After a car wreck, most people think there are only two parts to the claim: Car repairs and Injury settlement. But there is a third check you are owed — and most law firms will not help you get it.
If another driver caused the wreck, their insurance company should pay to repair your vehicle. But getting your car fixed is only the beginning.
Even after quality repairs, your vehicle may never be worth the same again.
If you were hurt in the wreck, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, future treatment, and the impact the accident has had on your life. This is the bodily injury claim most personal injury lawyers focus on.
At Buckhead Law, we fight to maximize that settlement. But we do not stop there.
Here is what the insurance company does not want you to think about: A car that has been in a wreck is usually worth less than the same car with no accident history. Even if the repairs are done properly. Even if the car looks almost new. Even if the damage is no longer visible.
Why? Because buyers check accident history. A Carfax report can show that your vehicle was in a wreck, and most people will not pay the same price for a car with accident history as they would for an identical car that has never been damaged.
That difference is called diminished value. And the insurance company owes it to you.
Insurance companies use one-sided formulas to decide what they want to pay for diminished value. That usually works out great for them — and terribly for you. They may offer you tiny amounts like $9, $21, or $47 for the lost value of your vehicle. But that number may be nowhere close to your real loss.
For example, a $30,000 vehicle that has been fully repaired after a wreck may still lose around $4,000 in market value because of its accident history. That is a lot different than the $47 the insurance company wants you to accept.
Most lawyers focus only on the injury settlement. Many will not help you recover the lost value of your car at all. Buckhead Law does. We know how to pursue the diminished value claim and push back against lowball insurance company offers.
Our clients have received third checks for $3,000, $5,000, $8,000 or more for the drop in value of their vehicles after a wreck. That is real money. And it may be money you are leaving on the table if you do not have the right law firm handling your case.
Insurance companies use one-sided formulas to decide what they want to pay for diminished value. That works great for them — and terribly for you.
What the insurance company may offer for a wrecked $30,000 vehicle.
Estimated real diminished value after quality repairs on that same vehicle.
“Our clients have received third checks for $3,000, $5,000, $8,000 or more for the drop in value of their vehicles after a
wreck.”
Ask another lawyer if they will help you get your car’s value back after a wreck. Most will not. But Buckhead Law will.
Call us today or fill out the form below so we can get started.
100% secure & Confidential