By SEMA Editors
Todd Tracy |
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The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has created two events that will put SEMA Show attendees in the room with Todd Tracy, lead counsel for the plaintiffs in Seebachan vs. John Eagle Collision.
The first session, “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit: The Crucial Details of the $42 Million Verdict,” has been newly added to the agenda as a result of the trial’s results. It will be held Wednesday, November 1, from 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m., in Ballrooms D–E in the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. A registration link will soon be announced for this session.
For those in the collision-repair industry, there is perhaps no bigger news story right now than the October 1 verdict, when a Texas jury found a Dallas-based collision-repair center liable for incorrect repairs that led to increased severity in the crash of a ’10 Honda Fit. The jury awarded the vehicle’s owners a $42 million verdict for injuries sustained as a result of the couple being trapped inside the burning vehicle. The collision-repair facility was found responsible for 75% of the damages, and the details of Seebachan vs. John Eagle Collision are likely to have rippling impacts across the collision-repair landscape.
In “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit: The Crucial Details of the $42 Million Verdict,” Tracy will recount crucial details of the depositions, the trial and the decision-making information presented to the jury that led to the precedent-setting verdict. Those details can:
- Help collision-repair businesses avoid their own “$42 million verdict.”
- Help clarify the facts that led a jury to conclude that OEM procedures were paramount.
- Define how business decisions made in the course of repair can have dramatic effect on both the repair outcome and ultimate responsibility.
Above understanding the intricacies of the case, understanding the liability implications is significant to collision-repair business owners and operations.
Additionally, on Thursday, November 2, from 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m., SCRS will host a panel during the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit that specifically addresses repairer liability concerns and realities.
“The Hidden Dangers of Vehicle Technology, Improper Repair Methodology and Your Liabilities” will be moderated by technologist and author John Ellis, and will feature Tracy, and Attorney Erica Eversman (Vehicle Information Services), Mark Allen (Audi of America) and Aaron Clark (former shop owner.)
The panel will specifically address:
- An industry that is grappling with following manufacturer repair procedure requirements that are expected to be performed on every occasion.
- Insurance claims positioning that leans toward case-by-case approval.
- The implication of business decisions that can directly impact repair facility liability.
As the litigation in Texas exposes flaws in the rationale for deviating from OEM repair procedures, this discussion is critical for today’s collision-repair operator. Register today while space is available!
Registration for all Repairer Driven Education sessions during the SEMA Show can be secured at www.scrs.com/rde, or onsite outside the education classrooms.
For more information about SCRS, or to join as a member, visit www.scrs.com, call toll free 877-841-0660 or email info@scrs.com.
