Can You Sue a Repair Shop for Car Accident Injuries In Tampa?
Providing routine maintenance and upkeep of your vehicle ensures it runs properly and can help to prevent mechanical failures that increase the risk of car accidents in Tampa. However, what happens if you are involved in a crash or collision right after leaving a repair shop? Even if the reckless driving behavior of others was ultimately responsible, your mechanic could still be held liable if problems with automotive parts or repairs played a role in the accident. Our Tampa car accident lawyers explain what you need to know about filing this type of claim.
Maintenance and Repair Issues Can Increase Car Accident Risks
Several years ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted an extensive survey on the cause of car accidents. Vehicle performance issues, resulting in mechanical failures and loss of vehicle control or maneuverability, were found to be a primary factor in more than 10% of all crashes. They are a contributing factor in an even greater number of collisions, impacting hundreds of thousands of drivers each year.
Among the most common mechanical issues that increase car accident risks are tire blow-outs, brake failures, engine seize-ups, and problems with the steering wheel or column. Ways in which your repair shop may be responsible for these issues include:
- Failure to provide a thorough inspection of your vehicle;
- Failure to properly diagnose potentially dangerous mechanical issues;
- Failure to make required repairs, despite billing for it;
- Using the wrong or defective parts and supplies.
Holding Repair Shops Liable for Car Accident Injuries
If mechanical failures or defective auto parts are responsible for a car accident in Tampa and can be directly attributed to a local repair shop, you may be entitled to compensation through insurance policies the business has in place. If they were only partly responsible, and reckless behavior on the part of another driver was also to blame, you may still be able to hold them partially liable by filing a car accident lawsuit through the Hillsborough County Civil Court.
These types of cases are complex, and it is important to get legal representation from an experienced Tampa car accident attorney. Actions we can take to hold the repair shop accountable and get you the compensation you are entitled to in a claim include:
- Reviewing copies of police reports, which detail how the accident happened;
- Gathering evidence that may provide additional details, such as witness statements and video surveillance footage from nearby businesses;
- Getting a post-accident vehicle inspection, which can uncover mechanical failures that may have played a role in your crash;
- Consulting with car accident reconstruction experts, who can testify on how repair shop negligence may have caused or contributed to your accident.
Contact Our Tampa Car Accident Lawyers Today
At Carman, Bevington & Finegan, P.A., we can guide you in suing repair shops for negligence that may have played a role in your car accident. To discuss your case, contact our Tampa car accident lawyers and request a consultation today.