Workers Compensation Claims and Settlements for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Workplace injuries are common occurrences at the auto shop. Learn how to get the medical care and compensation you deserve as an injured mechanic.
The auto repair shop is a dangerous place.
Inspecting, repairing, and overhauling cars, light trucks, and heavy commercial vehicles poses many risks. Though computers help diagnose many automotive problems, as a mechanic, you must get into uncomfortable positions, work with dangerous materials and tools, and lift heavy objects.
This work environment and these job duties mean automotive service technicians and mechanics suffer high injury rates. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, auto service techs and mechanics suffered 9,940 injuries that resulted in days missed from work and 54 fatal work injuries in 2020.
So, if you are one of the thousands of auto mechanics who suffer work-related injuries while working for dealerships or auto repair shops, keep reading to learn more about your right to workers compensation benefits.
This article explains many issues that frequently arise in auto mechanic injury claims.
Please use this information to prepare for your evidentiary hearing or negotiate a workers comp settlement payout that lets you put the occupational injury or illness behind you and focus on the next chapter in your life.
If you have questions about workers comp after reading this article, call (804) 251-1620 or complete this form to speak with my firm.
Auto Mechanics That We Represent in Workers Comp and Third-Party Liability Claims
Like most industries, automotive service technicians and mechanics may specialize.
Our law firm represents these types of mechanics in work injury claims and third-party civil actions:
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- Automotive air-conditioning technicians install and repair vehicle air-conditioners, including condensers and compressors. Automotive air-conditioning techs must be able to handle refrigerants.
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- Brake technicians diagnose problems with brakes, adjust brakes, and replace brake rotors and pads.
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- Diesel service technicians work on large trucks and buses.
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- Drivability technicians diagnose issues affecting engine performance.
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- Front-end technicians diagnose problems with handling and wire tear. They often use alignment equipment and wheel balancing machines.
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- Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians work on railcars, construction vehicles, and farm equipment.
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- Small engine mechanics work on motorboats, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
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- Transmission technicians and rebuilders work on hydraulic pumps, gear trains, and other parts.
What Job Tasks Cause Injuries to Mechanics?
Completing an auto repair requires many tasks, each of which can cause a workplace injury for a mechanic.
For example, you may suffer harm while doing the following:
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- Changing the engine oil
- Checking and replacing fluid (brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid)
- Rotating or changing tires
- Checking and replacing batteries
- Repairing or replacing wiper blades, spark plugs, air filters, fuel filters, timing belts, or engines
- Rebuilding a transmission
- Replacing brake pads and rotors
- Replacing parts of the suspension and steering system, such as ball joints, shock absorbers, and struts
- Rewiring the vehicle’s electrical system
- Fixing dents
- Replacing fenders
- Removing and replacing broken windshields
In addition, you likely use these tools as a mechanic, increasing the risk of an auto repair shop injury:
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- Wrenches
- Hammers
- Pliers
- Welding torches
- Hoists
- Jacks
And you may be exposed to these substances and situations:
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- Fuel
- Extreme heat
- Chemicals
- Fire
- Electrical systems and components that can cause electric shock injuries
If your injury arises from a specific risk of your employment as an auto mechanic or service tech, you can recover workers’ comp benefits. These potential benefits include lifetime medical treatment, wage loss payments (temporary total disability, temporary partial disability, etc.), and compensation for the injured body part’s scarring, disfigurement, or permanent impairment.
What are Common Auto Mechanic Work Injuries and Illnesses?
Our law firm has successfully resolved workers comp claims for mechanics with these types of injuries and occupational illnesses:
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- Acute injuries. Mechanics may suffer abrasions, cuts, bruises, and burns while using tools to fix automobiles or handling auto parts.
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- Sprains, strains, and tears. Working under a vehicle’s hood or chassis puts you in a cramped, awkward space, increasing the risk of injury. In addition, mechanics frequently lift, carrying, push, and pull machinery, tools, and vehicles while reaching. And these postural activities can lead to injury. Our law firm has handled claims for injured mechanics who suffered neck and back injuries, resulting in the need for spinal fusion.
