The property damage part of your case can often be handled separately from the bodily injury portion.
Calculating Damage
Calculating your vehicle’s damage is fairly straight forward, and the at-fault party’s insurer will typically make payment to you or to a body shop based on a repair estimate. You can often recover this payment as soon as you can get your car in the shop, plus a reasonable rate of car rental for every day you were without the use of your vehicle.
If your vehicle is a total loss, you are entitled to be paid the fair market value of your vehicle so you can replace it. On some total loss cases, you need your attorney to convince the insurance company of what amount will fairly compensate you for the loss of your vehicle.
If there’s a Dispute
Sometimes the at-fault party’s insurance company disputes that their insured caused the collision, and they are more hesitant to pay for your vehicle damage. In these situations, you can make a claim to your own auto insurance under your collision coverage instead of waiting to recover from the at-fault party’s insurer from a settlement or verdict.
Attorney at Law
Blado Kiger Bolan, Tacoma, Wash.
