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Grosse Pointe News Reporter Steered to Harmon Glass Shop by AAA

16 June 1999

Grosse Pointe News Reporter Steered to Harmon Glass Shop by AAA Sponsored, Harmon Operated Customer Service Center, Says Attorney for Group Suing AAA Michigan and Harmon Glass

    FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., June 16 -- Some aggressive reporting
by a journalist in southeast Michigan has confirmed allegations made by 48
independent glass installers in Michigan of unfair trade practices conducted
by a company hired by AAA Michigan to process its autoglass claims, said Jay
Schwartz, attorney for the glass installers.
    The independent glass installers have hired Jay Schwartz of Farmington
Hills and filed a lawsuit against AAA Michigan and Minnesota-based
Harmon Glass which handles glass repair claims for the state's largest
insurance company.
    The lawsuit filed May 20, 1999, charges Harmon Glass with unfair trade
practices.  One of the plaintiffs' claims alleges Harmon refers motorists to
its own glass repair shops in the area.  An AAA spokesman says what might
appear to be steering customers is merely "coincidental."
    The complaint filed in Wayne County Circuit Court may be found on the
Internet at:  http://www.westwindcos.com/home/complaint.htm
    A Grosse Pointe News business writer, Brad Lindberg, discovered first-hand
that the allegations made by independent glass installers in Michigan are
true.  Reporter Lindberg called Bill Farrah, IXL Glass in Grosse
Pointe, Michigan, who was among the glass installers who filed suit.  The
complete article can be found at:
http://www.grossepointenews.com/newspage.html#Woods%20glass.  Lindberg told
Farrah that AAA's attorney suggested the claims in the lawsuit were not true.
"So I asked Brad if he were a member of AAA and found out he was," said
Farrah.  "I encouraged Brad to call in a claim for glass repair, and he
agreed."
    The article, published June 10, reports that several calls were made by
the Grosse Pointe News and that the Harmon call center consistently made
referrals to Harmon repair shops.  Lindberg reported that Harmon made
referrals to independents only when the News' caller specifically requested a
repair shop in a city known not to contain a Harmon shop.
    Farrah says the plaintiffs in the lawsuit have documented dozens of
incidents similar to what has been confirmed by Lindberg.
    The lawsuit was assigned to Wayne Circuit Court Judge Isidore Torres who
ordered a hearing for 9 a.m. June 22 for AAA and Harmon to show cause why a
preliminary injunction should not be issued.