The staff of Safe Collision Repairs is proud to offer a variety of auto inspection and reporting services that benefit both consumers and attorneys.In a perfect world, honesty would prevail and our services would not be necessary. However, we thrive today because insurers and repair shops alike are driven by greed. In the interest of maximizing profits, insurers, as a rule, pay out as little as possible. Shops, likewise, cut as many corners as they can when reconstructing autos. Those on the short end of the stick are usually car owners, consumers with little to no understanding of the crafty games insurers play or the complexities of the repair process.

Auto repairs are among the highest sources of complaints according to most state’s Attorney General’s offices. Let’s face it, it is easy for consumers and even attorneys to get taken advantage of when they find themselves in unfamiliar territory such as reading a coded damage report or deciphering an invoice prepared by a cunning repair shop operator. Since we are experts in this field, we can often identify deceptions that might otherwise go unnoticed. It has been our experience that consumers are most susceptible to being cheated when repairsinvolve hidden structural parts.

According to national statistics compiled by WreckCheck, more than 40% of the vehicles inspected by its team of professionals have evidence of repair fraud due to the failure of shops to install parts and perform labor procedures paid for by consumers. Interestingly, statistics show that there is no decrease in fraud among shops recommended by insurers when compared to shops that are not on insurer direct repair programs.

Consider this statistic, too. 42% of the “repaired” vehicles inspected by WreckCheck’s assessment team have damage related conditions so severe that they would be considered by collision repair inspectors as unsafe to operate on the road! You read it correctly, junk them. Clickthis linkto read the exasperating experience of a Huntington, West Virginia auto repair consumer who was taken advantage of by a shop she trusted.  Fortunately for this consumer, the story had a happy ending when a post-repair inspection revealed the frame rail that was spliced by the body shop before the car was crash-tested in another accident. Armed with documentation we provided, and a little prodding by a respected attorney, the responsible insurer stepped forward to paythe car ownerfor the full value of hervehicle so they could then send it to the salvage yard where it belonged.

While we can't guarantee the results you will get from your insurer, we can guarantee thatwe will identify the flaws and defects we find in plain, simple language so that you can fully understand your position of risk, or your client’s position of risk, and can knowledgeably assert a claim for the full measure of damage.

It’s no secret that poor quality workmanship could jeopardize the safety of a vehicle's occupants, not to mention the safety of occupants in carssharing the roads. That’s perhaps the best reason to consider having a repaired car inspected by a collision expert. But are you aware that, in addition to the safety concerns, the value ofan auto may have depreciated several thousand dollars just because it was damaged and repaired?

Interestingly, WreckCheck statistics show that more than 70% of the cars and trucks inspected by its assessment team, have remaining accident and/or repair related flaws and defects that reduce their resale value. That's staggering! According to these national statistics, consumers have about three chances in ten of receiving a repair that restorestheir car to its former quality and value. The loss may be realized even ifthe car was perfectly repaired by a reputable shop.

Did you receive the benefit of everything you paid for when your car was repaired? Is your car as safe and valuable today as it was the day the loss occurred? If you cannot truthfully answer "yes" to these questions, then you should give your highest consideration to having a post-repair inspection performed on your car.

content & design 2002-2008 David Williams and SafeCollisionRepairs.com

About Safe Collision Repairs

For more than ten years, David Williams of Wheelersburg, Ohio's Safe Collision Repairs has worked with consumers and attorneys in the tri-states of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia to expose unsafe auto repairs and maximize recovery on auto insurance claims. Some of the company's services include Post-Repair Inspections, Prepurchase Inspections, Auto Damage Assessments, Lemon Law Investigations, Expert Court Testimony and Diminished Value Calculations using an advanced version of Network Information Communication's WreckCheck program.

Inquiries can be directed to: Safe Collision Repairs David A. Williams Post Office Box 70 Wheelersburg, Ohio 45694 (740) 456-1111 (740) 355-4056

Disclaimer

The content expressed on this website and in the article above represents the opinions of David A. Williams. Williams is neither an attorney nor public insurance adjuster, but is an expert, consultant, and writer specializing in the field of automotive collision repair and valuations. The information provided herein is not intended to be a substitute for legal or insurance advice. Because collision repair is a continually evolving science, any text, materials or links found herein are provided without claim or guarantee to their accuracy or completeness.