Personal Injury Blog

In Illinois, car accidents can happen for many reasons. In many cases, a driver’s negligent actions cause a collision, such as running a red light or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Poor weather conditions, low visibility, road defects, and defective auto parts can also be responsible.

However, some vehicle issues are the fault of an auto mechanic who failed to install a component correctly or committed another error while repairing a vehicle. If you believe that your mechanic is responsible for your car accident, you could file a lawsuit or insurance claim against him or her.

Mechanic Liability for Car Accidents

Like most states, Illinois follows a fault-based system when it comes to car accidents. Victims have the right to hold negligent parties liable for any damages that occur in accidents they cause. These at-fault parties are typically other drivers. However, government agencies, manufacturers of defective parts, and auto mechanics may also be financially for responsible for any collisions that occur due to their negligence.

Mechanics have a duty to uphold a certain standard of care while providing services to their clients. If the mechanic breaches this duty of care and causes a condition that later leads to car accident, he or she would be responsible for any damages that the victim sustains.

Examples of auto mechanic negligence include the following.

• Selling defective or dangerous parts
• Failure to satisfactorily perform the requested work for a vehicle
• Performing unauthorized or unnecessary repairs
• Failure to outline exactly what work was performed on a vehicle
• Committing fraud while providing mechanic services
• Damaging the vehicle while it is in the mechanic’s possession

What to Do If You Sustain Mechanic Negligence

Proving a car accident claim in Illinois is not always easy, especially in cases involving mechanic negligence. To secure compensation in your case, you will need to prove that the mechanic’s actions breached his or her duty of care and caused your accident and subsequent damages. You will need to gather significant evidence to prove the mechanic’s liability, including medical records, police reports, and reports from vehicle experts who can pinpoint the negligent act.

• As soon as possible following the accident, take the following steps to preserve evidence and protect your right to compensation.
• Call 911 and report the accident to law enforcement. Save the responding officer’s name and badge number so that you can access the police report at a later time.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible and save all records related to your injuries and treatment. Always seek medical attention, even if you feel uninjured—your medical records will be crucial pieces of evidence in your case.
• Document evidence at the scene of the accident. Take as many pictures as possible of your vehicle, the area around the accident, any debris or skid marks, traffic signs and signals, and visible injuries.
• Collect contact information from any witnesses in the area, as well as any other drivers who were involved in the accident. Keep your interactions brief and do not make any statements about the accident.
• Gather any evidence about your mechanic visit, including invoices, photographs, and correspondence.

If you plan on filing a claim against a mechanic, you need an attorney on your side. A Chicago car accident lawyer can provide you with the resources, experience, and knowledge necessary to gather the evidence you need to prove the mechanic’s liability. Bring your evidence to an attorney as soon as possible following your accident to discuss your legal options.