You Bent My Door!

By Randall C. Resch

This is a simple defense for tow companies that provide lockout services. It’s one of those niches that can generate solid cash flow—especially when working with auto clubs and those 1-800-LOCK-OUT calls.

Let me digress for a moment. There are motorists and customers who lie, cheat, and commit fraud as a way to recoup money after losing—or locking—their keys in their vehicles. Unfortunately, an unsuspecting tower or technician may respond to a routine lockout, only to learn months later that some fraudster is suing for thousands of dollars, claiming: “You bent my door!”

Are You Kiddin’ Me?

Seated in the quiet breezeway of a Southern California courthouse, I spotted a middle-aged man across the way. He wore an ANSI vest and clutched a stack of papers along with a large lockout kit—long-reach tool and airbag in hand. It didn’t take long to figure out he was a tow operator.

His face showed it all—worried, worn down, and alone. Curious, I walked over and struck up a conversation. Soon enough, I learned he was being sued for $3,000—months after performing a simple unlock on, of all things, a non-exotic 2012 Buick LaCrosse four-door.

He showed me several recent body shop estimates totaling thousands. My response? “Are you kidding me?” According to Edmunds, that vehicle’s value ranges between $1,300 and $5,200. How reasonable is it to sue for damages that approach—or exceed—the car’s worth?

Here’s the Scam

Unlocking vehicles isn’t new. People lock their keys inside all the time. If they’re not calling an expensive locksmith, they’re Googling the nearest tow company.

But when scammers are involved, the tow operator becomes the target.

Here’s how it works: the lockout is completed, the tower moves on, and the customer leaves—after carefully watching the process. Then comes the claim: “My door wasn’t like that until the tow guy opened it.” Sound familiar?

Easy enough. Next, the fraudster heads to a friendly body shop, spinning a story: “It took forever to open,” or “They jammed this big, black, squishy thing behind the glass and pried the door back.” From there, they collect inflated estimates and craft a narrative to support their claim.

Order in the Court

When a case like this lands in court, towers need to be ready with facts.

Start with how doors are designed:

• Door frames are built with flex. It’s intentional.

• That flex helps prevent serious injury—like when fingers or hands get caught in a door jamb.

• The same flex allows for the safe use of wedges, airbags, and long-reach tools.

For trained professionals, using these tools does not “bend” a door in any damaging way.

Preparing for Court

Why not offer to walk the judge out to the parking lot and demonstrate a proper lockout? Show how modern tools are used. It becomes immediately clear that a careful, industry-approved technique doesn’t cause damage.

Bring photos—color photos—showing tools in place during actual lockouts. If you have an AAA lockout manual, use it as a visual aid. If not, it’s a worthwhile addition to your library.

Think of it as presenting a kind of “forensic testimony.”

And when it’s time for closing statements, keep it simple and direct:

“We’ve performed hundreds—if not thousands—of these exact lockouts without a single damage claim, using the same tools.”

“Our technicians are trained in industry-accepted procedures.”

When judges apply a little common sense, they’ll often see what’s really going on—a veil of deception on the plaintiff’s part.

In this case, the tower prevailed.

Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired, veteran, California police officer, former tow business owner and industry advocate. As consultant and trainer, he authored and teaches tow truck operator safety courses approved by the California Highway Patrol. For 57-years, he has been involved in the towing and recovery industry. In 29-years, he has contributed more than 800-safety focused articles for American Towman Magazine, TowIndustryWeek.com and POLICE Magazine. He is a frequent seminar presenter and beauty pageant judge at tow shows. In 2014, he was inducted to the International Towing and Recovery Industry Hall of Fame, was the 3rd recipient of the industry's "Dave Jones Leadership Award," and is a member of American Towman’s Safety Committee.

Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.