Valet parking unlatched the hood

[ecmst12]

No you don't. You want people to tell you what you want to hear. I don't think you have a good case and I think you will lose if you go to court. I think you should ASK the parking place to reimburse some of your deductible, but if they refuse, let it go, because you don't have enough proof. You don't want to take the advice of the posters here, so you keep posting, but the answers are not going to change.

 

[justalayman]

ok, If I were a defendant, here is what I would say:

"No, I did not touch the hood latch".


Now, prove otherwise.
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If the judge actually suggests it was me, the next thing is:

"how do you or I know that somebody was not trying to steal her battery and got scared off before they had a chance to take it and left the hood unlatched?"
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the bottom line is: all you have, at best, is circumstantial evidence but as I just posted, even that is not enough to overcome the reasonable possibility that some other person opened the hood.

If he does not admit to it, you are not going to prevail.

 

[Zigner]

Very unlikely since I drove 45 miles to get there, through highways running up to 65 mph

Actually, it would make more sense that it was released before the lot got it...the extra stress of all those miles driven at high speeds could eventually make the secondary latch let go.

 

[JKBee]

Before you drive off, you have to inspect your car totally and completely inside and out. Once you are off the lot, they are off the hook. Any problems you find have to be taken up before the car leaves the lot.

 

[adjohan]

No you don't. You want people to tell you what you want to hear.

I don't think you could read my mind.

Since I did not say if before, let me say this. I appreciate all the arguments you're throwing here!

 

[adjohan]

Actually, it would make more sense that it was released before the lot got it...the extra stress of all those miles driven at high speeds could eventually make the secondary latch let go.

I was about 1 mile from the lot when it happened

 

[adjohan]

ok, If I were a defendant, here is what I would say:

"No, I did not touch the hood latch".
Now, prove otherwise.

The lot also provides car maintenance services such as oil change, fill up fluid, brake, etc. They might have done a courtesy check? Open the hood of the wrong car?

 

[adjohan]

You want people to tell you what you want to hear.

That does not add value.

 

[Antigone*]

That does not add value.

Honey, you are on a free advice site You don't get to pick and choose what gets posted.

 

[Zigner]

The lot also provides car maintenance services such as oil change, fill up fluid, brake, etc. They might have done a courtesy check? Open the hood of the wrong car?

Maybe you hooked your foot on the lever when entering the vehicle...

Look, you've already heard all the answers you're going to get, and you don't seem to like them. You are fishing for someone to agree with you.

 

[adjohan]

Look, you've already heard all the answers you're going to get, and you don't seem to like them. You are fishing for someone to agree with you.

I'm not looking for agreement. I'm looking for opinion and good counter argument. Don't assume when I'm throwing my argument as a sign that I don't like your answers. I'll take what I could get from the forum.

 

[adjohan]

Maybe you hooked your foot on the lever when entering the vehicle...

Unlikely since the lever is recessed.

 

[Zigner]

Unlikely since the lever is recessed.

Sue the bad guy in small claims court. Good luck.

 

[adjohan]

I'd like to hear any experience with small claim court and the process. This time, before hand, I would like to say thank you!

 

[adjohan]

Our OP will have a real hard time proving his case.

My understanding of "preponderance of evidence" or lack thereof (from my side as well as the lot operator), the judge would decide on what most likely had happened?