When a car accident occurs, parties are often preoccupied with the personal injuries and emotional suffering caused by the incident. However, property damage is another injury caused by an auto accident that victims should report to their insurance company and receive compensation for. For example, a motor vehicle accident can cause serious cosmetic and structural damage to a vehicle, as well as requiring the victim to tow their damaged car and rent a replacement car.
Additionally, in many cases traffic accidents cause incidental property damage to surrounding residences including destroying mailboxes, tearing up yards, and crashing into a house or other structures. If you have been involved in a car accident, then you need the representation of a car accident lawyer who can help you recover compensation for any personal injuries, emotional suffering, and property damage caused by the incident.
The Cost of Property Damage
According to the Center for Disease Control, motor vehicle accidents cost over $99 billion per year, which is about $500 for every licensed driver in the United States. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that parties not involved in the traffic accident pay about 75 percent of the costs associated with the incident through insurance premiums, taxes, and traffic delay.
In fact, in some cases the victim pays the costs associated with the accident because the other party and insurance company refuse. An innocent victim should never pay for property damage caused by a negligent driver. It is important to retain a personal injury lawyer after a car accident occurs because he or she can guide through the process of recovering for your losses and protect you from other parties and insurance companies that may try to take advantage of you.
After an auto accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation for the cost of repairing your car, the amount that your car has diminished in value, the cost of property damage, the cost of towing and car rental, and other associated costs. However, if the cost of repairing your car is greater than the value of your car, then the car may be considered a total loss and you will be entitled to receive the actual cash value of the car before the accident. Many insurance companies will consider a car a total loss if the repairs amount to a substantial percentage of the car’s value.
According to Attorney Paul d’Oliveira:
The best advice I can give clients regarding damage to their vehicles is to have the appraiser from the insurance company look at your car with your auto body repairman because he is in the best position to negotiate a fair offer to repair your car as he has the most knowledge about repairing vehicles. We have found that this usually works the best.
Has a Car Crash Caused You Property Damage?
If you have sustained property damage from a car crash, the lawyers at d’Oliveira & Associates want you to know that you may be entitled to compensation. Our law firm has years of experience when it comes to handling personal injury and car accident lawsuits, and can provide the legal representation you need for your property damage claim.
Please contact the law offices of d’Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6867 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.
Paul d’Oliveira
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.
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