Estimates for Repairs after a Tampa Auto Accident & the Role of Your Lawyer

Almost all auto accidents cause some amount of damage to your car, whether the accident occurred in downtown Tampa, Clearwater, St Petersburg, or Sarasota. The majority of auto accidents also result in bodily injuries to drivers and passengers alike. The consequences of just one auto accident, therefore, can change your life for weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime.

One of the first phone calls you will make after an auto accident is to your insurance company to report the accident. If you are unfamiliar with the coverage provided by your policy—as most people are—your insurance company will tell you what they can cover as far as repairs to your vehicle.

For injuries, you are required as a Florida resident to carry personal injury protection, or PIP insurance. This insurance will pay at least $10,000 toward your medical bills and lost wages, regardless of who was at fault in the accident. For injury costs totaling more than your PIP limit, you may need to make a claim with the at-fault party's insurance coverage, your own health insurance, or your uninsured/underinsured motorist protection coverage.

The point here is that repair claims and injury claims are two totally different issues. In most cases, you will be responsible for submitting claims for repairs, and your lawyer would be the best person to handle your injury claims. If you have a question about repair claims and injury claims in your Tampa Bay area case, contact Tampa auto accident lawyer Dale Appell, P.A. for more information.

While sifting through the process of getting estimates for repairs on your vehicle, the following are some tips to keep in mind:

1. If you have collision coverage on your vehicle, you will probably get faster results by making a claim with your own insurance company, even if you were not at fault. Your insurance company will pursue the at-fault party's insurance policy for reimbursement. Any money your insurance company receives from the at-fault party's insurance policy will first go to reimburse you for your deductable. This process can take six months or longer.
2. If you do not have collision coverage, your only other choice may be to call the other driver's insurance company and make a repair claim. If you were at fault in the accident, the other insurance company will not pay your claim. Even if the other driver was at fault in the accident, the at-fault insurance company can take awhile to inspect your vehicle. The at-fault insurance company may also reduce the amount of money they are willing to pay for your claim if they feel you were partially responsible for the accident.
3. When you speak to insurance companies about your car repair claim, let them know upfront if you have retained an auto accident lawyer for your injury claim. Your lawyer should have already informed the insurance company in writing about representing you for your injuries, but it is a good idea to clarify this with insurance companies so that they do not try to ask questions about your injuries.
4. For a car accident repair claim, you are not required to describe how the accident occurred. Describing the accident to an insurance company without your lawyer present could damage your injury claim. You may also unknowingly provide the insurance company some basis for making a claim that you had a degree of fault for the accident.
5. The insurance company paying for your car repairs will send out an adjuster who will inspect your car and give you a repair estimate. You can take this estimate to any collision center, mechanic, or body shop of your choosing. You can also ask the insurance company for auto shop referrals, but you are not required to use them. If the repair shop finds more damage caused by the accident than the adjuster listed on the estimate, the repair shop will contact your adjuster to increase the claim, so that damages caused by the accident can be fully repaired.
6. It's good to know that if you were not at fault in the accident, your insurance company is not allowed to raise your rates simply because you make a claim, as stated in Florida statute 626.9541, section (o) "Illegal dealings in premiums; excess or reduced charges for insurance."

To learn more about the best way to handle insurance claims for Tampa Bay area car accidents with serious injuries, contact Tampa auto accident lawyer Dale Appell, P.A. for a free assessment of your case. We can help you sort through this potentially difficult experience, whether your accident occurred here in Tampa, Florida or in any surrounding areas such as Oldsmar, Apollo Beach, Clearwater, New Port Richey, Pasco, Polk, Citrus, Sun City Center, St Petersburg, and Hernando.