Mechanics negligance caused injury

[a70eliminator]

My Sis bought a brand new conversion van and took it back to the dealer a week after to have some rattles and squeeks fixed, the main rattle was comming from an overhead console that seemed to be loose from it's mounts.
Ok I still can't believe it but it actually happened, Sis came over with her whole hand wrapped up in gauze, she had been at the hospital and recieved 8 stitches, she had just washed the van and was in the garage applying a coat of wax to the roof when she passed over a razor sharp self tapper portruding from the roof and it just ripped the palm of her hand wide open.
Those idiots drove a screw right through the roof in attemp to secure the console.
What a situation hah, not yet sure what She's going to do now.

 

[Adjuster]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Sorry about your Sis. Any chance that screw was already there?

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Martians put it there ! They were bored and flew down in a space ship and had nothing better to do before they were gonna abduct a few peasants to take back for lunch.

Whats the difference ether it was there from the factory or the conversion co, by the way i have a conversion van, or the genius at the dealership shot a screw threw the roof and now his sister is hurt.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

I feel for your sis. Being a mechanic Ive been cut many times from screws and sharp peaces of metal. Make sure they fix the hole in the roof too.

 

[mphy98]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

having worked at a dealership for thirty years, I have never seen the factory put a screw through the roof in a van. they just don't use them there. that said, the hole in the roof needs to be welded, i would say you want to witness this so it is done properly instead of bondo. then the roof repainted. not going to be a cheap repair. the van conversion company is liable

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

...the hole in the roof needs to be welded, i would say you want to witness this so it is done properly instead of bondo. then the roof repainted. not going to be a cheap repair.

I assume you specifically mean the hole needs to be welded shut first, then filled, as opposed to trying to fill the hole with filler.
Cause no matter how it's repaired, it will have some filler in it, or it won't be smooth. Also, I am not sure what it is exactly, but there is a black, epoxy-type filler that can be use to patch holes that won't break out like plastic type filler. (Bondo is a brand name for body filler... kinda like Band aids or Kleenex) But it will still need to be painted, as you mention.

And I can bet you a quarter that the dealership ran the screw through, not the conversion company. As stated above, they don't use screws up there, they glue stuff. The conversion company is not liable at all, the dealership is.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

The guy that did that was no mechanic, rather a butcher.

 

[DJ]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

I've seen worse, in conversion vans.

I once saw four screws, for a table, run right into and through the top of the gas tank.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

i did that before when i was a kid working on a buddies van. We were trying to make it a lady killer. LOL

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Conversion vans start life as plain jane cargo vans. The conversion companies then cut portions of the sides and roof to install custom windows, skylights, etc. During the installation, various methods are used to fasten custom pieces. Because these companies design interiors to fit the specific models involved, and know that incorrect use of fasteners will cause the very problem that your sister experienced, it is highly doubtful that a conversion company is the culprit.

My guess is that the dealer located the rattle and decided to try to fix it, rather than to send the van back to the conversion company. That said, I would simply ask who did the work. Whether you get an honest answer or not, depends on the dealership, but even if they lie, its easy enough to smoke that out.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

a70eliminator's original post stated the dealer did the "repair".

 

[Don S]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Let me guess.
1. The mechanic that was so negligent, undoubtedly had years of schooling and on the job training and making a 6 figure income per year, therefor was at fault for negligence.
Or
2. Most likely, was making minimum wages and was doing exactly what his boss told him to do and the work was never checked. He had no idea he did anything wrong.

Any bets on which of the above is what really happened?

 

[thefarelainman]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Best to document what happined with photos. I would without first telling about the injury go back and get them to tell you just how they made the repair.(let them dig their own grave) Then say that this caused an injury and show evidence and tell them you want them to fix it right and pay the medical bills OR YOU PLAN TO CONSULT A GOOD ATTORNEY,,,that should get things to shaken.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

... OR YOU PLAN TO CONSULT A GOOD ATTORNEY,,,that should get things to shaken.

Just from the language of his first post, you can tell a lawyer has already been hired.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

How about taking it back to the dealer and see what they say first.

No question the dealer did it. Give them a chance to make it right.

To the question of the injury, no ones gonna get rich on this one. If you got insurance and a co-pay i would ask they pay the co-pay smart dealership would just pony that up.

She works how long outta work? Reason would prevail there also. Say a week or 2.

So go with the w2 form to the dealer have them fix it pay the co-pay and days out of work and maybe 500 on top of that.

No lawyer got to get involved when reasonable people with good intentions try to work something out.

I have 2 sisters no one wants to see them hurt. Mistakes happen, and mistakes can be fixed, thank the lord, it wasn't worse.

The above is all my personal opinion, and how i would try to resolve it.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Well.... things happen. I would give the responsible party a chance to make it all good and satisfy the lady.

We have all been there, we have all done something like that and we eared our t-shirts. Read through the restoration forum and see who has sliced through the hull or used a screw too long. I will raise my hand and admit I cut a metal trailer fender with a circular saw (did not even slow the saw)...

I watched a factory trained tech install a dvd player in an suv and did not even think about the sunroof ....... that was alot of money.

Give the offender a chance to make it right.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Well.... things happen.
I watched a factory trained tech install a dvd player in an suv and did not even think about the sunroof ....... that was a lot of money.

I'm missing this....probably obvious, but....

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

I should have been a bit more clear..... he mounted the dvd right behind the sunroof not considering the sunroof opened and moved inside the headliner. The roof mad contact with the bolts and shattered...... two bolts destroyed the mechanism too.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Let me guess.
1. The mechanic that was so negligent, undoubtedly had years of schooling and on the job training and making a 6 figure income per year, therefor was at fault for negligence.
Or
2. Most likely, was making minimum wages and was doing exactly what his boss told him to do and the work was never checked. He had no idea he did anything wrong.

Any bets on which of the above is what really happened?

Don your exactly correct, the culprit was a young kid who they got doing detail work, I don't know all the details but they offered to pay for medical expenses, sis said the kid didn't deny running the screw through the roof and felt really bad and didn't even realize what he had done. I guess they are now going to send the van back to the conversion company to fix everything like they should have done in the first place, no lawers or nothing sis just kinda laughs about it now, how suddenly everyone is so kind and curtious.
She works as an RN and has good insurance, that dealership is just lucky my sis is the happy go lucky type and single, no ol'man to put the smack down on em, but she does pretty good for herself.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Mechanics negligance caused injury

Young guys out there, a single good natured woman is available, a RN to boot.

If i was you guys i would be asking for her number.