Can I Sue a Mechanic for Negligence?

If you or someone you love was injured due to a mechanic’s negligence, then you can sue them for damages. 

When a mechanic’s subpar work contributes to or causes a car accident, you can hold them accountable for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Here is how. 

Pursuing Damages for Your Accident

To recover damages on your behalf, your lawyer will need to prove certain criteria in your case. If those criteria are met, then the mechanic may be held liable for your accident and injuries. 

There are four circumstances that must be true for you to successfully sue a mechanic for negligence. They include: 

Duty of Care

First, you will need to prove that the mechanic owed you a duty of care to be kept safe. According to the Legal Information Institute (LII), this means that they owed you a degree of care expected of a reasonable person in the same situation. 

Breach of Duty

Next, you will need to prove that the mechanic failed to meet this duty of care through an act or omission. 

Causation

Then, you will need to show that this negligence caused your accident; however, your role in the accident may not bar you from seeking damages. According to 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, you can still recover damages as long as you can show that the party you are suing was more than 50 percent at fault for your accident. 

Damages

Finally, you will need to demonstrate that the accident resulted in injuries and losses for which you can be compensated. This means you will need to present evidence of the impact your injuries have had on your finances, your health, and your happiness. 

How Can a Mechanic be Negligent?

If the mechanic failed to perform their job to the reasonable standard of their peers, then they may have been negligent. Negligence can include things like installing the wrong part, improperly installing a part, removing a necessary part, and knowingly installing a faulty or damaged part. 

Even if other parties contributed to your accident or if you were partially at fault, you could still hold the mechanic accountable for their negligence. This is because of something called “contributory negligence.”

The amount you can recover may be impacted by the amount of fault you hold for causing the accident, so it is important to find a lawyer you can trust to thoroughly investigate your case. 

How Our Firm will Fight for What You are Owed

Your personal injury lawyer will investigate your accident, build your case, and then fight for the damages you are owed. We will do this by negotiating with insurance adjusters for a settlement. If that does not work, then we will take your case to court. 

We have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of injured clients like you and your loved ones. We have the experience and expertise to reach the best possible outcome in your case. Through a claim or lawsuit, we can help you recover damages for things like your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

Recoverable Damages in Car Accident Cases

When suing a mechanic for negligence, you can pursue two types of losses: economic damages and non-economic damages.  

Economic Damages

Economic damages are compensation for your past and future financial losses caused by your accident and injuries. These losses include:  

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Lost future earnings and lost earning potential
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Burial and funeral costs if you lost your loved one to a car accident

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are meant to compensate you for your intangible losses, such as your pain and suffering, which accounts for your physical, mental, and emotional pain. If your accident has taken a toll on your health and happiness, then you may be able to recover non-economic damages. 

The amount of damages you can expect will depend on the amount you contributed to your accident as well as the losses you have suffered. A lawyer can help you better understand your options after reviewing the specific circumstances of your case. 

Who Can You Sue? 

Depending on the cause of your accident, you could hold multiple parties accountable for your losses. Those parties include: 

• The mechanic whose faulty work caused or contributed to your accident 
• The mechanic’s employer 
• A parts manufacturer if the mechanic unknowingly installed a faulty vehicular component 
• The other party involved in your accident 

Remember, under Illinois’s statute of limitations, you only have a limited time to take legal action. If you miss the deadline, you could lose the right to seek compensation. 

Let Us Help You

To get started, contact The Kryder Law Group, LLC today at (312) 598-0982. We offer free consultations, so do not hesitate. Reach out today to discuss your options for suing a mechanic for negligence.