What Compensation Can I Get for a No-Injury Car Accident?
September 24, 2018

Not all car accident claims in Arizona involve injuries. Many crash victims file claims with the sole purpose to collect compensation to pay for repairs or totaled vehicle replacement. If you were recently in a no-injury car accident, here’s what you might expect from a compensation award.

Who Was At-Fault?

Arizona is a fault insurance state. The at-fault party for the car accident will be the one responsible for paying damages, usually through an auto insurance policy. Identifying the party responsible for your crash is the first step toward compensation. You can find out who or what caused your crash with help from a police or insurance investigation. It may be just one other driver at-fault for your fender bender, or you could have a claim that involves multiple defendants.

The party responsible for your accident could affect how much compensation you get for your claim. If a noninsured driver crashed into you, for example, you may have to turn to your own auto insurance policy for coverage. Your policy might have different coverage amounts than another driver’s. All insurance policies in Arizona, however, must come with at least $15,000 in bodily injury coverage per person ($30,000 per accident).

Types of Compensation Available

Aside from determining fault and finding out insurance coverage limits, you will also need to understand the types of compensation that may be available to you with a claim. A no-injury car accident will not qualify a vehicle owner for the same types of compensation as one involving personal injuries. The courts will offer only very limited compensation types if the accident did not cause any injuries.

While a standard injury claim could result in compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, mental anguish, and loss of consortium, a no-injury claim will only give the plaintiff the right to recover damage and related costs. You cannot seek recovery for pain, suffering, or anguish in a non-injury claim, even if the accident or claims process has taken a mental toll. The Arizona courts will only consider these claims if the accident caused personal injuries

What’s the Value of Your Claim?

You can qualify for repair costs in a no-injury car accident insurance claim. Evaluate these costs with help from a professional auto mechanic. Follow the insurance agent’s directions for choosing a local mechanic and dropping off your vehicle. If you need to rent a car while yours is in the shop, you may be able to list these costs on your claim as well. An evaluation of your vehicle will come up with amounts for what it would take to repair your vehicle back to its previous state.

If the cost of vehicle repairs will be more than the value of the car, the mechanic will deem it a total loss. In this case, you could seek damages for the entire value of your vehicle. You may also qualify for diminished value (DV) of a vehicle if you decide to repair the car. The DV of your vehicle is the difference between what it was worth before the accident and what it is worth after repairs. A car can lose thousands of dollars in value after an accident, even with repairs.

A no-injury accident claim could still result in thousands of dollars for your losses and damages. Hiring a skilled Phoenix injury lawyer can help you maximize the value of your case and get the most out of a claim or lawsuit.