What If the Manufacturer Denied My Rhode Island Lemon Law Claim?
What to do when a manufacturer denies a Rhode Island lemon-law claim — common defenses, the AG's Arbitration Board, and the bonded-appeal, $25/day, and double-award deterrents.
A manufacturer denial is not the end of a Rhode Island claim — you have the AG’s fast, low-cost Arbitration Board, and a manufacturer that loses and then appeals faces a bond, $25/day, and a doubled award if the appeal is frivolous. Denials usually rest on a handful of defenses.
Common denial reasons
- “Defect doesn’t substantially impair use, value, or safety.”
- “Caused by abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modification.”
- “Not enough attempts” or “outside the term of protection.”
- “We cured it on the final 7-day attempt.”
- “No problem found.”
How to respond
- Get the denial in writing.
- Assemble your documentation — repair orders and the 30-calendar-day count.
- Confirm the 7-day final cure was offered and failed.
- File with the Arbitration Board — a $20 fee, a decision within 90 days.
- Pull TSBs and recalls — they undercut “abuse”/“no problem found.”
- If the manufacturer appeals, it must post a bond, and a frivolous appeal doubles the award plus $25/day.
The appeal deterrent
Because only the manufacturer can appeal a Board award — and must post a bond equal to the award plus $2,500, faces $25/day, and risks a doubled award if the appeal is frivolous (§ 31-5.2-7.1(g)(2)) — manufacturers have a strong incentive to comply rather than stonewall.
Bottom line
A denial is common and rebuttable. Document the defect, confirm the 7-day cure, file with the AG’s Arbitration Board, and remember the bonded-appeal, $25/day, and double-award protections. Get a free case review.
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