What If I Was Hurt In A PA Car Wash?
When you visit a self-service car wash, you are doing so with the assumption you will exit with a clean car and on your way to your next commitment. Regrettably, that is not always what happens. Sometimes a driver enters a Pennsylvania or New Jersey automatic car wash only to end up with a damaged vehicle or a car wash injury.
Car wash owners, just as other business owners who have properties open to the public, have a responsibility to provide a reasonably safe space for their employees and customers. Reasonable care includes clear instructions for customers and personnel trained on how to safely maintain equipment. If you were hurt or your vehicle was damaged in a car wash, talk to a Bucks County personal injury attorney about compensation options.
Insurance Claims and Owner Negligence
Assuming the owner was aware of broken signals or faulty equipment, they can be held liable if they did not take steps to fix it or warn the public of the hazard. But of course, there are unexpected issues that arise from time to time. If the car wash owner would have no way to detect the danger, they may not be deemed negligent.
There are also situations in which a car wash operation has customers sign a release before entering into the wash. Even if you signed one of these releases, there could still be a path to compensation, particularly if there is proof of irresponsibility.
While damage to vehicles is more common than personal injury when using a self-serve wash, injuries do occur. For example, individuals have been injured when a car wash was not maintained properly in the following situations.
- Signage that directs drivers through the cycles of the car wash was broken and a driver was injured when moving or staying in place at the wrong time.
- Car wash equipment malfunctioned and car windows were broken, resulting in physical injuries.
- The belt that moves the car was not functioning properly and the driver was stuck in the wash. Then, when they attempted to leave the wash, they were hurt by slipping on a wet floor.
To Get Your Claim Started, Engage with an Attorney
Whether your car needs major repair, you were injured, or a combination of both, a car wash owner could be held responsible. Determining if the car wash business knew of the danger is part of the damage recovery process. A skilled Bucks County personal injury attorney will investigate your claim and uncover the needed evidence, if possible.
Could you use advice after a car wash damaged your vehicle? Before agreeing to cash from a property owner or a settlement from the business’s insurance policy, talk to an attorney about what level of recovery you need to be made whole. All of your injury expenses, current and future, need to be assessed in order to land on a full and fair settlement offer. Talk to the legal team at Kardos, Rickles & Hand about resolutions. Then, our seasoned attorneys can share what is possible. To begin the process, call 215-968-6602.
