Insights & Events

A team of Hollingsworth LLP attorneys has concluded the successful representation of a U.S. Navy veteran in his dispute with an automotive services chain for repairs to his recently purchased truck that became inoperable within two weeks of a routine oil change.
The veteran had recently purchased the truck to start a small handyman business after his then impending retirement from the U.S. Navy. The veteran suspected that overfilling the oil during the oil change caused the engine to seize and become inoperable. The veteran could not afford to replace the engine and pay for the associated labor costs on a fixed income and for a truck on which he was still making payments.

At that point, the Hollingsworth LLP team entered the picture, addressing issues such as a reasonable range of monetary demand given the engine involved, mechanical operations of engine seizures and alternative causes, relevant legal standards, and supporting witnesses and evidence. Expert analysis of the cause concluded that the company had overfilled the oil by a suspected 2-3x the recommended amount, causing permanent damage to the truck’s engine. With a carefully developed evidentiary record and legal research in hand, the attorney team was able to successfully negotiate and resolve the matter on mutually agreeable terms. We are pleased that this veteran was ultimately able to replace the seized engine and that the firm had the opportunity to help him overcome practical and legal hurdles.

We have been informed that this matter qualifies for the ABA Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award. It is an honor to be part of this exceptional pro bono program, which affords opportunities to help veterans confront many of the challenges they may face once back in the civilian world. We are ever grateful to our active-duty and reserve military service members, military families, and military veterans.