Evaluating Vehicle Damage After An Accident

Some car accident victims are fortunate enough to escape their collisions with only minor scratches and bruises, or no injuries at all. Unfortunately, it is rare for a car accident to result in no physical damage to the vehicles themselves. Whether a scratch, ding, dent, broken taillight, or something more serious, repairing these problems can quickly become frustrating. We’ve included a brief breakdown of the things you may encounter when attempting to get your own car fixed after an accident. To learn more, please reach out to our dedicated Altamonte Springs car accident lawyers today.

Inspecting the Damage

Before an insurer will agree to pay to repair a vehicle after an accident, it will require an inspection of the car by a professional. This individual will assess and take photos of the damage to the vehicle, whether the car is located at the policyholder’s home or a repair shop. This assessment will then be used to determine the vehicle’s repair cost, which may or may not be the same as the estimate received by the vehicle’s owner.

Conducting a Personal Evaluation

Even though an insurer will send out a professional to assess the damage to a vehicle, it’s still a good idea for owners to reach out to a vehicle damage analyst and obtain their own estimate. Unlike an insurance company, these experts don’t have an incentive to reduce the actual cost of repairs and can give the accident victim a better idea of what will be required to fix the vehicle.

Using an Insurance Company’s Repair Shop

Whether or not a vehicle’s owner is required to take the damaged vehicle to a specific mechanic for repairs will depend largely on the wording in his or her policy. Many insurers, for instance, require policyholders to use certain repair shops, while others aren’t specific. For a clearer idea of what to expect if you are involved in a car crash, consider going through your own policy carefully.

There are also a few benefits to using a repair shop recommended by an insurer. For instance, a professional relationship between a repair shop and an insurance company can make it easier to recover repair costs, as the insurer is much less likely to challenge the shop’s repair estimate. Someone who chooses his or her own repair shop, on the other hand, may have to jump through some hoops to demonstrate the validity of its estimate. Similarly, if an insurer’s mechanic discovers additional damage (that was missed in the initial assessment) during the repair process, the insurer will be more likely to cover those costs without first obtaining a supplement damage estimate, which is usually required when an independent mechanic discovers additional damage.

Altamonte Springs, FL Car Accident Lawyers

Repairing a vehicle following a car crash can be expensive, regardless of whether you choose your own repair shop or use your insurer’s. Fortunately, these costs can often be recovered from the at-fault party who caused the crash. For help seeking maximum compensation after your own car accident, please call Goldman Law, P.A. at 407-960-1900 and speak with one of our dedicated car accident lawyers today.

Resource:

floridabar.org/public/consumer/tip002/#For%20accidents%20that%20happen%20in%20Flor