Car Repair Injury Lawyer

Every car accident is different. You might end up in a fender bender, and your car will only require minor exterior repairs. Or your car might be completely totaled, unable to move without a tow truck. Regardless of the damage to your vehicle, you will need to get it repaired or replaced.

Even minor bodywork can cost hundreds of dollars and result in your car staying in the shop for a few days. That is time and money that most people can’t afford. Insurance companies are supposed to pay for these expenses. But when they won’t, a car repair injury lawyer can get you the money you need.

If you need help getting the money you deserve for auto repairs or replacement, Morgan & Morgan is here for you. Use our simple contact form today to talk with our car repair injury lawyers and to get a free evaluation for your case.

Auto Repair Is Expensive and Time-Consuming

Even the cheapest bodywork is expensive. Body repair shops routinely charge up to $100 per hour for labor, and most spare parts range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. The older or rarer a car is, the more expensive any individual part will cost. All of this adds up to repair bills that can reach thousands of dollars.

And that isn’t the only cost that you incur when your car needs repairs. Every day the repair shop has your car is a day that you don’t have a car to drive.

You will need to find alternate means to get to work and to do everyday errands. Your options usually are:

• Asking a friend or family member to drive you
• Hiring a cab or rideshare service
• Renting a vehicle
• Using public transportation

Most of these options will be inconvenient for you and your loved ones. And the expense of rideshare services or rental vehicles adds up, particularly if your car is in the shop for weeks or months.

If you can’t arrange for some form of alternate transportation, there is a good chance that you will have to miss work. This could cost you wages, force you to use up vacation time, and put your job in jeopardy.

Getting Compensation From the Insurance Companies

If this breakdown of expenses looks like more money than you could afford, you aren’t alone. Most people can’t afford to lose their car. Even if they have enough money to pay for repairs, the additional expenses for alternate transportation or the loss of wages are too much for them.

Insurance companies may be responsible for many of these expenses. If you have certain kinds of insurance coverage, your insurance company is supposed to pay for the damage to your car and a rental vehicle while your car is being repaired. 

Even if you don’t have this type of coverage, if the other driver was at fault, their insurance company may be liable for repairs and other expenses. A Morgan & Morgan car repair injury lawyer can tell you what rights you have.
Regardless of which insurance company should be paying, insurance companies will all too often try to pay you as little as possible and may try to deny your claim completely. This is why you should speak to a car repair injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. 

Your attorney will go to bat for you with the insurance companies right from the start, increasing the likelihood you get compensation for your auto repair costs.

What an Auto Repair Lawyer Can Do for You

In most states, fault matters in an automobile accident. If the other driver is at fault, you are likely eligible for much greater compensation than if you are at fault. The insurance company for the other driver may try to pin the blame on you. And if they are successful, you may not see the money you deserve.

Your Morgan & Morgan attorney will investigate the accident, gather evidence, and seek to prove the other driver was at fault. If either insurance company tries to pin the blame on you, we will fight that every step of the way.

Just as importantly, we will act as your liaison to the insurance companies. You speak with us, and we speak with them. This prevents you from accidentally saying something that can be used against you when determining fault. Preventing a mistake is a lot easier than correcting one later on.

If an insurance company continues to deny you the money you deserve even after we have presented appropriate evidence, we will take your case to trial. We have decades of courtroom experience and a long record of success in court. We can’t promise that a jury will decide in your favor, but we will do everything we can to get that result.

What to Expect After a Car Accident

In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, you are required to exchange information with the other driver or drivers. You must provide identifying information and insurance information. 

As much as you might want to talk about the accident, you should avoid doing that, no matter what. Instead, you should immediately call Morgan & Morgan and retain a car accident lawyer.

Depending on how severe the accident was, you may also be required to provide a statement to the police. You have the right to have your lawyer present for that conversation. If the police do request a statement, you can tell them that you are represented by a lawyer and that you will make a statement when your lawyer is present.

From that point on, your Morgan & Morgan lawyer will take control of the situation. We will communicate with all parties involved, including the police and insurance companies. We will schedule any required meetings and be present to advise you during those meetings.

After we have collected evidence to support your case, we will attempt to get a fair settlement from the insurance companies. 

In the majority of cases, the insurance companies will make a fair settlement offer after being presented with appropriate evidence. They know that hiring a lawyer means that you are willing to go to court. And insurance companies will usually offer a higher settlement offer to avoid the time and expense of a trial.

If the insurance companies aren’t cooperative, we will go to trial. Again, our legal team will take the lead. We will file the lawsuit with the court and handle all discovery and pretrial motions. At this point, many insurance companies change their minds and agree to a settlement.

In the rare case that we do go to trial, your attorney will fight zealously to get you the money you deserve. Many trials take years to complete, but your attorney will fight for you throughout the trial and any appeals.

What Does “Totaled” Mean?

Your car has value. That value is usually less than the sticker price of the car. Wear and tear lowers the value of your car. This decreased value is usually tied to miles driven and the age of the car.

That value is referred to as the total value. If the cost to repair your car exceeds the total value of your car, that means your car is totaled. Most insurance policies are written such that insurance companies are only required to pay up to the total value of the car to repair it.

Can I Receive More Than the Total Value of My Car?

The answer to that question depends on various factors, including what type of policy you have, what the laws are in your state, and who is at fault for the accident. In most cases, you are limited to receiving cash value equal to the total value of your car, no matter how much damage it has received.

However, there are exceptions to this. For example, if you have a policy that covers replacement value, you will receive enough compensation to replace the car. 

Additionally, if the other party is at fault, you may be able to receive enough money to repair the vehicle, even if the cost of repairs is more than the total value. Your Morgan & Morgan attorney can tell you what compensation you are eligible for during your initial consultation.

Can I Get Compensation for Lost Wages?

If another driver is at fault and the damage to your car results in you missing work time, you may be eligible for compensation for your lost wages. 

You must make a legitimate attempt to get to work despite the damage to your vehicle. But if there is no way to avoid lost work hours, you may be able to receive compensation.

Can I Get Compensation for a Car Rental?

If your insurance policy covers car rental services after an accident, your insurance company should pay for a rental. However, if it doesn’t, you may still be eligible, depending on the circumstances of the accident and the laws in your state. Ask your Morgan & Morgan attorney what options are available to you.

Can I Keep My Car if It Is Totaled?

Normally, when the insurance company totals your car, it takes the title of the car when it pays you the total value. The insurance company then sells the car for salvage. If you want to keep the car, you will usually have to pay the salvage value to keep the title.

Why Choose Morgan & Morgan?

One thing makes Morgan & Morgan car repair injury lawyers stand out among the crowd: our lawyers care about you.

We know that your car is important to you. For many of our clients, their car is like a member of the family. We understand your connection to your vehicle and will do everything we can to ensure that you keep your treasured ride after an accident. It may seem like a small thing, but having a caring lawyer can be all the difference when life is hard.

If you have recently been in an accident and need help fighting the insurance companies to get the compensation you deserve, speak to a Morgan & Morgan lawyer immediately. Use our easy online form today to schedule your free evaluation.