Editor’s Notes: OE Repair Guidelines – The Standard
The OEs engineered and built the vehicle, so they’re the experts in knowing how it should be repaired.
Supreme Court Ruling Viewed as Huge Victory for Aftermarket
The Supreme Court upheld the legal precedent of patent exhaustion, which states that a company’s right to protect its patent ends when the product is sold to the end user.
Auto Care Association: Supreme Court Ruling on Patent Exhaustion a ‘Major Victory’ for Auto Repair Industry
The Supreme Court reversed a Federal Circuit decision that would have been harmful to the manufacturing and sales of aftermarket parts, the Auto Care Association contends.
Injured Driver Sues State Farm, Says Insurer Wasn’t a ‘Good Neighbor’ After Collision
Injured motorist Joseph Broadway sued State Farm and his insurance agent for fraud when State Farm didn’t provide the “good neighbor” treatment he was expecting.
3M Sues Chinese Manufacturer, U.S. Distributor for Patent Infringement on Paint-Spraying Products
The lawsuit alleges that certain automotive paint-spraying products made by Phoenix Automotive Refinishing in China and distributed by K2 Concepts in the United States violate seven 3M patents.
Takata Fined $1 Billion for Lying About Deadly Airbag Inflators
Takata Corp. has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud and has agreed to pay $1 billion in criminal penalties for lying about its ammonium nitrate-based airbag inflators, which are blamed for at least 16 deaths and more than 180 injuries.
Google Spinoff Waymo Accuses Uber of Stealing its Driverless Vehicle Technology
Waymo claims that Uber and Otto – a self-driving-truck startup that Uber acquired in August 2016 – stole Waymo’s intellectual property to avoid the “risk, time and expense of independently developing their own technology.”
Weighing the Merits of the Appraisal Clause
Is the appraisal clause still a viable strategy for consumers and body shops to resolve cost disputes with insurers? Two collision consultants offer different views.
Can a Repairer Be Responsible for Part Failure?
Using any parts that are not properly tested for proven performance may expose you and your company to substantial liability, similar to a doctor or pharmacist who recommends or prescribes and/or dispenses potentially harmful and/or lethal medication.
$47,476 is the New $23,660: Understanding the New Overtime Rules
On Dec. 1, 2016, about 4.2 million exempt employees in the United States will become non-exempt. And some of those employees probably work for you.
