Court Dismisses Racketeering Lawsuit From Body Shops

Dec. 31, 2019
A federal appellate court affirmed a decision to throw out a racketeering lawsuit brought by a group of 126 collision repair shops against seven of the largest U.S. insurers.

Dec. 31, 2019—A federal appellate court threw out a racketeering lawsuit brought by a group of 126 auto body collision repair shops, per a report from the Insurance Journal. 

The body shops brought the lawsuit against seven of the largest U.S. insurers.

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta agreed with the district court that the repair shops failed to state a valid claim that the insurers had conspired to commit a fraud by demanding that they accept lower rates for their work in order to participate in their repair networks.

The court said in order to pursue a claim under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the repair shops would have to show that they there were the victim of a fraud or extortion. The fraud alleged in the complaint, however, consisted of nothing more than “vague allusions” to misrepresentations made by the insurers.

Sponsored Recommendations

ADAS Applications: What They Are & What They Do

Learn how ADAS utilizes sensors such as radar, sonar, lidar and cameras to perceive the world around the vehicle, and either provide critical information to the driver or take...

Banking on Bigger Profits with a Heavy-Duty Truck Paint Booth

The addition of a heavy-duty paint booth for oversized trucks & vehicles can open the door to new or expanded service opportunities.

The Autel IA700: Advanced Modular ADAS is Here

The Autel IA700 is a state-of-the-art and versatile wheel alignment pre-check and ADAS calibration system engineered for both in-shop and mobile applications...

Boosting Your Shop's Bottom Line with an Extended Height Paint Booths

Discover how the investment in an extended-height paint booth is a game-changer for most collision shops with this Free Guide.