Yuma, AZ – Car collisions can cause the people involved to take various actions with their insurance provider or the assistance of a lawyer. This is mostly due to the high costs of dealing with injuries, lost wages, and property damage all at the same time. Victims depend on their insurance companies to pay out a claim to help them, but there are a lot of variables in this process that can be confusing or even prevent the person from collecting all of the money that they need. Understanding how the provider comes up with their amounts and estimates is helpful to anyone who is dealing with the aftermath of a crash.

Information used it the process of the estimate

Insurance companies will generally consider the information they use to estimate the value of cars and other losses proprietary, meaning they do not share their internal processes with customers or the public. However, there are some general principles that can be used to get a similar estimate. 

The car itself is given a value called the actual cash value which factors things like age, mileage, depreciation, and wear on the vehicle subtracted from its cost when it was new. This total after applying the formula can often be much less than the driver owes for the loan on the vehicle, plus a deductible needs to be paid by the driver, which means that collision insurance is not as helpful as most people would assume.  

Insurance companies also use their own computer software that takes variables and comes up with amounts for other kinds of damages such as pain and suffering. These amounts are put into settlements that are offered to accident victims. Depending on the insurance company, they may consider treatment from certain types of doctors to be more expensive than others, and certain injuries may receive a higher value even if this does not correspond to the actual damages for the accident. 

Bringing a lawsuit 

If the insurance process is insufficient or not helpful, the victim may want to retain their own lawyer to help protect their financial interests. This can be done to ensure that the victim can pay for their medical bills and other losses. Negligence cases argue that the person or business responsible for the accident needs to pay for all of these costs, and they can ask for larger amounts than offered in the initial settlement. 

Accident lawsuits in Arizona

Schneider and Onofry assist local clients in the Yuma, Arizona area with the process of bringing a civil lawsuit and receiving compensation. Anyone who needs help from a personal injury lawyer can schedule a meeting with the firm to discuss their situation and receive advice. 

Firm contact info:

Schneider & Onofry, P.C.

207 W. 2nd St., Yuma AZ 85364

928-257-4887

soarizonalaw.com