How Much Does a Utah Lemon-Law Case Cost?

Short answer: most Utah Lemon Law cases cost the consumer nothing out-of-pocket. The federal Magnuson-Moss mandatory-character fee provision — supplemented by the UCSPA $2,000 statutory floor and discretionary state-law fees — makes pure contingency representation economically viable.

How the economics work

Contingency

• No retainer.
• No hourly billing.
• No upfront cost for IDS filings, court filing fees.
• Attorney fees paid by the manufacturer under the federal Magnuson-Moss claim when the consumer prevails or settles (with discretionary state-law fees as a supplement).

Consumer recovery

• § 13-20-5 refund/replacement/cash settlement (minus mileage offset — reduced by Utah’s distinctive mileage-during-repair exclusion).
• UCSPA $2,000 statutory floor (greater of actual damages or $2,000) for non-disclosure paradigm cases.
• Attorney fees paid separately from consumer recovery.

Typical fee recovery in UT

Approximate ranges:

Stage	Typical Fee Recovery
Pre-suit settlement (with counsel)	$5,000 - $15,000
State-court UCSPA-anchored settlement	$15,000 - $35,000 (state-law fees discretionary)
Federal Magnuson-Moss settlement (post-filing, pre-discovery)	$20,000 - $45,000
Federal settlement (post-discovery)	$40,000 - $80,000
Trial verdict	$75,000 - $150,000+

Why manufacturers pay attorney fees

The federal Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) fee-shift (with discretionary state-law fees under § 13-11-19 and § 13-20-6) is designed to:

• Make consumer-protection statutes practical to enforce.
• Incentivize manufacturer compliance.
• Level the playing field against manufacturer in-house legal teams.

Costs you might still pay

• Independent inspection / expert testimony — typically $300-$1,500. Recoverable under Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) expert-witness fees.
• State court filing fees ($200-$500).
• Federal court filing fees (~$400).
• Process service fees ($50-$150).
• Diagnostic charges outside warranty — recoverable as incidental damages.

Most firms front these costs and recover them as part of settlement.

The mileage offset (reduced by repair-period exclusion)

Utah’s distinctive mileage-during-repair exclusion under § 13-20-5 reduces the offset substantially for consumers with extended repair tenures. This is a deduction from refund, not an out-of-pocket cost.

Bottom line

Utah Lemon Law cases are designed to be affordable for consumers. Specialized counsel takes cases on pure contingency, anchored by the federal Magnuson-Moss mandatory-character fee provision. Consumers typically pay nothing out-of-pocket and receive the § 13-20-5 refund (minus mileage offset) plus the UCSPA $2,000 statutory floor (greater of actual damages or $2,000) where applicable. Get a free case review.

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