Teen daughter's rollover — mechanic may be to blame but cops are sniffing around her

Not legal advice, but I'll share what I know from this area. The fact that the car was recently in a shop and came back with documented issues is genuinely significant — both for any potential criminal/traffic charge against your daughter AND for a possible civil claim against the shop. The key is preserving everything right now: the repair invoice, the follow-up visit notes, any texts or voicemails with the shop. If the police are asking pointed questions, I'd strongly suggest getting a lawyer involved before your daughter or you say anything more to them. Seriously — before.

My son was in a single-car accident two years ago with a suspected mechanical failure involved. The police were vague at first but eventually it went nowhere charge-wise once an independent mechanic examined the vehicle. The shop involvement was a huge piece of that. I'd push hard to make sure that car gets inspected by someone YOUR side hires, not just whatever the police do with it.

Whatever you do, stop talking to insurance adjusters without representation. Theirs OR yours. I know that sounds paranoid but adjusters are trained to get recorded statements early, before you've had time to think clearly, and those statements can come back to haunt you. You're grieving and scared right now — that's exactly when they make their move.

A few practical things worth knowing: (1) Minors can still be cited or charged in traffic matters, but courts often treat them differently. (2) Her injuries are generally not admissible as proof of fault by themselves — being hurt doesn't mean you caused the crash. (3) The hit-and-run element is important. If there's any dashcam footage, traffic cameras, or witnesses who saw the car that cut her off, that could change the entire narrative. Start asking around now about cameras in that area before footage gets overwritten.

Concussions in teenagers can be sneaky — symptoms sometimes get worse in the second week rather than the first. Please make sure she's got a follow-up with a neurologist, not just the ER discharge papers. Fractured clavicle recovery varies a lot too depending on placement. Document every appointment, every symptom, every missed school day. That record matters medically AND if there's ever a claim.

I just want to say I'm so sorry you're both going through this. She's 17 and she survived a rollover — that alone is terrifying. Please make sure you're taking care of yourself too while you fight for her. This community is rooting for you.

Three things: get a lawyer today, not next week. Get an independent mechanic to document the vehicle's condition the moment it's released. And get every scrap of paper from that shop — invoice, follow-up notes, anything — into a folder tonight. The window to protect yourself is short and you don't want to lose it while you're overwhelmed.

I know it's hard to see right now, but the paper trail you have — the shop visit, the follow-up, the documented repair list — is actually more than a lot of families have in situations like this. That documentation exists. That's something real to build on. You're not starting from zero.