I got side swiped today on way to work.

Read a little about that but using calculators maybe $700 check???

 

Yep. See post #22

 

This!

 

Do we have any car insurance folks here that can explain how to go about diminished value claim?

 

I’m a tech at a body shop and from the pictures everything should get fixed other then the mirror. The bed will need to be removed to access the damage to the pillar and the door will need to be removed to fix the gap from the rear door to that cab pillar that’s damaged. A good reputable shop will take care of it.

 

Kuul

 

You should feel lucky if you are smart. Don't know your states small claims laws but in Texas pretty straight forward. $119 one page form and court date set. So once yours repairs are complete and you have the total amount get Autoloss to write up a diminished value report. I think they are $300. You will then write a letter of demand (Autoloss includes example) to the person that hit you not their insurance company. Their insurance company is not the at-fault party the person who hit you is. The at-fault party will quickly call their insurance company since the at-fault party has a contract with their insurance company to cover their liability. They will settle before you ever go to arbitration, not to mention court. For example I had a car with $8K worth of damage (was $6,500 before they had to replace aftermarket panels with OEM), Autoloss report indicated $9,500 diminished value. The at-fault part insurance originally offered $1100 and finished at $1400. I filed a petition with court $119, judge requested arbitration/mediation?. You can still request a hearing with judge and jury. A week before we are to meet their insurance offered me $8,900. Case closed, 3 minute phone conversation ck arrived in 4 days. Accident was classified as minor to moderate on Carfax. Carfax gets their information from Police report, nobody else. Its a marathon, let it run it course. Insurance company will require aftermarket parts, no worries, keep rejecting until perfect which will require OEM parts. This is win for everyone but insurance company. Your repair bill goes up which helps your diminished value amount and the body shop loves it also as they get paid every rtime they touch the car. They love installing new parts to replace aftermarket that doesn't fit right, gap not continuous, etc.

Dont stress you have a nice chunk of cash coming. Don't waste your breath on what you think diminished value is, it has to be an unbiased license resource.

Congratulations, by the way a wholesaler offered $3K less than I paid for the car after three years of ownership. With the $8900 I was paid $5900 to drive the car for three years.

Insurance companies know 99% of people just want the problem to go away, their game is to wear you down, hey everybody gets screwed, and again it works 99% of the time, the 1% that stand up get paid very well. All your buddies, neighbors co-workers will have their useless opinion. Then when you get the $$$ they are like WOW, never heard of that.....

 

Excellent ^^^^

 

How about this. I pay you for time and research. You do this voodoo witchcraft thingamajig for me. If I get 8900, I fly you out here, get bottles of low end beer and champagne, shake them up and party like we won the Stanley Cup. Then I will use more of this money to pay a maid for a week to clean. Take my truck to the dealership, and trade it in for an old unmarked caprice (with the spot light still intact) wait till 2022 and buy the new tundra in cash. (Semi serious)

 

Paying me accomplishes nothing. I am not certified appraiser on the value of your premium vehicle after a wreck that likely will be noted on carfax eliminating 55% of future potential buyers. Again it is very simple. Get the vehicle repaired. Contact Autoloss, Get their report. Send letter of demand to at fault party. discuss settlement with insurance company.


You don't need to become an expert in diminished value and the different types. Don't make it a bigger deal then it is. Obviously keep all documentations preferably by communicating with emails.

 

Well that was dumbed down a little for me. Im definitely going to look into it and I appreciate you looking out. Still would beer ya brotha!

 

OP what state are you in? I’m in the insurance businesses. Some states don’t recognize diminished value. Insurance is regulated at the state level, so it varies by state. Courts generally follow insurance regulations and department of transportation laws when it comes to stuff like this. New York is generally unfavorable to diminished value claims. I hope your state is friendly to diminished value. The advice about getting a professional appraisal of the value with and without accident history is sound. Diminished value is the difference between the two values. But the appraisal must come from a reputable source. Good luck.

 

Send me a message, my brother does that, runs a business. I can send whoever needs it a link to his website.

 

I forgot once you have your Diminished value report submit to their insurance company. They will offer a fraction of it. Then reject then send demand letter to at fault part. Again ignore the countless lies you may hear, rental cal duration affects diminished value, there was no frame damage blah blah blah. Truck was worth this on day before wreck and this after wreck. Period.

I tried to blow holes in my report I received from Autoloss. The Autoloss prewreck value was dead on. The post wreck value was dead on. I went to carmax to determine trade in value after wreck. Carmax reduced trade-in by $9100! vs $9500 auto loss report. Carmax had three cars identical to mine for $38K Prewreck value, kelly blue book (on-line) said trade-in $33,500. Carmax offered $24K after their appraisal and carfax report. Insurance company never even received that data, they settled so quick. Again a wholesaler offered me $33K after wreck, didn't care about it, insurance didn't hear about that one either lol.

The Autoloss report has alot of verbiage and generatilities, but she is a certified appraiser. I am not, i am nobody. Without certification nobody cares. self feeding industry.

Oh on your repairs insurance company said we not gong to make your vehicle better than it was, i said great make it as great as it was after the wreck. until both sides of your vehicle are identical keep making them rework it while you drive rental.

 

I just received the estimate from her insurance. Drum roll please. A little over 1500.

 

Get your own estimate from the place you want the repairs done using OEM parts. Send that to her insurance company.

 

For sure but I dont think anything qualifies for parts with the section of the mirror. Door, cab, and bed can only be oem correct. I'm definitely taking it to a shop.

 

Keith, I'm glad you are ok. And, you are getting some great advice here. I can't offer any further. Your truck will obviously get repaired and hopefully, without too much stress.

I have a question though. I'm still baffled as to how you got hit. My understanding is that she was in an adjacent lane, and did a fast overtake as you were accelerating from a stop? Did she offer an explanation as to what happened that caused this? Distracted? Cell phone involved?

 

I was accelerating from a stop at a red light that had turned green. She was traveling around the speed limit 50mph saw the red light I was stopped at turn green and continued travel. She then drifted in my lane right at the rear of my truck when I was going maybe 15mph trying to get up to speed and hit me. She stated she didnt know what happened and admitted she came into my lane. Then she said she didnt think she fell asleep leading me to believe she did. Especially after finding out she leaves her house at 430 every morning for work and this happened around 6am meaning shed already been driving 90 minutes.

 

Happened so fast I had no time to react

 

Glad that you are ok and she didn't rear end you while you are stopped. Could have been much worse. Good luck with getting your wheels back in shape.