An artist’s car broke down after being towed – his mechanic said the tow damaged his car, but the company is not responsible.
He said the mechanic immediately knew a tow truck caused the damage.
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Domingo-Martin Berrares is a respected artist in Boston whose art is featured in various parts of the colonial city.
He is well known among art enthusiasts in the city and has a tent set up during several festivals throughout the year.
Therefore, he relies on his car to transport painting materials from one event to another.
“It’s very important that I can move around with my things,” he said. WHDH.
In July, he discovered that his car had been towed and immediately went to get it from the impound lot.
He paid the $170 fine and returned home with a bruised ego but happy to have his car back.
That’s when he discovered he would be paying more than just the towing fee.
“When I got home, I lost all the transmission fluid and my car stopped working,” Barrares said.
He was lucky to be moving slowly as the situation could have easily turned disastrous.
“It was scary when I thought I might be on some highway going really fast with my family,” he said.
As quickly as he could, he took the car to his trusted mechanic, who gave him even worse news.
“The first question he asked was ‘Who just towed you?’” he recalled.
“It didn’t occur to me that it was a tow truck, I didn’t know what was wrong with it.”
He said his mechanic estimated the repairs would cost $1,500.
“$1,500 is a lot, as a $170-something dollar mistake was a tough pill to swallow for me,” said Domingo.
He tried calling the towing company but got no response.
What to do if your car is towed
Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.
Steps to follow when your car is towed:
- Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.
If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:
- Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
- Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
- Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm
That’s when he looked for reporters, who were able to speak to the company manager.
After telling what happened to Domingo’s car, he said he received a call from the company promising to pay for the damage.
He was able to receive a check from the company a few days later.
“It was like a matter of hours and it was resolved, which was a huge blessing,” he said.
Domingo is grateful for the ability to continue painting.
“Thank you again for allowing me to have my car back so I can do the things I love, I appreciate you,” he said.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
