You can hold an auto repair shop liable for a car accident under the right circumstances. If part of your car failed after you sought maintenance and you believe that an auto shop either engaged in negligence or deliberate repair fraud, you can contact a car accident attorney in Indiana to hold that shop responsible for your losses.
Vaughan & Vaughan’s team of experienced personal injury lawyers can lead an investigation into your losses. If we find evidence of inappropriate maintenance, failure to repair, or deliberate misconduct, we can demand damages from a liable party on your behalf. You can discuss the extent of our car accident services during an initial consultation with our team.
Moreover, you never have to worry about legal fees when working with Vaughan & Vaughan. Our car accident lawyers operate on contingency. We only get paid if we win your case. That means you can schedule your initial case consultation without worrying about possible expenses.
Do Auto Repair Shops Owe You a Duty of Care?
If you want to take legal action against an institution like an auto repair shop after a car accident, you need to prove that the party you named liable for your losses owed you a duty of care. In this vein, auto repair shops do owe you a duty. That duty specifically dictates that the auto repair shop owes you:
- the right to a written or digitally-recorded estimate and detailed invoice
- the right to authorize recommended and/or requested repairs
- the right to inspect replaced parts and other repairs
- the right to a third-party inspection after the repairs
You specifically have the right to hold an auto repair shop liable if you can prove that said shop violated one of these aforementioned responsibilities and that said violation resulted in a dangerous car accident.
What Damage Can an Auto Repair Shop Do to Your Car?
The damage that an auto shop can do to your car varies but can include:
- Failure to complete a repair
- Installing or ordering an inappropriate part
- Damaging other parts of a vehicle while conducting repairs
- Performing inappropriate or unnecessary repairs
- Leaving debris in a vehicle upon the completion of repairs
- Allowing unqualified individuals to work on a vehicle
- Failing to identify damage
- Illegally modifying a vehicle
You need to identify the damage done to your vehicle and estimate its overall value if you want to hold an auto repair shop liable for your losses. Fortunately, our attorneys can investigate your losses to better connect the damage done by an auto shop to an accident on the road.
How Can You Prove an Auto Repair Shop’s Negligence?
If you want to prove that an auto shop bears the blame for your recent car accident, you need to bring forward evidence to establish that connection. This evidence can include descriptions of damage done to your vehicle by an auto repair shop, footage of that damage as it took place, and footage of your subsequent accident.
You cannot assert that an auto shop bears the blame for your losses without having evidence on your side. You can, however, trust Indiana car crash attorneys to bring that evidence forward while you focus on healing from car accident-related injuries or related losses.
Can an Auto Repair Shop Share the Blame for Your Accident With Another Party?
You can divide fault for an accident between an auto shop and another party under Indiana’s understanding of modified comparative negligence. This understanding also, however, allows certain parties to claim that you bear some of the responsibility for your own accident.
I.C. § 34-51-2-6 specifically states that you must be less than 51% liable for your own accident if you want to divide the blame for your losses between other parties. This, unfortunately, means that if an auto shop claims that you’re reasonably responsible for your own losses, you may lose out on a portion or all of your desired compensation.
The good news is that you can make an effort to get out of the liability accusations leveled against you. An Indiana car accident lawyer can bring forward evidence refuting any assertions of fault that a liable party throws your way. Our team can divide fault between applicable parties at the same time, ensuring that you have the opportunity to get the compensation you deserve.
What Damages Might an Auto Repair Shop Owe You After a Car Accident?
If you can bring forward evidence indicating that an auto shop not only damaged your car but that said damage resulted in a car accident, you may deserve damages covering all non-economic and economic expenses related to your recovery. You may even deserve a refund for the auto repair shop’s initial damaging services.
You can discuss the specifics of the damages most applicable to your case when you first meet with one of Indiana’s car crash lawyers. In general, though, your accident should entitle you to compensation for:
- Automotive repair and/or replacement
- Rental vehicles needed while your car’s being repaired
- Wages lost while you’re recovering
- Emotional distress and treatment for long-term trauma
- Accident-related medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
If you want to demand specific damages for a mechanic-caused car accident, make sure you have the evidence you need to make your point on hand. It is difficult to argue the true value of an accident-related loss if you can’t prove what financial or emotional impact that loss had on your life.
Fortunately, our team can help you bring forward the hard car crash data most relevant to your case. You can call our team within hours of your accident so we can send an attorney out to the scene.
Call on an Auto Repair Shop Accident Attorney You Can Trust
Whether you have to divide liability for your losses between an auto repair shop and another driver or if an auto shop bears the full brunt of the responsibility for your accident, Vaughan & Vaughan can help you navigate the complex road to recovery. You can turn to our auto accident attorneys for help investigating, building, and filing a claim against a liable shop.
If you have questions about your right to hold an auto repair shop liable for your losses on the road, contact our team. You can schedule a case evaluation with a trial-experienced attorney to learn more about duty of care and the distribution of fault after an accident. We’re available to book a no-obligation conversation by phone or courtesy of our online contact form.
Vaughan & Vaughan are ready to stand with you as you fight for the car accident compensation you deserve.
