If you are involved in a car accident caused by negligent vehicle maintenance or repairs, your mechanic may be liable.
Mechanics owe a duty of care to customers to use a reasonable amount of care in completing car repairs. If they fail to do so, resulting in an accident, a mechanic can be held accountable for any injuries, property damage, and other losses caused by their negligence.
Several types of mechanical failures commonly cause car accidents. These can occur as a result of a mechanic’s negligence, for example, due to a wrongful repair, improper diagnosis, repairs that were never performed (fraudulent repair), installing faulty parts, or performing unsafe repairs. Those common mechanical failures include:
Brake Failure
Brake failures include more than a total loss of braking power. Some of the common causes of brake failure are:
Tire Failure
Tire malfunctions caused by a mechanic often occur due to the following:
Any of these negligent errors or defects can lead to a crash—for example, if an improper tire repair causes a blowout, a driver can unexpectedly lose control.
Steering Issues
Issues with steering, suspension, transmission, and other engine-related problems can also lead to accidents. For instance, if the transmission goes out, the engine suddenly loses power, then the vehicle will not move.
Mechanic liability is based on the legal theory of negligence. Therefore, holding a negligent mechanic responsible for a car accident requires proving the following elements:
Proving that a mechanic is responsible for a car accident can be complex. Speak to an experienced San Diego car accident lawyer in a free consultation to determine whether you have a case.