Can Auto Repair Shops Be Liable for a Car Accident?
After a car accident occurs, it takes time for the truth to come out. Even if it seems that one driver may be liable from the very beginning, information about an unsafe manufacturer or negligent auto repair shop could change your entire claim.
If you suspect that a negligent or reckless mechanic may be to blame for your automobile accident, it’s time to talk to an attorney to find out more. Call Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman at 866-565-4949 and set up a consultation with our team.
An Auto Repair Shop’s Obligation to Customers
Auto repair shops have an obligation to the customers they serve. When people choose a mechanic, they do so with the expectation that the mechanic will fully evaluate their car, give honest recommendations regarding repairs, and execute work in a safe and industry-approved way.
When a repair shop fails to do ordered work, recommends unnecessary work, uses unapproved parts, or does work in a sloppy and careless way, they are directly violating the agreement that exists between them and their clients. This is the foundation of a negligence claim.
How Repair Shops Can Be Negligent
There are several ways that a repair shop can be negligent in a way that makes them liable for a car crash. They may:
- Execute repairs in a way that is reckless, uses the wrong tools, is rushed, or otherwise increases the likelihood of subpar work
- Do work without the knowledge, skills, or training needed to do so in a safe way
- Do work using unsafe, unapproved, or expired parts in an attempt to save money or cut corners
- Test drive a vehicle in a reckless or dangerous manner that causes further damage to the vehicle
- Promise to do specific repairs but instead do nothing or do a quick fix that leaves the original problem intact
- Fail to do proper inspections and checks to verify that work is done properly before returning a car to a customer
Demonstrating the Garage’s Liability
The issue is that it can be incredibly difficult to prove that a repair shop was negligent in its work. To start, customers don’t always keep records of their maintenance work, and few remember the details of their conversations with mechanics. This isn’t the case if an inspection of the vehicle by a third party shows that a specific maintenance error caused the car to malfunction and crash.
This is why it’s so important to get your vehicle checked out by a repair shop as soon as possible after a crash. If you had maintenance work done in the days or weeks leading up to the accident, you may want to choose a repair shop different from the one you used immediately prior to the crash. This ensures that any mistakes from the first shop will be caught and brought to your attention, rather than covered up.
Prove the Garage’s Role in the Crash with an Attorney
These types of cases can be complicated, as repair shops may cover their tracks or try to evade any sort of responsibility. Unless you have a background in vehicle maintenance and repairs, it can be difficult to tell whether or not your repair work was properly done.
This is one reason it’s so important to hire a car accident attorney as soon as possible after a collision. An attorney knows the wide range of potentially liable parties after a crash, and they know what evidence to look for if you suspect that a rogue repair shop is to blame. Furthermore, their background in auto accident cases may have given them a solid understanding of which local repair shops are reputable and which tend to do low-quality work.
The quicker you get your vehicle inspected and checked out by a trusted mechanic, the sooner you can figure out who the liable party is.
Fight for the Compensation You Deserve with
When you choose Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman for your accident claim, you know that you have an aggressive advocate on your side. If you were swindled by a careless repair shop, hold them accountable with a personal injury claim. Send us a message online or call us at 866-565-4949 to set up a consultation right away.
