How to Handle Your Property Damage Claim After A Phoenix Car Accident
If you have been in a Phoenix auto accident chances are you have property damage. The first thing that you should do is report the claim. Many times people who are involved in a car accident are being rushed to the hospital so the car status of the vehicle is not that important. What is important is that the claim is reported. We tell people to have family members report claims if they are able to do so. Many times it is better for a family member to report a claim because if you are hurt your adrenaline may be going high and you do not pay attention to all of the questions that are being asked when you have to report a claim. Also if you have been seriously injured, you are not capable of reporting a claim.
When you have property damage, if you have insurance, you should consider reporting the claim to your insurance company as well as the adverse insurance. When you have a property damage claim don't let the adverse insurance convince you that you have to use their repair shop. In Arizona, when you have a property damage claim from an auto accident, you are allowed to choose whatever shop that you want to. Insurance companies prefer that you use their repair shop but I am not so sure that is the best way to go because repair shops that work for insurance companies have incentive to fix your case for as little as possible and to not use the best parts.
While your car is being repaired, you should be entitled to a rental vehicle. You can either rent a vehicle or you can be entitled to loss of use for each day you are without a rental. If your vehicle has a substantial amount of repairs needed you can try to get your vehicle deemed a total loss. If the insurance company will not deem it a total loss, you can ask for loss of value for your claim. Generally, loss of value requires an expert to determine the amount of value that the vehicle has lost from being damaged.
No matter what it is important that you get your vehicle out of the tow year as soon as possible. If the insurance company will not remove the vehicle from the tow yard, then you either have to take steps to have it removed yourself or hire a lawyer because otherwise you will incur a significant amount of money in costs. Do not let the insurance company tell you that it is all about mitigating your damages either. The insurance company often will not want to move the vehicle while they are investigating liability. If you do not have any insurance and liability seems clear, you have to let them know that you have no way to mitigate your damages and request in writing that the insurance company have your vehicle towed to a lot that does not charge anything - which would be one of their own lots. '
When it comes to property damage claims, we recommend highly that everything be put in writing when speaking to the adjuster. If it isn't in writing, it never happened is how the old saying goes.
If you have been seriously injured and need the help of experienced Arizona personal injury lawyers, feel free to call our office. We handle the property damage claim complimentary when we are helping people with the injury claim.
