Auto Body Shop Near Me

5 min read time

Being involved in a collision is always a hassle. You may have sustained injuries and been forced to take time off work to recover. Then to make matters even more inconvenient, you're stuck without a car to take care of essential tasks and go to doctor's appointments. Meanwhile, you're dealing with the absolute annoyance of handling insurance matters on your own.
 
Wrangling with insurance liability disputes, medical bills, and car repairs is more than you may be able to handle while healing from injuries. If you're searching for "auto body shop near me," you're likely attempting to deal with matters the best that you can. While we salute you for your tenacity, we also want to make sure you know how much an auto accident lawyer can help you in your time of need. We understand you may have yet to think about getting legal help because of the costs. However, you should know that our services won't cost you a thing unless we're able to help genuinely.
 
Morgan and Morgan have helped many thousands of auto accident victims recover substantial compensation after being involved in a car accident that wasn't their fault. In most cases, we've been able to secure insurance payments far above what our clients could have expected if they'd handled negotiations on their own. Here's how our car accident lawyers can make a difference for you and protect your rights in everything from being taken advantage of by insurance companies and auto body shops to vehicle manufacturers.

 

Why Do Auto Body Shops Refer Clients to Morgan and Morgan?

When you're involved in a collision, you suddenly find yourself in circumstances where you have to place your faith in others. You have to trust your car will be repaired properly, you have to trust doctors with your diagnosis and treatment, and you have to trust that the insurance company will deal with you fairly. That's not an enviable position to be in, especially if you're used to handling matters independently.
 
While there are many reputable auto body shops that provide valuable services to their customers, one thing they have in common is having a few favorite law firms they know will treat their customers right.
 
We have extensive relationships with auto body shops at Morgan and Morgan because they know we bring value to their customers and will ensure they recover the compensation they need to get their vehicles fixed to pristine condition. Not only that, but our attorneys are fierce advocates for clients that need an insurance settlement to pay for medical bills and other losses not tied to their vehicle.
 
Car accidents can be costly, and not everyone is prepared for the unexpected financial hit collisions can cause. It would be best if you didn't have to make a choice between getting your vehicle repaired or getting the proper medical treatment for your injuries. We understand that for many families, it's easier to tough out the pain than go without a functioning vehicle. For some, it may be the only vehicle to get the kids to school, travel to work, and take care of other important family matters.
 
Furthermore, when the medical bills come rolling in, you may find yourself struggling to pay for car repairs which may cause you to ask for shortcuts in repairing your vehicle. While no decent auto body shop would agree to make repairs that could end up being dangerous, this problem puts your mechanic in a bad position. They must either refuse your business or make only the most critical repairs, which may end up in disappointment for everyone involved.
 
For these reasons, auto body shops trust us because they know we will be able to secure payment for all of your needs and make progress much smoother and quicker. With our help, we can speed up the process that helps insurance companies determine liability, increasing our leverage in negotiating the most for your economic losses and more. 

 

What Can I Do if a Mechanic Damages My Car Through Negligent Repairs?

If you're looking for an "auto body shop near me," you may have been in a recent accident and suspect you had faulty or subpar repairs at another auto body shop. In that case, Morgan and Morgan can still provide valuable legal help. Anytime you take your vehicle in for repairs, the shop and the mechanic working on your car have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care up to the standard of the auto repair profession. These standards include the following:

  • Executing repairs in a professional and careful manner
  • Demonstrating a reasonable and knowledgeable set of skills as other mechanics possess
  • Performing diagnostics and test-driving your care to ensure it’s safe for use
  • Giving a written estimate and receiving approval before any repairs are performed

If the shop or mechanic fails in their duty of care and the failure causes any damages from negligent repair work, they may be held accountable for your expenses. Here are some common instances of negligent car repairs:

  • Not adequately repairing worn or broken car parts
  • Installing the wrong replacement part in your vehicle
  • Damaging your vehicle while doing the agreed-upon work
  • Failing to diagnose major issues that should be addressed
  • Making modifications to your vehicle that render it illegal to drive on public roads
  • Failing to replace contaminated fluids or not removing debris during repair work

When a mechanic’s mistakes lead to an accident, you may have the right to sue them for any financial losses tied to the accident. However, they might offer to address their mistakes at no cost to you, in which case you may have to allow it in order to give them a chance to reduce the amount you can recover, less any bodily injuries.
 
