Car Repair Services: What to Know

Following a car accident or any event that damaged your car, your next step will likely be to search for nearby car repair services. Car repair services can run the spectrum from a neighborhood mechanic to a dealership’s in-house services, and which car repair services you choose to work with will depend on your situation. If you've been involved in an accident where someone else was responsible for your injuries, your insurance company may suggest car repair services for you, for instance.

If the damage to your vehicle was caused by someone else’s negligence, driving, or deliberate actions, you may be owed compensation that can be used to cover the costs of your vehicle repairs. You can easily contact the car accident lawyers at Morgan & Morgan for a free case evaluation to learn more.

Choosing the Right Car Repair Service

Knowing what to expect from car repair services when you have vehicle damage is extremely important because it will help you remain a savvy consumer and maximize the repairs made to your car while minimizing various expenses. When faced with the possibility of expensive auto repair work, the vast majority of consumers want to get the best work possible for the most reasonable cost. 

Customers are entitled to a variety of different benefits depending on where they live.  Certain rights may be outlined in your local or state municipal codes, such as getting a written estimate for repair work, a detailed invoice of the work that was done and any parts supplied, and details about warranties. Make sure you do research in your local area to make sure you understand what you are entitled to in this situation. 

There are some other things you can keep in mind when selecting car repair services to fix the damage to your vehicle. The first of these is to determine whether or not the motor vehicle repair shop is licensed. If a company does not have an appropriate license as a motor vehicle repair shop, they may have mechanics who are not appropriately trained in auto repair. 

These shops may be operating in violation of local, city, or state codes and could cause significant problems with your vehicle. You can always research online to determine whether or not a car repair services location is licensed. Your research shouldn't stop there either. It is your job to do as much additional research as possible to make sure that you've selected the right car repair service provider. Doing your research ahead of time empowers you with information from other consumers that can help you avoid costly and painful experiences. For example, you may not realize that a company has significant complaints filed against them until you do some research with the Better Business Bureau. 

Finding out that a car repair services location has numerous unresolved complaints with a Better Business Bureau may send you in a different direction, saving you time, frustration, and headaches. Not all car repair services are created equal, and thankfully, today we have access to many different resources where we can see reviews from other consumers before making our own decisions. Look on places like the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Google reviews, and even Facebook to learn more about other customers’ experiences. If you see consistent problems popping up with car repair services, it is best to avoid using that location. 

Other Tips for Dealing With Car Repair Services and Mechanics

Another tip with car repair services is to make sure you're taking repair suggestions with a grain of salt. Many different dealerships and mechanics will find other problems as they're looking to fix the original ones. It is especially important that you review all of this information and provide it to your insurance company if you're currently involved in a lawsuit or pending case regarding an auto insurance negligence accident. Your insurance company needs to have the full picture of any and all damages done to your vehicle so that they can approve the necessary repairs. You may also need to hire an experienced insurance or personal injury attorney to help you navigate this process and to ensure that you are not taken advantage of by the insurance carrier—or the mechanic. Compare all shops to get the best deal and make sure that you do your research on their reviews as well. 

You want to strike a balance between a car repair service provider who has a good price, especially if you are contributing to the cost of car repair services yourself, and also does quality work. 

Another tip for working with car repair services is to keep your own copy of a detailed repair history of any vehicle. Any duplicate work done in place of incompetent or sloppy work may rely on evidence such as repair history from previous vehicles. If you end up in court down the road, having your record may be beneficial. 

If you have recently come into problems with car repair services, the first line of defense is to contact the manager of the local facility. This makes it easier for you to try resolving things on your own which will likely come up in court if the other side does not want to pay for the repairs made. It will be extremely beneficial if you can show that you made a good-faith effort to contact the manager with your concerns and that you were not taken seriously. All of these tips, of course, are much easier to abide by with the support of a qualified and knowledgeable lawyer. If you are wondering how a car accident lawyer can help you with your car repair services, contact Morgan & Morgan for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more.