Need help: Did a Brake Pad Job Kill my ABS Actuator & Accumulator? Garage Denies Liability, Says It's Impossible.

Hey fellow RAV4 owners, need some expert opinions on a frustrating situation with my 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

Timeline:

· Took the car to a highly-rated independent garage for front/rear brake pad replacement. · Was closely monitoring their work during the service. After the brake pads replacement and starting the car, the dashboard lit up with "ABS Malfunction," "Brake Override," and "Low Braking Power" warnings. I saw them clear the codes with a scanner and send me on my way. · Lights came back the next day, and the day after. They cleared codes twice but couldn't fix it. · Took it to Toyota Dealer. Diagnosis: ABS Actuator and Accumulator are damaged and need replacement. A very expensive repair.

The Garage's Defense: They now say the failure is an "internal malfunction" in the ABS actuator, which is a "sealed electronic unit." Their exact words: "Mechanical work such as brake pad replacement does not affect or interfere with the internal electronic functions of the ABS system."

My Question for the Pros: On a modern hybrid like the RAV4, is this true? Is it really just a wild coincidence that a sealed, non-serviceable unit failed catastrophically the minute I drove away from their brake job? Or could improper procedure (like forcing pistons back without putting the system in service mode, power issues, etc.) have caused this?

Does their technical argument hold any water, or is this a standard denial tactic? Any insight is greatly appreciated.