OT - Truck fire

Within 30 miles the truck caught fire and burned because of a fuel leak. The fire started in engine compartment on the left side where the fuel line connects, the fire burned so hot it melted all of hoses, rims etc.. Talked with shop owner, he doesn't think it could have been related to their work since the fuel pump is located in the fuel tank behind the cab. I have no reason to doubt him but, it seems like quite coincidence that the fire ocurred so shortly after they worked on the fuel system.

No-one was hurt, no property damage (except truck) and truck had over 220k miles. The owner refunded his labor and is checking with the part manufacture for refund. I had liability on the truck so the truck loss (maybe $2000 - $2500) is mine. I am not a law suit type guy but, should I push on the shop owner and his insurance company or just walk away and chalk it up to misfortune? I am extremely thankful that my wife, who had picked the truck up and was driving it home from the shop, was not hurt and that no property was damaged.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Your truck (did not say cab type) per NADA is worth $4400+.

I think where the shop went wrong was refunding your money for repairs. Pretty much seams like he thinks it may have been his fault.

I would tell the shop owner you want to file a claim with his insurance. They may just pay you; they may want to fight it. Then you can decide if you want to sue based on their responce.

Glad everyone is safe.

Your out of luck here.

The shop owner/mechanic would have to intentionaly set your truck on fire in order to collect from the shop.

Think about that for a minute. If wasn't that way you couldn't get anyone to work on your brakes, or work on your home, etc.

The mechanic is even allowed to make mistakes while making the repair that caused your truck to burn without any libility on his part as he made his best effort to make the correct repair.

Ask your insurrance agent about buying insurrance to protect yourself in case some company you hire gets hurt while working on your property. If he's a good agent he'll tell you you don't need that type of insurrance as you have no libility to that person. The company who the person works for has that libility.

I worked in the service field for 40yrs and had one claim that caused injury to the building owner and didn't get sued. The only claim I ever had but one was enough.

In any event, I would be shocked if a court would order more than a $1000 for your loss. To old, too many miles to have a higher resale to the truck market even tho your "baby" was destroyed.

T_Bone

I don't believe that the fire was related to the actual replacement of the pump. After all, the pump is in the fuel tank. But is it possible that the fuel pump was good and the engine quit because of the leak? More likely that they took loose a fitting at the engine to check fuel pump pressure and damaged the fuel line or fitting in the process. Can you tell where the leak started? Was it a crack in a fuel line? Or a broken hose?

I think you've got a uphill battle, but if you can prove that they broke something, you have a chance.

I believe that when they did their diagnosis/testing that they had lines disconnected. Like folks have said it is a 10 year old truck, first time any work done on the fuel system probably a lot brittle/cracked lines.

If you had done the pump yourself, which you might have had you been home,the same thing could have happened and who to blame then.

Insurance might have said were not going to pay because you caused the problem yourself.

Gary

I agree with your point, whenever you work on old automobiles/equipment alot of things can go wrong that "had nothing to do" with what you worked on.