Lenghty delay in auto body repair

[jimsharon]

What is the name of your state? Indiana
LAST November a person I know was involved in a traffic accident. Her car was not "totalled" by her auto insurance carrier. Instead, it was taken to a local repair shop where they assured her that they could fix it (the car is a Mercedes Benz). To this date she still does not have her car back. After several weeks in the shop, she bought a "cheapie" car just to get her around until her repairs were done. Whenever she calls the shop, they tell her that it will be ready soon. Based on the body shop's claim to have it fixed "soon", she sold the cheapie car and drove her finance's car for several MONTHS. Eventually, she bought another older car so she could get to work easier. She is an outside salesperson and needs a car for work. The body shop has taken her car to several different shops to fix things that they cannot fix (things particular to a Mercedes). It is now over NINE MONTHS and she still does not have her car back. The body shop now tells her that her car is ready. She has seen the car and she feels that several things are not repaired properly so she had not picked up her car. What, if any action can she take and against whom?? Does her insurance company have some responsibility to see that the car repairs (that they are actually paying for) are done on a timely basis and with quality workmanship?? Does she have some claim she can make against the body shop??

 

[ProResearch]

I can do short answers!

Did the body shop work have a guaranty? Are they not following up on it. Ask them to give you something in writing that either denies or accepts the additional work.

Has your friend called the insurance people and talked with them frankly. Tell them she is not happy with the work done? Has the insurance company paid the body shop already....

We really don't have a lot of facts it seems, but I know that if I had to wait over 9 months for a body shop to fix my vehicle, I would have seen an attorney by now or made a LOT of noise with the insurance adjustor, the body shop manager, something! There are some attorneys that do physical damage, just be sure and ask them if they have experience in this kind of legal stuff before you make an appointment.

Let us know what happens.