Property Damage Claims – More Information to Help You Navigate Your Car Accident Case

Needless to say, if you were involved in a car accident, your car was probably damaged in some way. Of course, how badly your car was damaged depends on the severity of the wreck. It will likely require some repairs, but how much will the repairs cost, and who will pay for them? You have questions and our attorneys have answers.

Will the other driver’s insurance cover the cost of my car repairs?

It is possible that the other driver’s insurance company will offer to pay for the damage, but that’s not always the case. Typically if there is a dispute over liability, ie. who caused the accident, the other insurance company will not pay for the property damage. More on this website

If you have purchased “collision coverage” from your own insurance provider then you can turn to your insurer to help cover some of the damages. In fact, it is entirely possible that your own insurance company will offer you a better service than the other drivers. As long as the repairs to the car do not add up to more than the value of the car pre-accident, the insurance company should cover the cost. But that’s not all.

What is a diminution in value?

It is important to remember that the insurance company should not only pay you for repairs to the car but also for the car’s diminution in value. After an accident, your car will be less valuable than it was before the accident. A car that has undergone repairs will never be as valuable as one which never needed repairs. This loss in value is known as diminution in value. Unfortunately, proving diminution in value is a difficult task. Obtaining an affidavit from your repair shop might prove useful. More on this webpage

What happens if my insurance provider determines that my car is totaled?

After a mechanic assesses the damage to your car and decides how much it will cost to repair it, your insurance company will decide if it is cost-efficient to pay for those repairs. If the cost of repairing your car is more than 80 percent of the blue book value of the car they may decide to total the car. What happens next is that your insurer will pay you approximately the amount of money you would have received for the car the day before the accident occurred, ie the book value. Your insurance company may not necessarily offer a number that you think is fair. Sometimes an affidavit from the mechanic can be helpful. In all cases, the process can be made simpler if you seek the assistance of a skilled attorney. Without an attorney, you may wonder if you are being taken advantage of. A good car accident lawyer can alleviate some of those worries.

For more information about what to do following your car accident, give us a call today.

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A car accident, motorcycle accident, or other motor vehicle crash can be a disorienting ordeal to go through. Because a car crash can be a difficult experience, our law firm tries to provide you with important information which can help you find your bearings during a trying time. In this article, we will tell you what information you should collect at the scene of your accident. Following our checklist will greatly help you in your car accident case. More information here
You should make sure to do as much of the following as you can:

Document the exact location of the accident, including as much geographic information as you can.

Document the positions of all vehicles prior to and following your accident.

Photograph any objects–including signs, telephone poles, trashcans, buildings–that may have contributed to the accident.

Record the information of anyone involved in the accident; this means the names and addresses of all drivers and passengers.

Record the information of anyone who may have witnessed the accident; this means the names and addresses of any bystanders.

Record the information of all vehicles involved in the accident, including make, model, and license plate information.

Record all insurance information for all vehicles.

You should always inform the police of an auto accident. If the police were involved in investigating the accident then there will be a police report.

For more information on what to do following a car accident, including filing a personal injury claim, call our office for a free consultation.

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Accidents Can Happen At Any Given Time – Do You Know What to Do?

Accidents can happen at any given time. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in an accident you may want to file an insurance claim and get compensated for damages for injuries you have suffered. Surprisingly, negotiating a claim with an insurance company can be quite challenging without an accident attorney to assist you.

Two Ways to Negotiate a Claim

Insurance claims can be negotiated in two ways. Either you can choose to represent yourself or you can have your case negotiated by an accident attorney. The disadvantage of negotiating without the assistance of an accident attorney is that, in most cases, the claim is settled for a smaller amount. If you negotiate with the insurance company on your own you might not have proper knowledge to battle the tactics and tricks an insurance company could use against you. As a result of this you might end up settling for a low offer. More Info Here

An Experienced and Skilled Accident Attorney Will Negotiate on Your Behalf

This is why you will benefit if an experienced and skilled accident attorney is presenting your case and is negotiating a claim with the insurance company on your behalf. Your attorney will also make sure you receive a fair amount based on the medical bills, injuries, pain and suffering that you’ve had to endure, as well as for wage loss and out of pocket expenses.

Would You Like Maximum Compensation?

If you want to receive a maximum settlement amount, then your accident attorney will advise you to start by obtaining your medical bills and records. You can either collect all your medical bills and records yourself or you can authorize your attorney to collect them for you, which is obviously much easier. If you are represented by an accident attorney at the right time, then your attorney will be there with you until your treatment is complete, to obtain your medical bills and records.

An Accident Attorney Will Obtain the Necessary Records and Bills for You

Before you can begin negotiating a claim with the insurance company you will also have to acquire a copy of the police report, witness statements and your wage loss information. You will also have to acquire copies of your car repair bills, estimates and receipts of damages incurred and a few good photographs of your wrecked car. Once again, your car accident attorney will be able to help you with all of this and make things easier for you.

Accomplishing all of this is not an easy task, especially after an accident, when you are injured, and you are trying to get better. This is why hiring an accident lawyer to represent you will be beneficial for you in many ways. If an experienced car accident attorney is handling your case, then your insurance company is more likely to offer you a higher settlement amount. If your claim can not reach settlement, your attorney will prepare your case for litigation. Thus, you will still manage to save quite a lot even after paying your attorney’s costs and fees.

I Didn’t Know I Could Hurt My Accident Case

Negotiating your claim on your own could possibly weaken your case and make it difficult for an attorney to persuade the insurance company to pay a higher settlement amount. The best thing you can do is hire an accident attorney right after any car accident, rather than hiring one after receiving a bad offer from the insurance company. If you decide to hire a car accident attorney after receiving a meager offer from the insurance company, it may be too late for any attorney to make a difference.

If Insurance Company Will Not Offer Enough Money Your Accident Attorney Files Suit

For professional accident attorneys, filing a lawsuit and facing litigation is generally only an option if the insurance adjusters and insurance companies that are just not willing to offer a reasonable settlement. For any experienced and skilled accident attorney, filing a lawsuit in court and facing litigation is easy however.

It is thus apparent that having an accident or personal injury attorney is important for any injured victim. So, if you ever do get into an accident in the make sure the first thing you do is get in touch with an experienced and skilled accident attorney.

Free Additional Information on Negotiating Your Settlement

If you have a case you would like to discuss, please feel free to call our office. There is no charge to talk about your case or to answer your questions about your case.

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