Law Offices of Jezic & Moyse, LLC.

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• 1. The at-fault driver’s insurance company should pay for your property damage.

The insurance company should pay for the repairs to your vehicle, a rental car for your use while your vehicle is in the shop, and for reasonable storage fees.

It is important to note that the insurance company will not pay until they have completed their investigation of the accident and they have accepted liability. Investigation usually takes a few days, but sometimes can take weeks or even months.

• 2. You have a duty to keep costs down.

If your vehicle was towed from the scene, you need to make arrangements to have your vehicle promptly moved from the storage lot. If you leave your vehicle in the lot for an excessive amount of time, the insurance company may not pay the entire storage bill. If you never move your vehicle from the lot, the lot or the insurance company has the right to sell your car to cover the costs of storage.

If you are given a rental car, you must NOT purchase the additional rental insurance policy. It will not be reimbursed by the insurance company. You should NOT continue driving the rental car after the pre-approved rental period. If you keep driving the car for any reason, the insurance company does not have to reimburse you for the extra days.

• 3. If your vehicle is a “total loss”.

If your vehicle cannot be repaired or if the cost of repair is greater than the value of your vehicle, the insurance company will declare it a total loss. The insurance company will then send you a check for the actual cash value of your car. The insurance company will not pay for your rental car while you are “deciding whether or not to accept the cash value offer.” Rarely can the offer rarely be negotiated.

• 4. If you have collision coverage on your own automobile insurance policy.

Your insurance company will repair your car immediately after the accident. You will not have to wait for the at-fault insurance company to complete its investigation. You will have to pay your deductible, and your insurance company may not pay for the entire cost of the rental car. Once the at-fault insurance company finishes its investigation, it will reimburse your insurance company and you should get your deductible back.

• 5. If liability is denied and you don’t have your own collision coverage.

If the at-fault driver’s insurance company denies liability on your claim, it WILL NOT repair your vehicle unless and until you win at trial. This may take several months or even years. You may have to pay for the repairs to your vehicle yourself. BEFORE REPAIRING YOUR VEHICLE, it is very important that you take pictures of it and give those pictures to your Maryland injury lawyer. It is also very important that you get a body shop to do an estimate of the vehicle. Give the estimate to your attorney. If you make any repairs, retain the receipts and give them to your attorney.

Disclaimer:

Please keep in mind that every case is different . No outcome is guaranteed. To learn more about the value of your case, please contact one of our Maryland Personal Injury Attorneys.