When it comes to proving negligent repair, it's rarely straightforward. You may need the help of Morgan and Morgan to launch an investigation into what caused the accident. This may require the assistance of our engineering and mechanical experts. We'll work in tangent with our experts to demonstrate the following, which is necessary for a negligent repair claim:

  • The mechanic or shop owed you a duty of care to carry out work with reasonable proficiency as is expected within their profession
  • The mechanic or shop was careless or reckless in their repair work, rising to the level of negligence
  • The mechanic or shop's poor workmanship was responsible for your accident resulting in injuries and losses

 

Can I Sue for a Car Accident Caused by Mechanical Failure?

Another problem that may arise is if a car accident is caused by a mechanical failure linked to faulty parts or defective vehicle design. While normal wear and tear is excluded, you have the right to expect your vehicle to operate as intended. However, serious design defects or faulty car parts can put you and others on the roadways at considerable risk.
 
Unfortunately, car defects are not something new. In fact, there have been countless news stories of car manufacturers putting the public in danger because notifying consumers and fixing the issues is more costly than squashing lawsuits as they come. We think that mentality is despicable.
 
When you're the victim of a motor vehicle accident caused by faulty parts or design, you deserve justice, and we're here to deliver. Here are the elements that need to be met to have a successful claim for an accident caused by a negligent car manufacturer:

  • The manufacturer was aware of the issue and didn't do anything about it before releasing the vehicle for sale to the public, or
  • The manufacturer was aware of the issue and failed to recall the vehicles, or
  • The manufacturer was aware of the dangers and tried to cover it up, or
  • The manufacturer was made aware of the problem and didn't recall the vehicles nor attempt to fix vehicles already out on the streets

In a nutshell, negligence must be demonstrated. If you owned a car that had been recalled and didn't get it fixed because it was inconvenient, then you would not likely prevail in a legal dispute.

 

What Are Common Vehicle Defects?

First, a defect, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is something that poses a risk to motor vehicle safety and may occur in a group of vehicles of the same design or manufacturer or components of the same type and manufacturer.
 
Defects should not be confused with normal wear and tear. For example, if you drive 60,000-mile tires and they blow out at 59,000 miles, that would be something to take up with whoever issued your warranty. However, if you're driving down the highway and your vehicle suddenly shuts off, and you can't control the vehicle, that would be an issue that is a safety defect, and your vehicle's manufacturer should do a recall.
 
Here are some widely known defects that have caused serious issues for vehicle owners in the past:

  • Steering wheels that abruptly malfunction
  • Accelerator defects that result in the vehicle speeding up automatically
  • Tire defects that result in tread separation or uneven deterioration
  • Airbags that deploy unexpectedly or with too much force
  • Seats that recline unexpectedly, crushing backseat passengers
  • Faulty seatbelts that release without the occupant's manual intervention
  • Defective braking systems
  • Faulty fuel lines that cause fires or explosions

 

Contact Morgan and Morgan for Questions About Car Accidents, Poor Repair Work, or Faulty Motor Vehicles

Car issues are always unpleasant, but an accident that is caused by the negligence of another is a problem that should have consequences for the wrongdoer. Whether it's another driver, a repair shop, or a manufacturer, they all owe you a duty of care that is legally binding. Looking for an “auto body shop near me” is a clear sign that you may have cause for legal action.
 
Morgan and Morgan offer legal services nationwide with an outstanding reputation for success. We have attorneys specializing in different areas of the law, such as defective products, faulty repair work, and car accidents caused by negligent drivers.
 
Find out why hundreds of thousands of clients have relied upon and put their trust in us over the last 30 years by contacting us for a free case evaluation. It costs you nothing to learn if you are eligible for compensation.

Disclaimer
This website is meant for general information and not legal advice.

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