If you’ve ever bought a new car, you know what a rush it is. There’s the new car smell, the feeling of power as you hit the accelerator, and the peace of mind knowing that you’ll have a reliable ride for a long, long time.

But what happens when that new car isn’t so reliable? When you wake up one morning and have to come to terms with the fact that you’ve bought a lemon? Lemon Law attorney Sergei Lemberg offers an overview of Alabama lemon law.

Sergei notes that every state has a lemon law, but that each of them is different. Under Alabama’s lemon law, some vehicles qualify as lemons and others don’t. If you’ve bought a new passenger vehicle, SUV, van, truck, or motorcycle with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 10,000 pounds you’re covered – if the vehicle is used for personal (as opposed to business) purposes.

Now, on to definitions. In order to be considered a “lemon,” your vehicle’s defects have to affect its use, safety, or value. In other words, if it’s something minor, you don’t have a case. According to Sergei, the other catch is that the defects have to occur during the first year from the delivery date or the first 12,000 miles on the odometer – whichever comes first. In addition, the vehicle must have been taken in three times for the same problem or been out of service for 30 days for the same problem. Plus, the manufacturer has to have the opportunity to repair the vehicle one last time. The first repair attempt has to be made during the first year or 12,000 miles, and the final repair attempt has to be made before the end of the second year or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Sergei is quick to point out that manufacturers have teams of lawyers that do nothing but fight lemon law claims, and that battling them will be much easier with a lemon law attorney at your side. The good news is that, if your claim is successful, the manufacturer has to pay your attorney fees. That being said, with the help of a lawyer, you can often get a refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement without having to go through the entire lemon law process – and get your attorney’s fees covered in the process.