Volunteer attorney resolves consumer law matter with a car dealership for Coast Guard member

Soon after a Coast Guard servicemember purchased a used vehicle from a dealership, the servicemember discovered a major defect. The dealership provided the servicemember with a loaner car and promised to find a suitable replacement vehicle. However, the dealership failed to do so, and the servicemember discovered that his defective vehicle was re-sold in the dealership’s lot. In the meantime, the servicemember was continuing to pay his monthly car payments.

The servicemember visited a military legal assistance office about this problem, and a JAG referred this case to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project to place with a volunteer attorney. A volunteer attorney helped the servicemember reach a successful settlement. The dealership provided to the servicemember a full refund of the vehicle’s purchase price, along with all expenses associated with the temporary loaner car.