Help!! I got scammed from a body shop

I had a car accident
then I fixed my car in a shop A my local insurance office referred me to
after I fixed my car I started to hear some squeaking sound
so claim to fix it to the shop A who repaired my car
but they didn't
after while a axel of my car fallen off
and I figured it was related to job the shop fixed before
so I claimed to fix my to the shop A
but the shop A denied to fix my car
at the time I didn't know what to do, I called local insurance office who referred to the shop A to discuss about the mess, then the insurance guy told me to take my car to another shop, get the second opinion, fix it by my own cost, then go to small claim court, and the guy told me never report this to insurance company.
so I took my car to another shop B
and discuss the situation with the owner of shop B.
The owner told me not to take the advice from the local insurance guy, and just report to the insurance company.
and insurance company and shop B found out that shop A didn't replace some parts they should've and did crappy job on my car
then I repaired car in other shops but it took 5 monthes
insurance company told me when I had the accident I did not have rental car coverage so they couldn't pay the rental bill
so I contacted shop A but they are denying to pay me the rental bills

it's over $4000

and now I don't know what to do
just take shop A to the small claim court?
the onwer of shop B told me to sue the insurance company.
He says even if it was the local insurance agent, for you, he is the behalf of the insurance company.

what should I do?
is there any reliable lawyer I can discuss about the issue in SF bay area?