How can I make this guy pay?

Question

OK, here are the details. My husband and I took our SUV to a garage to get an estimate, the guy had it for a day, then calls to give us this way too high estimate. So my husband tells him to hold off on fixing it till he calls him back. Anyway, the next day the owner of the garage lets an employee take our truch (which he told us is unsafe to drive) somewhere to haul something, the employee ends up wrecking our truck into 3 other vehicles, then lies to the police saying they were just moving cars to make room in the lot (the accident was several blocks away, this was an absolute lie, he was headed back into town from somewhere else) I know he was hauling something because my backseats were down when they were not down when we dropped off the truck. I'm sooo ticked off, it's like they stole our truck in a way. So, we're getting a runaround trying to get a rental which I really need, just a huge hassle. How can I put this guy out of business? Cops said theses things happened befor

I talked to the police officer who was at the scene, he said the guy driving punched the gas to beat a red light. The owner told us before the accident happened that they took it for a drive already. The driver of our truck is being cited, and the cop says he will be going to jail (guy lied to the cops about how the accident happened), among other things.

Answer 1

You already filed a police report, take a copy to the Better Business Bureau.
See if the local news station wants the story. I bet they do. My local news has a segment that deals with people's problems. It's called "Call Curtis" in Sacramento.
Tell everyone you know what happened. Word of mouth is advertisement that businesses depend on. In this case make it work for you instead.
I am so sorry this happened. I hope you nail the guy.

Answer 2

I'm no expert, but anytime I've had this type of difficulty, my insurance company has taken over. They go after the garage, the driver, etc. I would check the paperwork when you took it to get the estimate, and make certain that there is no clause regarding test driving vehicles for the purpose of determining repair needs. Who was listed at fault for the accident? Did he get cited? Have you called the BBB? I would try your local TV station's consumer watch or consumer investigation team. They can get to the bottom of this.
All you have to do is tell the truth.

Answer 3

Ok what you're relatively handling is the change among an egalitarian household and a patriarch. There are many motives why he could assume you to pay. I have heard ladies say that they get irritated if the person consistently paid. He could have met a few of these. We are living in a brand new society. I feel that it might be a form gesture to present to pay as soon as, asking him to get the following tab. That might begin the subject so you'll see in which he's coming from. He could feel you might get angry or he could a few unusual difficult to understand standpoint. There is just one option to recognize, and that's to invite, flippantly.

Answer 4

SUE ... not only the person who took the car but the garage that employs him as well. Both bad people and deserve to be hung upside down by the ..... in the middle of your town's main square and laughed at ;-)

Answer 5

The garage is liable for the actions of the employees. Get a lawyer and take them to court. They owe you a truck and they should pay.

Answer 6

Call an attorney, don't go to the media there were innocent others involved. The media can sometimes hurt the innocent, I don't think you will want to be responsible for that, Would you?

Answer 7

Report this incident to your local news station, they might do a story on it.

Answer 8

This is where you get the leeches (ahem), I mean lawyers involved.

We are Americans. We sue everybody! So get one and sue these guys!

Answer 9

start with the Better Business Bureau. they can direct you to other local agencies as well.

http://odr.bbb.org/odrweb/public/GetStarted.aspx

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa043099.htm