Car Accident Attorney Helping Clients Get Compensation for Their Losses in San Francisco Bay and Burlingame
The health of the people involved is the most important question following an automobile collision. At Shapiro Legal Group we specialize in helping people who are injured as a result of automobile accidents. However, handling the damage to the vehicle is an unfortunate burden at a difficult time. It is important to know what should happen and who you should go to for help.
If the person at fault has insurance you can contact their company to discuss your property damage. You should not give any recorded statements. You should make sure you take pictures before the vehicle is fixed. The owner of the car is the one with the property damage claim. The value of the claim is either the cost of fixing the car or the value of the car at the time of the collision; whichever is less. For example, if an old car was only worth $2,000.00 it is inefficient to spend $3,000.00 fixing it. This is called a "total loss". On the other hand if the car was worth $10,000.00 then it will be repaired for $3,000.00. If the insurance company accepts liability for purposes of property damage then you can get your car fixed without paying.
Unfortunately you may not agree with their evaluation or feel comfortable dealing with the other driver's insurance company. If you have collision coverage you can work with your company. You may or may not be charged your deductible based upon the information available at the time. For example if your insurance company knows they will be getting reimbursed 100% by the other driver's insurance they may not charge you. Otherwise they will recover your deductible when their reimbursement claim is processed with the other company.
Most property damage claims are handled separately, and much earlier, than bodily injury claims. Also most property damage claims do not require a car accident attorney. Nevertheless, if you have a question regarding property damage feel free to call Shapiro Legal Group to discuss your options.