Negligent Firestone Mechanics Resulted In A Near-accident, Blown Tire, And Loss Of Time/money. What Can I Do?

Location: Kentucky, West Virginia

While on a cross-country trip, I brought my ailing van into a Firestone service center, thinking the problem was with my brake line (turned out it wasn't).

The mechanics "verified" the issue, replaced the wrong line and charged me for the privilege.

By now it was near closing. I did a quick test drive, said the problem was still persisting. They sighed, rolled their eyes, put it back on the lift.

They then said that there was another issue, with my axle (which ended up being the real culprit), but that I should be fine to make it from their Kentucky garage to Virginia, where I was going, where I could get it looked into further. They clearly just wanted me out of there as it was Friday 6:10pm.

Got back on the highway, where I almost got into a wreck because the mechanics hadn't bled the brake lines properly and I had to pump my brakes a lot to get any stopping power.

Once stopped, I finally noticed a burning smell. I pulled into the first rest stop available, a West Virginia welcome center, to find smoke billowing out from the wheel well.

Ten minuted later, I heard the tire POP (the valve stem blew) and fully deflate over the course of a minuter or two.

What resulted was three days of lost time and money as I tried to get the van fixed in WV.

I called Firestone, lodged a complaint, told them their negligence cost me $150 for a new tire, plus everything else. They said they'd look into it.

I have since called back twice to follow up, and each time I had to tell the whole story again because clearly they hadn't taken any notes.

It's been two months now and it's obvious they're ignoring me. Is there anything I can do about this? I really don't want to have to sue anyone, but this whole fiasco cost me more than just money (I was traveling to care for my dying father, who was admitted to the hospital—that he never emerged from—a day before I finally got to him).

Do I have any sort of legal recourse, if nothing else than to just get my $150 back for the tire cost, or am I basically SOL?

EDIT: I apparently can't comment on my own thread. The following was DMed to me. Sharing it in case it helps anyone else in similar situations:

Hi, apologies for messaging directly, but sometimes my comments won't show up and I wanted to provide some input as an upcoming paralegal. You have legal recourse for negligence and breach of contract. Document everything including invoices, communication logs, and any potential witness statements. Send a formal demand letter to Firestone detailing your damages and request reimbursement for the tire and any related expenses. Specify a deadline for a response, typically 14 days. If they fail to respond, you may consider filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or the state attorney general’s office. If those actions do not yield results, consult an attorney about small claims court for the amount you wish to recover. Keep all records organized for any future legal actions. There is also this helpwithmycase.com site where you can consult an attorney directly online. Hope this helps!