In the aftermath of a car crash, even a minor one, you could end up looking at an expensive repair bill for your vehicle. Should you have to pay for this damage if someone else caused the collision? We don’t think so, and a San Angelo, Texas car accident lawyer from our firm can help you claim the compensation you deserve.
How Is Damage Paid For After a Crash?
In most cases, the person responsible for the crash should pay for the damage done to your car. To be more precise, their car insurance company will be the one to pay for the repair or replacement of your vehicle. Texas drivers are required to have liability coverage, which pays for the expenses of other drivers if they cause a crash.
A policy can pay out if someone is injured, but it’s also designed to cover property damage. The minimum amount of coverage for property damage that every driver must carry is $25,000. That can usually cover the cost of the other driver’s repairs.
What if a Driver’s Policy Cannot Cover All Expenses?
“Usually” isn’t always good enough though. Unfortunately, sometimes a crash ends up causing more damage than the liable driver’s policy can pay for. If you have a repair bill for $30,000, but the at-fault driver only has the minimum coverage, what can you do? Worse yet, what if the driver who hit you ran off or doesn’t have insurance at all?
This is when your own coverage can be used. Unfortunately, the two types of coverage that could help you here are not mandatory to carry, so you may not have them. Collision coverage is used to pay for repairs to your own vehicle, no matter who is at fault.
Then there is underinsured and uninsured coverage. This can kick in if the driver who hit you does not have enough insurance or insurance at all. This coverage is sold in increments of $5,000.
Are There Other Parties That Could Be Responsible For the Damage?
Some crashes get more complicated though. What if there are multiple cars involved? What if there’s a truck or another vehicle owned by a business? Is the company that owns the vehicle liable or is the driver responsible?
There could also be disputes about fault or claims that you contributed to the accident. These accusations can reduce how much compensation you can receive. This is why you should talk to a lawyer about your situation. Even if things don’t seem too complicated at first, you never know what kinds of factors can turn your simple case into a headache.
Contact Our Law Firm
So if your car has damage from a crash, don’t pay for those repairs on your own unless you have to. Contact the Mathis Law Firm and meet with our legal team. We can tell you who should be responsible for those bills, and then we’ll help you fight for the compensation that you deserve.