Posted on Saturday, August 8th, 2015 at 10:03 pm    

What You Should Know About Diminished Value After a Car Accident?

You finally get your car back from the auto body collision shop after your car accident in Sacramento and everything looks great. You think to yourself that your car looks good and is back to it’s pre-accident condition. But does it still hold it’s full resale value? Did you know that even though your car looks like new it has lost some of it’s value just because you had a car accident. Don’t miss out on getting a diminished value credit after you are involved in a car accident.

Loss of Value or Diminished Value is the difference in the market value of a car that has never been in an auto accident compared to the value of an identical car that has been in an accident. Unlike depreciation, which is the predictable loss in value that occurs over time, Diminished Value is sudden loss in value due to an accident. When you have a loss like this you should be able to get reimbursed through a property damage claim.

How can I get money for Diminished Value?

By law you are required to reimburse a car owner for the difference between the car’s value prior to a wreck compared to the same car after the wreck. Therefore if your car is repaired after an auto accident you will most likely be due additional Diminished Value costs. This value can vary depending on the state you live in. In Sacramento, California insurance companies are required to pay Diminished Value. Never take anyone’s word for a value that is due to you. Always refer to a licensed appraiser to get your vehicle properly appraised after your car is repaired.

How Your Vehicle’s Value Could Be Less

There can be a variety of issues that lead to a Diminished Value after an auto accident. These factors can include how well the auto body shop did the repairs. It could also be affected by the quality of parts used in your car accident repair. Did the Sacramento auto body shop use genuine manufacturer replacement parts or some other cheap aftermarket parts? Aftermarket auto parts are most likely not of the same high quality as the original parts. Because of this your vehicle could lose value due to the sub-standard parts that were used.

Lastly the final factor that will affect your diminished value is how widespread were the repairs to your car. If your car suffered major frame damage that had to be fixed you will definitely lose value as opposed to just a small fender bender accident.

So take the advise of our Sacramento car accident attorneys and have your car appraised by a licensed auto appraiser after it comes back from any auto accident repair. You could be missing out on money due you as a result of your diminished value loss.

Get a free legal consult with a car accident attorney in Sacramento

If you would like a free consult with our Sacramento car accident attorneys give us a call. Here, at the Tiemann Law Firm, our car accident lawyers are dedicated to helping you and your family secure the financial help you need and deserve. Our Sacramento and Folsom, CA car accident attorneys can meet with you free of charge, and if we take your case, we will charge no attorneys’ fees unless you receive compensation. Clients come to us from not only Sacramento but also Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rocklin and other areas in Northern California and greater Sacramento, California.

Client Testimonials

Hanna Padilla Testimonial
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From the very start of my case the Tiemann Law Firm was wonderful. Perter came all the way to my home to sit down and talk to me about my options. He made me and my partner feel very comfortable and promised us he would take the very best care of my case. Peter kept me informed every step of the way and was always on top of things. everything was done in a timely manor and I always felt like I was the only case he was working on because he was so fast. In the end Peter got me back way more money than I ever expected. I would recommend this law firm to everyone. I am very happy with the outcome of my case thanks to the Tiemann Law Firm! Thank you!

Matt H. Testimonial
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I was in a car accident a while back where I was injured and had to miss work for an extended period of time.  After nearly a year of fighting with the insurance company with no results and no progress, I met with Jelena Tiemann.  I couldn't have asked for a more responsive and supportive advocate.  We quickly reached a settlement and I finally was able to move from the stress and burden of feuding with my insurance.  I highly recommending meeting with Jelena if you're in need of a lawyer.

Star Fire Testimonial
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It is hard to put into words the care and dedication that I received from the Tiemann’s. They have been here for me every step of the way and were always available when I had questions or concerns. My husband and I will be forever grateful for everything they have done for us and our family. Thank you so much for all of the hard work and time you have put into my case, we greatly appreciate it and your friendship. We highly recommend this firm and will always be thankful for everything they have done. Thank you so much again, Kim

Lendzey Garcia
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I was in a very bad/ major car accident I originally had an attorney who wasn’t trying to help me out much or take any of my calls so I called Tiemann and told them my situation. They made it an AWESOME and Smooth transition over to them and took on both cases I had. I just settled on my big case and am beyond great full. For them and their team! I highly recommend them. To add on to this a little On how much they will work with you, I moved to Montana in the middle of all Of this and it was not an issue!

Maye Ly Testimonial
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I just saw my lawyer Jelena Tiemann on a t.v ad, which reminded me how much she helped when I was in a desperate situation. I just love her! That is why I feel a need to tell everyone. I had a situation that happened & didn’t know what to do, our where to go. I didn’t even know if she could help me or if any lawyer could. All I wanted was it to go away & was afraid most lawyers wanted to drag it out & possibly go to court. For one she was very professional but was very personable (maybe b.c she’s a lady). She didn’t make me feel embarrassed or self-conscious that I did something wrong or was the cause of the situation. She immediately said we should try our best before going to court. Let me handle some paperwork, if at the last we do go to court we have documents. She gave me all the details, pros and cons but reassured me she deals with these cases all the time. She came through and made it as painless as possible. I now have my life back.