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VOL. 8 ISSUE 8 NOVEMBER 2017
PA Auto Body Shops’ Owner Files Second Lawsuit
Texas Shops Speak Out Against Photo Estimating
The owner of two Altoona-area auto body shops has filed another lawsuit against many of the nation’s largest insurance companies, claiming they refuse to pay the full costs of making necessary repairs to damaged vehicles. Ron Perretta, who owns Professionals Auto Body, with repair shops on East Pleasant Valley Boulevard, Altoona, and Plank Road, Duncansville, in his second lawsuit is asking for more than $8 million in damages that include insurance company underpayments, interest on those alleged
Since insurance companies began utilizing cell phone apps for photo estimating a few years ago, it has become a topic of great concern among many collision repair professionals.
by Phil Ray, Atloona Mirror
outstanding debts and his “administrative costs.” The Altoona businessman is also seeking punitive damages against the 32 insurance companies named as defendants in the lawsuit filed August 28 in the Blair County Court of Common Pleas. Attorneys for three of the insurance companies sought to move the lawsuit to the U.S. District Court in Johnstown and notified U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson that if he approves the transfer, they will “promptly” ask that the case be transferred to the Middle District of Florida as an addition to lawsuits against the same insurance companies, See Second Lawsuit, Page 24
The New Car Paint Lexus Spent 15 Years Creating by Richard Aucock, Motoring Research
Lexus has launched a new color called Structural Blue—after spending a staggering 15 years developing the paint technology behind it. However, painting cars with it is so complex, only two Structural Blue cars a day
can be made. The firm has been working for the past decade and a half with a specialist company in California to invent the new paint. VIAVI Solutions Inc. is an expert in thin-film optical coatings, and has helped Lexus take the Structural Blue color into production. Originally shown as a concept, the first iteration of the color was made up of no fewer than 40 layers. The two companies reduced this down to seven layers, which are applied in a 12-step process that involves a mighty 20 individual quality inspections—
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
Although the insurer estimated repairs on this 2015 BMW at $1,044.19, shop manager Chad Kiffe predicts the repair will cost over $7,000
Although insurers claim that photo estimating is more convenient for consumers, collision repair indus-
try leaders have predicted that the short-term convenience may be negated by additional time required for supplements, as well as the potential for consumers to receive less money for diminished value than they’re owed. Now that they’ve been involved with this process for some time, shops in Texas are finally speaking out about how photo estimating impacts the repair process and the consumer experience. Chad Kiffe, General Manager for Berli’s Body & Fine Auto Finishes, says, “Photo apps allow the consumer to start their claim faster without the need to go to a shop for an estimate. This is a big plus for consumers when considering the value of their time, but photos very rarely show the extent of damages due to numerous reasons, resulting in poor estimates. This causes unnecessary delays since most photo See Photo Estimating, Page 32
AASP/NJ Hosts Webinar to Prepare Members for OSHA Inspections On Thursday, October 5, 2017, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ), in conjunction with American Compliance (ACS), provided members with a helpful tool to avoid fines and penalties re-
See New Car Paint, Page 9
sulting from OSHA inspections. In this free, one-hour webinar, members were warned about what OSHA has been looking for, and ways to prevent thousands of dollars in fines. Recently, local body shops have seen a dramatic increase in OSHA inspections due to a National Emphasis Program (NEP) that has been targeting auto body shops. Under the NEP, OSHA area offices are man-
dated to conduct inspections, often fining shops anywhere from $10,000$40,000. “We’ve noticed many of our members being hit with pretty large fines,” said AASP/NJ Executive Director Charlie Bryant. “We partnered up with American Compliance to create this webinar to arm our members with as much preventative knowledge as we possibly can. If they know what OSHA is looking for, they can prepare in their shops accordingly.” For many years, American Compliance has worked with AASP/NJ members in complying with OSHA requirements, in addition to fighting OSHA penalties. In the webinar, members were shown actual citations other shops have recently received, and what they can do to avoid these fines going forward. See AASP/NJ Webinar, Page 9
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