Kindig-It Design, a custom car shop based in Salt Lake City, Utah, filed a lawsuit against Creative Controls, Inc., a Michigan-based company that sells automotive parts and accessories, in 2014. Kindig-It Design alleged that Creative Controls had infringed on its copyrights and patents by selling products that were similar to Kindig-It Design’s products.
The lawsuit was settled in 2016, with Creative Controls agreeing to pay Kindig-It Design an undisclosed sum of money and to stop selling the infringing products.
The Kindig-It Design lawsuit is one of several lawsuits that have been filed against automotive parts and accessories companies in recent years. These lawsuits allege that the companies are infringing on the copyrights and patents of custom car shops by selling products that are similar to the shops’ products.
The outcome of these lawsuits could have a significant impact on the custom car industry. If the courts find that the automotive parts and accessories companies are infringing on the copyrights and patents of custom car shops, it could make it more difficult for these shops to protect their intellectual property.
It is important to note that the Kindig-It Design lawsuit was settled, so it is not possible to know for sure whether the court would have found in Kindig-It Design’s favor. However, the settlement does suggest that Creative Controls may have believed that it had a strong case against Kindig-It Design.
If you are a custom car shop that has been accused of infringing on the copyrights or patents of another company, you should speak to an attorney to discuss your legal options.
