Shane Smith here.
If you’ve recently been in a car accident, it is likely your car has been damaged. It’s possible the damage is so bad, the insurance adjuster is saying the vehicle is considered a total loss. Either way, you’ve likely been left with an inoperable vehicle, which means you may have no way to get around town, let alone to get to and from work or doctor’s appointments.
Now you have to wait on an insurance adjuster to approve repairs or to make an offer for the value of your vehicle, and you have to decide which auto repair shop you want to work with to repair your vehicle.
Your insurance company may have preferred repair shops that they work with because they’ve negotiated lower prices for repairs. But this shop may not have your best interest in mind. This shop is essentially in business with the insurance company, which means they have the insurance company’s interests in mind and not necessarily yours.
For example, to cut costs, insurance companies may want a repair shop to use aftermarket or used parts to repair your vehicle instead of the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts. These OEM parts are designed specifically for your vehicle by the manufacturer. Cheaper aftermarket or used parts are often nowhere near as safe or reliable as OEM parts.
Another problem that can come up is that repair shops are sometimes unwilling to work with insurance companies, or they come up with different estimates for the cost of repairs than the insurance adjuster. This can cause payment disputes between the shop and the insurance company. These disputes can delay your car repairs, leaving you without a vehicle longer and potentially on the hook for costly mechanical services.
Also, there can be hidden costs not covered by an insurance policy. For example, an insurance company may be willing to cover the costs of repairs but refuse to pay for a rental car while the repairs are being made. This can be a costly financial burden for you while you are waiting for your mode of transportation to be back up and running.
Lastly, there can be major problems if the repairs are not done correctly and the insurance company has already paid the repair bill. Damage can creep back up, especially when it comes to the frame of the car. It can be difficult to properly align a car that has suffered body damage and if an airbag was deployed, properly repairing the air bag system can be especially challenging to get right.
Dealing with insurance companies and auto repair shops after an auto collision is challenging to say the least. Shane Smith Law is here to help. Our dedicated team of legal professionals are proficient in all areas of a personal injury claims, including helping to make sure our clients are back on the road as fast as possible, either in a rental, or in their own repaired vehicle.
If you or someone you love has recently been involved in an auto collision that was not your fault, put the skilled legal team at Shane Smith Law to work for you.
Call our office today at 980-246-2656.
We are happy to help in every way we can.
Shane Smith
Founding Attorney of Shane Smith Law