In the aftermath of a car accident there are many different things that may be running through your mind, one of them being what you are going to do about the repair costs. There are a lot of factors that come into play regarding those costs, such as the state in which you live and who was at fault for the accident. But no matter the consequences, you will need an attorney because they can help you get the compensation you need to cover the repairs. If you live in the St. Louis area, then you can visit our website to learn how you can get the help you need.

Negligence and No-fault States

With car accidents, liability is always based on negligence, i.e. who caused the accident. In states where traditional fault is the rule, it is incumbent on the person seeking damages to prove that the other driver was at fault for the accident. If they can make that claim, then the insurance company of the driver will have to pay for all of the damages. In a no-fault state, then the insurance of each driver involved in the accident will pay some, or all of the damages regardless of who was negligent.

No matter if it is your insurance company or the insurance company of the other driver who pays for the damages, they will only pay for coverage up to their policy limits. So if there was $8000 in damages but the insurance coverage is only for $5000, then that is all the company will pay.

If the Damage is Higher Than the Cost of the Car

If your vehicle is so badly damaged that the repair costs are higher than its overall value, then the insurance company will declare it to be a complete loss and pay you its Blue Book market value. That is because insurance companies are only required to pay up to the value of a vehicle and no more. Note that the value of the car means its value at the time of the accident, not the value of when it was bought.

Collision Coverage and Comprehensive Coverage

Collision coverage is what covers you in the event that the other driver did not have enough insurance or if you were the one responsible for the accident. That means collision coverage is not necessary if the other driver was at fault and had enough insurance. Comprehensive coverage ensures that your vehicle is covered if it gets damaged while it is parked.

The damage could be from another vehicle or even from the environment. But as with collision coverage, comprehensive coverage is not necessary if the other driver had enough insurance. Fault is not a factor here since it is assumed that the other driver is responsible for the accident if the other car was parked when it happened.

Repair Cost Assessment

The first thing that needs to be done is to make a claim to the responsible insurance company by reporting the accident. Once that is done, the insurance company will have someone inspect the vehicle to come up with an estimate for the damages. However, you should not just take the insurer’s word for it, you should get a second opinion by having your own personal mechanic inspect the vehicle to learn what their estimate is.

If they agree with the insurer’s assessment, then you can continue with the claims process, but if they disagree, then they can contact the company and discuss the matter with them. Usually, both parties will be able to come to a compromise if they disagree. However, if you do not agree with the insurer’s final estimate, you can either accept it or file a lawsuit.

Contact an Attorney For Help

There are a lot of scenarios where an auto accident attorney would come in handy when your vehicle needs to be repaired after a car accident. So if you find yourself in such a situation, you need to get in touch with a car accident attorney ASAP so that you do not end up paying a lot of out of pocket costs for the repairs.