When you get into a motor vehicle accident, there’s bound to be some damage to your car. Usually, the damage is minor. You may end up with cosmetic damage or a busted-up fender. Unless the crash is serious, you shouldn’t have to worry about any engine damage. While this is the case, a lot of our clients ask us if they’ll get a new car when they file suit.
Our Lawrenceville accident attorneys can see where they’re coming from. However, this is not how things work. Unless your car was destroyed in the crash, you won’t be getting a significant amount of money in property damage. Even if your car is deemed totaled, your Georgia injury lawyer can only demand that you be paid the fair market value of your vehicle.
Here, we will discuss how you will be compensated for the damage caused to your vehicle. Regardless of who is at fault, you’ll have to pay your deductible. After that, you will be entitled to whatever it cost to get your car or SUV fixed. We will also explain what happens if the insurance company does determine that your car is totaled.
If you still have questions or concerns about your own car accident lawsuit, give us a call. We can always schedule your free, initial consultation with one of our Lawrenceville accident attorneys right away.
How Bad Was the Damage to Your Car or SUV?
Whether you are entitled to compensation for the damage to your vehicle depends on a lot of factors. If the damage to your vehicle was minimal, you may not be entitled to much. After paying your deductible, there may not be much more you have to pay out-of-pocket. Your Georgia injury lawyer can only demand the money you lost by paying the mechanic to fix your car.
Now, if your vehicle was destroyed in the crash, you may be entitled to the fair market value of your car. This value will be assessed from the date of the accident. You will collect this amount and will be given a salvage title to your vehicle. This means you won’t be able to sell it to anyone. You won’t be able to provide a clean title so the car will likely be sold for parts or sit in your garage.
Your Georgia Injury Lawyer Can Certainly Demand Damages on Your Behalf
If you were physically injured in the accident, your Lawrenceville accident attorney will demand damages for these injuries as well. Depending on the nature and extent of your injuries, your attorney will demand some or all of the following:
- Compensation for any medical bills and future medical bills you may incur
- Damages for lost wages if you missed more than a couple of weeks from work
- Lost future income if you are no longer able to do the same kind of work you did before the crash
- Pain and suffering to make up for the physical and mental anguish caused by the accident
For the most part, our clients are entitled to both economic and non-economic damages. The amount will depend on how seriously you were injured. It will also have to do with other factors such as your age, occupation, average income, and the amount of pain you experienced.
Your Lawrenceville Accident Attorney Can Demand the Fair Market Value of Your Vehicle
If the insurance company declares your car totaled, your Georgia injury lawyer can demand that you paid the fair market value of your car. One way to determine how much this will be is to check the value according to a site like Kelley Blue Book. This is one of the more popular tools used.
If it costs more to fix your car than it is worth, the insurance company will just pay out this fair market value. What you do with the money is up to you. You can use it to buy a used car or use the money for a down payment on a brand-new car.
Our Lawrenceville accident attorneys like to be upfront and honest with our clients. If you were driving a ten-year-old car with more than 100,000 miles on it, you can’t expect to walk away with a new sports car. You can only demand compensation for the loss you actually suffered.
Put Your Faith in a Seasoned Georgia Injury Lawyer
The reason you hired a Lawrenceville accident attorney was to get you compensation for your injuries. As much as our clients talk about wanting justice, at the end of the day, they just want a big settlement. There is nothing wrong with this. If the other driver was the one responsible for your crash, they should have to pay. Well, their insurance company should have to pay.
Of course, your Georgia injury lawyer can only demand damages for losses you actually suffered. If your vehicle was not totaled in the accident, you can’t demand compensation for the fair market value of your car.
Instead, you can submit copies of your mechanic’s bills. You can either use the money to reimburse yourself for whatever you already paid the mechanic. Or you can use it as a down payment on a new car. How you use your settlement proceeds is up to you.
For now, we suggest you call and schedule your free, initial consultation. Take the time to sit down with a seasoned Lawrenceville, Georgia injury lawyer. Let them review your insurance paperwork and police report. Once they have an idea of whether your claim is worth pursuing, they can let you know what your options are.
Since the consultation is free, you have nothing to lose. The insurance company will have a team of lawyers working for them. You need to have someone by your side as well.
