Lemon law is one of the most screenable practice areas in consumer litigation. Almost every threshold question has a factual, checkable answer, and the owner usually knows it. That makes qualification cheap to do properly — and inexcusable to skip.
Repair attempts are the spine of the claim
Most state statutes turn on a repair-attempt count for the same defect, a days-out-of-service total, or both. Screening should capture how many times the vehicle went in for the same problem, roughly when, and how long the dealership kept it. An owner who says “three or four times, and it sat for about a month” is a different lead from one on their first visit.
Warranty timing, not just warranty status
The question is rarely “is the vehicle still under warranty today.” It is whether the defect first appeared while the warranty was in force. A screen that asks only about current coverage discards viable claims and passes through expired ones.
The statute is state-specific, so the campaign should be too
Repair-attempt thresholds, days-out-of-service limits, notice requirements and whether used or leased vehicles are covered all vary by state. A national campaign with one set of screening rules produces records that qualify in some jurisdictions and not others. Building state by state costs a little more attention up front and produces far fewer disputes later.
Ask what the owner still has
- The vehicle. Traded in or repossessed changes the analysis considerably.
- The paperwork. Repair orders are the evidence. An owner who can find them is worth more of your intake time.
- The purchase documents. New, certified pre-owned or used, purchased or leased, and in which state.
Screen out the matters you do not want
Every firm has them: accident damage rather than a defect, aftermarket modifications, salvage titles, commercial fleet vehicles, or owners already represented. These are quick, unambiguous disqualifiers and belong in the screening sequence rather than in a first call your intake team has to end politely.
Then hold the provider to it
Written criteria are what make lead quality measurable. Combine them with a defined replacement policy and an exclusivity term, and disagreements become arithmetic instead of argument.
To see the screening applied in a live campaign, review our lemon law lead program or book a consultation.