning the steering wheel with the vehicle stopped or during parking lot type maneuvers." GM did not address the issue. Needless to say, the jury’s vote in this case was unanimous. It is estimated that the problem affects nearly 60 different GM and SUV models manufactured between 1999 and 2007 and legal experts say that additional litigation is likely.

What is a lemon law?

A lemon law is a state statute that protects buyers when they purchase a “defective” car, truck, motorcycle or other vehicle. While nearly every state has a lemon law, some are better than others. The laws generally provide options to both consumers and manufacturers, but in most cases, the manufacturer will replace the vehicle if it qualifies under the law.

However, as the above case shows, that doesn’t always happen. Todd the plumber was fortunate to live in Wisconsin which has a consumer friendly lemon law. Even if your state does not, an experienced products liability attorney will be able to determine the best course of action to take depending on the facts and circumstances of your situation.

To find out more about the lemon law in your state, click here. If you’ve purchased a vehicle that you believe qualifies under your state’s lemon law, contact an experienced Lemon law attorney to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. Consultations are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential.