Who Pays for Vehicle Damages?

Use Your Own Coverage
Have your own insurance company repair your vehicle if the other driver's insurance carrier refuses or causes you difficulty.

Get Your Deductible
Any time you elect to have your own insurance company pay for property losses be sure to get your collision deductible back, when your own insurance company is reimbursed by the at-fault driver's insurance carrier.

Get Fair Payment
Get fair payment on your property damages from the at-fault driver's insurance company. Repair costs may not be only property loss. Newer vehicles will also lose value (e.g., a new car with $8,000.00 in repairs will lose value) even if it is fully repaired.

5% Extra
You are entitled to 5% for tax on a replacement vehicle where the original vehicle was considered a 'total loss'.

Rental Car
You are entitled to a rental car replacement, or loss of use of vehicle. The cost of a rental vehicle should be paid to you while the vehicle that was involved in the accident is being adjusted and appraised or while it is being repaired.

Annoyance Money for Your Grief
Annoyance and inconvenience money is owed for your having to deal with the adjustment process and any of your work to replace your vehicle especially if you had your vehicle paid for, and it was reliable transportation, and its total loss value was so low that you could not replace it for the money you are to be paid by the other driver's adjuster.

Should I Get an Attorney?
Yes, contact an attorney experienced in automobile accidents to discuss your claim even if you are confident you can handle the case on your own. If you intend not to employ counsel to help, offer to pay a small hourly fee for the attorney's time to discuss your case in his or her office. But fairly, if you intend to seek counsel for help, then most attorneys will see you with no charge for an initial conference. I don't charge for such conferences whether or not the person becomes a client by signing a contract.