Affordable Attorney Now

                    Home

 

Need Affordable Legal Help?

Please complete the information below, and we will contact you within 24 hours.  We have experienced, affordable attorneys in your area who are ready to assist.  There is no obligation, and your information will remain confidential.
X
First Name
Last Name
City
State
Day Tel (555-555-5555)
Eve Tel (555-555-5555)
Email Address
Best Time to Contact
Are You at Least 18? Yes         No
Do You Have a Bank Account or Credit Card?
Yes         No
How May We Help You?

          

Once we receive your information, we will immediately go to work helping you.  Please expect a call from us soon.

There is no charge to talk to our representative, and if you sign up for legal help, rates are less than a dollar a day.  Payments are monthly.  You must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. to submit this form.

Affordable Attorney Now Provides Access to a Lawyer in All 50 U.S. States: 

Alabama  Alaska  Arizona  Arkansas  California  Colorado  Connecticut  Delaware  Florida  Georgia  Hawaii  Idaho  Illinois  Indiana  Iowa  Kansas  Kentucky  Louisiana  Maine  Maryland  Massachusetts  Michigan  Minnesota  Mississippi  Missouri  Montana  Nebraska  Nevada  New Hampshire  New Jersey  New Mexico  New York  North Carolina  North Dakota  Ohio  Oklahoma  Oregon  Pennsylvania  Rhode Island  South Carolina  South Dakota  Tennessee  Texas  Utah  Vermont  Virginia  Washington  West Virginia  Wisconsin  Wyoming

 

 

Automobile Repairs

The bottom line when it comes to keeping your car in good working order is that you are ultimately responsible, even if you don't know a gasket from a hubcap.  Suppose you take your car in for brake repairs, but the repair shop fails to repair them.  You think your brakes have been fixed, but when you come to a stop sign and try to stop, your brakes fail and you slam into another car.  That driver is injured and sues you.  You claim that your brakes were not properly repaired and that the accident is not your fault.  You say that the repair shop should be held liable, not you.  Unfortunately, this will not work because you are the one ultimately responsible for keeping your car in good working order.  You can, however, sue the repair shop yourself.

When you take your automobile to a repair shop for repairs, the shop often places a lien on it to ensure that you will pay the bill.  If you do not for some reason, for example you do not think the repairs have been done correctly, the repair shop can charge you storage fees for the days you leave the car there, or, after a certain number of days, they can sell the car to pay for the repairs.   What can you do?  Usually, you will just have to pay the bill so you can retrieve your car and then sue the car repair shop in small claims court.  If you pay with a major credit card, you can take your car home and then call the credit card company to dispute the charge.  They will investigate your claim and you may end up winning.

If you get your car home and realize the repairs were improperly done, take the car back to the shop as soon as you can, and try not to drive it in the meantime.  If you got a written warranty of the work before it began, you will be in a much better position than if you got no warranty.  Most states have laws, though, that at least state that the work must be done in a skillful manner.  If it wasn't, you can demand a refund, but you may not get it.  Put your demand in writing and send it to the shop's owner or manager.  If this doesn't work, send a second letter.  If that doesn't work, take your car to another shop to have it repaired and send the bill to the original repair shop.  If you still do not receive a refund, you may have no recourse but to file a lawsuit against the shop.  This can be done in small claims court.

To avoid the above problems, do these things before having anyone repair your vehicle:

  • Use a recommended, reputable repair shop or investigate through the BBB the one(s) you are considering using

  • Get a written estimate.  Tell the shop that it is just an estimate, that you are not authorizing any work yet.  Then go to another shop and get a second estimate.  The estimates should itemize parts and labor costs.

  • Make sure the shop will warranty (guarantee) its work.  If not, find another shop.

  • Once you choose a shop to do the work, add two things to the estimate you received earlier.  1)  That the shop is to call you and get your consent to continue with the repairs if the cost of the repairs is to exceed the estimate and 2) that the shop is to return to you (or let you see) all the parts it replaced.  Even if you have no idea what to look for when you see these, telling a shop that you intend to inspect the replaced parts will help keep them honest.

Talk to a lawyer if you are thinking about suing a car repair shop.