I had a friend who had this happen to him while he was driving on the freeway. I tried to get him to tell me exactly how scared me was when it happened, but the doctors kept saying, "I don't think he's going to make it. I think your time is better served saying goodbye." He ended up making it, but he still never told me (he's alive but still in the coma).
You have to hope that you went to an automotive repair chain shop if this happens to you. That way you can sue the pants off of them. If this is your fault then there isn't much you can do. If this happened at a small, family owned shop then you won't win any money. You'll just make a very powerful enemy.