If my car got stolen from a car shop, who is responsible for damage done to it?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

If my car got stolen from a car shop, who is responsible for damage done to it?

Asked on November 5, 2013 under Accident Law, Ohio

Answers:

S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 10 years ago | Contributor

The car shop is liable for negligence.  Negligence is the failure to exercise due care (that degree of care that a reasonable car shop would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances to prevent foreseeable harm).  Your damages (the amount of compensation you are seeking in your lawsuit) would be the cost of repairs to your car.  If you need a rental car while your car is being repaired, that cost should also be included in your damages.  You will need to mitigate (minimize) damages by selecting a rental car with a reasonable rate.  If you were to select the most expensive rental car you could find, you have failed to mitigate damages and your damages would be reduced accordingly.

The person who stole your car could also be named as a defendant in your lawsuit.  The thief would be liable for conversion (this is a type of theft in a civil case).  Your damages for conversion would be the value of your car.  You would file one lawsuit naming both the auto shop and the thief as defendants.  Your lawsuit would have separate causes of action (claims) for negligence and conversion.  There would also be a separate criminal case against the thief for auto theft.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption