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I got an e-mail last week from the supervisor of a parking deck job I did some painted graphics for saying that a tenant in the building complained that some "overspray" had gotten on his car and he wanted compensation for the damage. Most of my work was in a new, unused deck, but I had to paint a few columns in the old deck using a roller and latex paint where cars were parked.
Although I was very careful, it's possible that some roller speckles could have landed on his car, but before he said anything to anyone, he took the car to the on-premises "Executive Car Salon" and had the paint cleaned off to the tune of $225. I called the owner of the "Salon" to question his fee and ask how long it took to get the paint off - he informed me that they were paid based on their "superior knowledge" and the car required a complete buffing to make it look right, although the paint was only on one door.
If I hadn't been sub-contracting the work for a company that gives me a LOT of business, I would have informed the guy that since I didn't see the "damage" or have the opportunity to rectify the problem myself, I would not reimburse him, but that wasn't an option.
The guy turns out to be Clay Aiken's high-priced dweeb lawyer (the nerdy singer who parlayed a second place finish on American Idol into improbable stardom) and he won't talk directly to me, taking his case to the poor schmuck project engineer who, in turn, has to kiss his ass as well as everyone else it goes through before I finally hear about it. So I'm stuck in smooch position trying to maintain my reputation with the company that's paying me, even though they agree that the cleaning cost is ridiculous and someone should have verified the "damage" prior to the repair.
What really ticks me off is that I mailed a check the same day I got word of the problem and the weasel starts calling the project supervisor the next morning wanting to know where his money is. I told him to tell the guy if he couldn't wait on the US Mail, he could come by my place and pick up cash - needless to say, he didn't show.
Guess I'll just chalk this one up to the cost of doing bidness, but if things ever get real slow, I'm getting in the "Car Salon" racket.......
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Consider yourself lucky, Sonny. Long story, but I had a friend who had a bad experience like this.
My buddy used to keep his race-car at the T-hangar along with his plane. He would occasionally work on it there, as well. This irritated the redneck-hating owner in the unit next to his to no end. He tried to get him banned from keeping his car in the hangar but failed.
One day my buddy had taken a couple parts out on the ramp and sprayed them with a spray can. The owner of the next door plane pulled up and was furious. Well, a few weeks later my friend was contacted by the lawyer of this jerkwad plane owner. The letter informed him he was getting sued to refinish the airplane next door. Claimed that the overspray had gone up over the divider wall and fallen on his plane, even though the main doors of his hangar were closed and my buddy had painted the part outside of his hangar. Jerkwad couldn't tell what color it was he had been painting, but an expert had looked at his plane and could 'feel' by the rough surface of the paint that the overspray was on there. Riigghhtt...
Well, to make a long story short, it was going to cost something like $18,000 to prep and repaint the plane and they came after him tooth and nail for it. He eventually settled with the guy, but it cost him a BUNCH of money for a lawyer and fees.
Funny part is, my buddy still didn't move out and after that he no longer worried about whether his neighbor was in the hangar or not when he cranked up the car to 'test' the carburator, etc. Didn't paint anything around there anymore though.
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Right-o man, that or the team car salon AND lawyer racket. One guy wears the suit, the other runs the salon, you both work on the cars when no one's watching. Ka-ching!
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However, now that I'm thinking of Lawyers, I'm reminded of all the pro-bono work done for a guy in a book on tape I'm listening to right now. He's Wen Ho Lee, the Taiwan born American scientist falsely accused of espionage against the US in about 1998-99. The Government treated him badly, but these lawyers worked very hard to prove his innocence.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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I've got friends in low places for situations like this... All you gotta do is say the word....
Just kidding... Seriously...
-------------------- Larry Ware Warehouse 360 Studios LLC Washington DC - Savannah, GA Posts: 53 | From: Washington, DC | Registered: Feb 2007
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That or sell silk screened signs that say something like: caution, opportunistic lawyer on the prowl. I wonder how they see the world around them. Every activity is mentally examined to see if it has potential. The eyes narrow, the mind calculates... Ambulance chasers on steriods. I feel a rock song coming on. The loonies on the grass...
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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My wife being in the insurance business for over 36 year will tell you that if and when you are doing a wall graphics you must give notice to all tenants that are parked in that area.
Written notice and not verbal. Plus placing a caution tape or cones around the ground to stop someone from parking under your project.
It seems that this man has a legal right to contact his insurance without your knowledge for damages done.
As he knows of your company name and made a claim.
If you can prove the all safety precautions where in place and he did not abid by them.
You have grounds to counter claim.
-------------------- Stephen Deveau RavenGraphics Insinx Digital Displays
Letting Your Imagination Run Wild! Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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reminds me of a time i was painting a pole. new vw convertible was parked about 50 feet away. little windy that day. insurance guy owned the vw said i got paint on it. couple small specks not they were mine. he wanted the name of my insurance co.. told him i could clean it. he said he could take it to whoever he want. i told him ok he took it to a body shop. they told him they didn't have anything to take it off of a vinyl top. i told him i did so i loaned the body shop some and it worked great.
they charged me $150 dollars back in the 70s then wanted to know the name of the cleaner and where to get it.i told them me.
later a truck broke a neon letter that he had insured. he told them to get an estimate. the guy that owned the sign told them he could get who he wanted to fix the sign and told me to fix it. it cost the insurance guy $150.00 for a $25.00 repair and i made him give me a check right then.
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Larry Ware Warehouse 360 Studios LLC Washington DC - Savannah, GA Posts: 53 | From: Washington, DC | Registered: Feb 2007
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-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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