Who is Responsible when Incompetent Automobile Repair Causes Catastrophic Injury or Death?
An alarming number of serious single vehicle car accidents—often involving death or catastrophic injury—are caused by negligent auto repair, not negligent driving. In fact, negligence on the part of a repair technician or mechanic can be as profoundly damaging as negligence by a medical professional, and it warrants the same degree of attention, concern, and careful investigation.
Consumers have every right to expect auto mechanics to repair their vehicles in accordance with current technical and safety standards, thereby assuring the safety of both drivers and passengers. Conversely, auto mechanics, car dealerships, and repair facilities have an obligation to provide their patrons with an appropriate standard of care—and to take responsibility for any breach of care that causes catastrophic injury, death, or property damage.
As experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys at Reiff & Bily, we are asked to investigate several single vehicle accidents every year. One of the first questions we ask is whether the vehicle was recently repaired, and, if so, where and by whom. If there is a question of negligence, our skilled accident reconstructionists and experts do their best to prove that the mechanic working on the vehicle failed to use ordinary and reasonable care.
We are currently litigating a few major vehicle accident cases where the occupants of the vehicle were killed shortly after the vehicle left the repair center. In one of these cases, a van left a tire repair facility after sustaining a flat tire, and was just a few miles away from the repair shop when the tire flew off the van, causing it to exit the road. The driver was killed, and a passenger was catastrophically injured. This horrific accident occurred because the mechanic had simply failed to affix and tighten the tire lug nuts.
In another case, a driver left a repair facility after being told that his car had been thoroughly checked by a mechanic. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle stopped dead on the highway because there was no oil in the engine. A deadly accident ensued when the car was rear-ended at a high speed.
If you have reason to believe that improper mechanical repairs to your vehicle caused an accident, don’t be negligent about protecting your rights. Be sure to contact a skilled and experienced attorney as soon as possible.
