INDIANAPOLIS -
An Indianapolis law firm is the first to sue BP for car damage from bad gas. Some victims who can't afford to get their cars fixed are pleading for help.
The company admitted this to selling contaminated fuel at dozens of central Indiana gas stations. Thousands of drivers across the state have filed complaints after facing car trouble due to the gasoline.
One driver had no problems with her car and its newly rebuilt engine, but now her gas mileage is cut in half after filling up at a BP station.
"It hesitates, like it's fighting you," she said, saying that her car "just doesn't want to drive."
She says the station on the west side where she gassed up is now on the list of stations that sold tainted fuel. Eyewitness News asked if she has taken the car to a mechanic yet.
"No, I've not. I just can't afford to," she said.
That driver has tried the BP claims process, but hasn't heard back yet. She won't drive her young niece in the car now, for fear of breaking down.
"We're getting a lot of complaints," said Bill Amonette with Beck Service Center.
A good mechanic can track fuel contamination, but fighting it can be costly.
"It's like $600-800 dollars to drop the tank, drain the tank, put in all new gas and dispose of the old gas," Amonette said.
Plus, any engine damage runs up the bill.
"I'm barely making it now. I'm working two jobs to support myself," the driver said.
So she is watching a class action lawsuit filed by Cohen and Malad, an Indianapolis law firm, against BP.
"We've received hundreds of calls so far from hundreds of consumers so far from across the state and neighboring states on a wide range of problems," said attorney Richard Shevitz.
From stall outs to sudden bad mileage.
"Some have lost $6,000-7,000 in some foreign cars," said Shevitz.
People with vintage cars, he says, are even having trouble getting the problem fixed.
The law firm's first move is to get BP to quickly post a complete list of all the gas stations involved, including many that are not marked as BP stations. They also want to get victim's car repair bills covered, Shevitz says, "to hold BP accountable."
"I just don't think they should be able to get away with it," the driver said.
Those drivers affected by the tainted gasoline can call a BP hotline at 800-599-9040 or visit BPresponse.com.
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