Image by The U.S. National Archives via Flickr
Driving a car is a great privilege and a great responsibility. As drivers, we have to know the rights of bikers, motorcyclists and pedestrians in order to help maintain safe roadways. But what are the rights of a car owner?
Car Repairs
With today’s technology in automobiles, it is not difficult for a car manufacturer to “lock out” independent mechanics and small repair shops from repairing a vehicle. This forces the car owner to take their vehicle to a dealership and pay a much higher price for the repairs. There is legislation being discussed that would force the car manufacturers to offer access to independent repair shops so the car owner can choose where they want to take their car to get it fixed.
Lemon Laws
“Lemon laws” are different from state to state, but they all essentially protect a car owner from being stuck with a defective vehicle. In most cases, if a car has to be taken in for repairs three times for the same problem, it is considered a lemon. There are variations on the law and the car owner’s recourse against the manufacturer, but the basic idea stays the same.
Suing for Damages
Getting into an auto accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver means that you probably won’t recoup all of your medical bills or damages through the other party’s insurance provider. In these cases, you may have the right to sue the driver for any additional money that their insurance didn’t cover. A Chicago accident attorney can help you determine if this is the best course of action for your particular case.
Car owners have about as many rights as they do responsibilities. Know your rights so you protect your financial investment as much as possible.