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- Chemical burns. Auto mechanics work with many dangerous chemicals and substances capable of burning the skin. These substances must be marked appropriately.
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- Eye injuries and ear injuries. Working under cars and hoods puts auto shop workers at risk of a foreign object or toxic substance falling into their ears or eyes. It’s essential to wear safety goggles and earplugs at all times.
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- Respiratory illness. Mechanics may develop occupational asthma or lung disease from inhaling paints and other substances used in motor vehicle repairs.
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- Slips, trips, and falls. Oil changes, transmission flushes, and other vehicle maintenance leaves the floor greasy and slippery. As if the danger of a slip and fall is not enough, auto repair shops usually have tools or partys lying around, which can lead to a trip and fall.. Common injuries in slips, trips, and falls for mechanics include knee and shoulder injuries,. A significant injury to one of these joints reduces the likelihood tiy will be able to return to your pre-injury employment as a mechanic.
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- Loss of a limb or digit. Your hands play an essential role in being an auto mechanic. But using tools increases the risk of an amputation or other injury to your hand or finger. Make sure you wear protective gear at all times.
Does Where a Mechanic Works Affect the Workers Comp Case?
Who you work for rarely affects your right to workers comp as a mechanic.
Auto mechanics can work for many employers, including auto repair shops, auto vehicle dealerships, construction companies, utility companies, trucking companies, airlines, and municipalities.
Workers compensation insurance (or self-insurance) is mandatory for employers of a specific size. For example, employers doing business in Virginia with three or more employees regularly in service (full-time or part-time) must provide workers comp coverage.
In my experience, most mechanics work for dealerships or auto repair shops with more than three employees, so workers comp coverage is mandatory.
However, who you work for may influence whether you receive a workers comp settlement as a mechanic and, if so, how much the employer offers.
Generally, mechanics for local governments or the Commonwealth of Virginia may have more difficulty obtaining a fair settlement than those working for private employers with private insurance coverage. Government entities seem more hesitant and tighter with the checkbook than other employers regarding workers comp settlements, even though they may end up paying more over the long run when you have an award letter.
Further, many Virginia dealerships have workers comp coverage through the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association’s (VADA’s) Group Self Insurance Association for Workers Comp.
If you are a mechanic injured while working for a dealership belonging to the VADA, you will likely deal with a workers comp adjuster with PMA or an attorney with Midkiff, Muncie, & Ross (MMR). PMA is the third-party claim administrator for the VADA in Virginia, while MMR defends many VADA workers comp claims.
Our law firm has handled many mechanics’ workers comp claims involving the VADA.
Who are the Largest Auto Dealerships in Virginia?
Hundreds of dealerships have locations in Virginia.
These dealerships are among the largest operating in the state:
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- Carter Myers Automotive (Charlottesville, VA)
- Priority Auto Group (Chesapeake, VA)
- Jim Koons Automotive (Vienna, VA)
- Pohanka Automotive Group (Vienna, VA)
- Sheehy Auto Stores (Fairfax, VA)
- Safford Automotive Group (Springfield, VA)
- Koons Automotive
- Hyman Bros. Automobiles
- Page Auto Group
Even if you don’t see your employer on this list, we can help you with your mechanics’ workers comp claim.
Will Workers Comp Cover the Commissions I Lost from the Injury?
Yes, so long as you meet your burden of proof for compensability, disability, and causation.
Many mechanics I have represented receive base pay plus sales commissions. The amount of commission depends on the repair provided to the customer.
You should include any commissions and overtime earnings when calculating your pre-injury average weekly wage (AWW). The AWW determines your compensation rate for indemnity payments under workers comp.
Skilled Workers Comp Attorney for Auto Mechanics and Dealership Employees
The number of cars, trucks, and vans on the road continues to grow.
And mechanics like you keep vehicles, people, and the economy moving.
If you’re an automotive service technician or mechanic injured while doing your job, my firm wants to help.
We represent auto mechanics employed by dealerships, repair shops, businesses with large fleets, and local governments throughout Virginia.
Contact us to see if we will accept representation.
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