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Four Types of Claims You Could Make After an Auto Accident

Written by AskTheLawyers.com™

Four Types of Claims You Could Make After an Auto Accident

Written by AskTheLawyers.com™

AskTheLawyers™

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Every car accident is different, but the type of damage a vehicle, driver, or passenger sustains tends to fall into one of four categories. These damages may or may not be covered by your or the other driver’s insurance policy. If you haven’t updated your insurance in a while, it’s a good idea to explore additional coverage options. For example, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage are considered by car accident attorneys to be some of the most essential types of coverage, followed by Personal Injury Protection or “PIP” insurance.

When evaluating damages after a car accident and deciding on what avenue of recovery to take, it’s important to understand the main four types of claims. It is also important to reach out to a car accident attorney for a free consultation to discuss your situation. In some cases, it may be possible to apply only part of your medical bills to your car insurance while your health insurance pays the rest. Additionally, some claims might not be immediately apparent to the untrained eye, but an experienced car accident attorney will know exactly how to identify and pursue compensation for each and every damage sustained in a collision.

The four types of claims someone can make after a car accident include the following:

  • 1. Diminished Value: It’s no secret that an accident can partially or even greatly diminish the value of a vehicle, even if it is later fully repaired. This can make it difficult for a vehicle owner to sell the vehicle for enough money to replace it or even purchase a new vehicle of lesser value.
  • 2. Comprehensive and Collision: Comprehensive refers to vehicle damage that occurs in some way other than a standard car wreck. Vandalism, theft, and in some cases even weather damage can be included in comprehensive coverage. Collision claims refer to exactly what they sound like; when your car is injured in a collision for which you are at fault, collision coverage can help cover the result damages.
  • 3. Liability: Liability insurance coverage is required in most states, and is intended to cover both vehicle damage and medical bills for another party if you are at fault for the accident. Unfortunately, the other party’s medical bills often exceed the standard liability policy, so it’s a good idea to personalize your insurance coverage to suit your level of comfort.
  • 4. Windshield: A windshield claim does exactly what it sounds like. When a windshield is chipped, cracked, or broken, filing a windshield claim might be a potential avenue to help pay for the damage.

Depending on your insurance coverage at the time of the accident, some or all of the above might be covered by your current policy. However, when the damage exceeds what your insurance will cover, it may be possible to file a personal injury claim, especially if the other driver was fully or mostly at fault for the accident.

It’s important to remember that fault can be difficult to determine at the scene of an accident, and even if you are partially at fault, you may be eligible to seek compensation for a percentage of your damages. To explore this and other options, or for help applying your insurance coverage in the most effective way possible, reach out to a car accident attorney.

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