Wis. judge orders Mercedes-Benz to pay $482K in damages, fees in notable ‘lemon law’ case

Mercedes-Benz hit with large ‘lemon law’ judgment

MADISON, Wis. — A judge is ordering Mercedes-Benz to pay $482,000 in damages and legal fees to a Wisconsin customer who was sold a defective car and not given a refund on time.

Vince Megna, a lawyer who represents the customer, says the judgment could be the largest involving a single car under a state “lemon law,” which protect consumers who are sold faulty cars.

A Mercedes-Benz spokeswoman says the company is disappointed in the ruling. The judge is expected to sign the final order Friday.

The case started when Marco Marquez purchased a Mercedes-Benz in 2005 for $56,000.

The car often failed to start. Despite several repair attempts, the dealership couldn’t fix it and Marquez demanded his money back. After the company failed to give a refund in the 30 days, he filed the lawsuit.