Automotive industry has a great effect on the world economy. There are many production and service industries which support this industry. There has been a major increase in the number of automobiles in the past decade. Therefore, the repair shops have also increased. Many issues can arise during repair and thus there is a need for an automotive attorney.
Issues
Some of the major issues can include protection of intellectual property and safety concerns. The clients for an automotive defense attorney can include suppliers of component parts, domestic and foreign companies, original equipment manufacturers, automotive trade associations, and consulting firms. Whether the clients are facing regulation, litigation, prevention and counseling, or legislation there is a lawyer to help them.
These lawyers are well-versed with different case scenarios and have vast experience in representing clients who are dealers, suppliers, or trade groups. A defense lawyer will be able to serve the interests of all the repair facilities and technicians. Clients prefer attorneys who have a familiarity and understanding of the common issues that repair shops and technicians usually have to deal with.
What Does the Law Say?
According to the Automotive Repair Act, there are certain rights for the consumers. It is advisable that the repair shops and technicians should know and understand these laws first before they approach a Bureau of Automotive Repair attorney. The Required Disclosures law says that the repair shops must furnish the client with a written estimate. The estimate should include price charged for parts, diagnostic test, and labor. It should also include details like date, duration, and odometer reading. The price should be charged according to used or new parts used. A statement should be there to show if the repair is actually needed or whether it is only recommended.
The repair shops and technicians should know that the consumers have a right to a written estimate. It can either be an itemized or a non-itemized estimate. However, an automotive attorney can tell the client that sometimes the consumers may not want an estimate. They can just ask the shop to do the repairs but the total cost should not exceed the amount set by them. In that case, the technician can get this written and signed from the consumer in case of any issues that may arise later. A customer also has a right to a copy of invoice. The invoice is an itemized list of the price of parts and labor, total price, warranties, and the odometer reading.
The technicians should know that they are prohibited from asserting lien charges for any unauthorized repairs. Consumers have the right to pick up a vehicle from the facility if they pay according to the charges disclosed to them before repairs. Auto repair shops have to, by law, post consumer rights at a place where they are easily visible. The post should tell the consumers that they are liable to a face-to-face contact, a written estimate for repairs costing over 0.
There are many other laws which prohibit the repair shops to perform unlawful practices. An automotive attorney can guide the technicians and repair shops about other laws. These include guiding them about laws relating to non-business hours and unforeseen repairs.
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