Hello everyone,
I was in a car accident a few weeks ago and I'm trying to figure out the best steps to take. I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on this. The car was a 2022 Model S Plaid.
Here's a quick summary of what happened: I was driving in the left lane through an intersection, and there was another car in the right lane. As we passed the intersection, a car came from the right and ran a red light, hitting both of our cars. The driver who ran the red light was trying to escape from the police, which is why he ignored the signal, but he was caught soon after.
I filed a claim through my insurance because I wasn't sure if the person at fault had insurance at the time. The appraiser provided a repair estimate of $47,000 and deemed the car repairable. However, I was hoping they would declare the car a total loss because the Tesla-certified repair shops in my area are quite busy, and they won't be able to start repairs until January or February. At that point, I'm not sure if they might discover more damage and decide to total the car.
On the other hand, I found out that the driver who caused the accident has insurance. Their insurance company is investigating the situation, and they will likely assign responsibility to the driver who ran the red light.
Now I'm uncertain about what to do next. Should I stick with my insurance and proceed with getting the car looked at several months from now, or should I go through the other driver's insurance and see what they propose?
My preference is for my car to be declared a total loss since I can get a replacement vehicle more quickly than waiting for repairs. If I choose the other driver's insurance, they'll provide a rental car while mine is being repaired. Additionally, once repairs are completed, I intend to request compensation for the diminished value of my car due to the accident.
My insurance won't offer a rental for more than a few weeks, and they've mentioned that the other party's insurance will handle diminished value claims. If I choose the at-fault party's insurance, will they take into account the cost of diminished value and a 4-6 month rental period when deciding whether to total the car instead of repairing it?
Regarding the accident sequence, everyone believes that the at-fault party's car hit mine. However, upon reviewing the dashcam footage, I realized that the at-fault car actually T-boned the car in the right lane, which then hit my car. Is it worth mentioning this information? I'm unsure if the driver who ran the red light might attempt to avoid responsibility since their car didn't directly hit mine. Also, I'm uncertain if the other car that was initially hit is insured. Currently, only I am aware of this detail, and I want to share it only if it benefits my case and doesn't complicate matters.
I'm making an effort to make the most informed decision, especially with this new information about the accident sequence. Thank you for your advice!
I was in a car accident a few weeks ago and I'm trying to figure out the best steps to take. I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on this. The car was a 2022 Model S Plaid.
Here's a quick summary of what happened: I was driving in the left lane through an intersection, and there was another car in the right lane. As we passed the intersection, a car came from the right and ran a red light, hitting both of our cars. The driver who ran the red light was trying to escape from the police, which is why he ignored the signal, but he was caught soon after.
I filed a claim through my insurance because I wasn't sure if the person at fault had insurance at the time. The appraiser provided a repair estimate of $47,000 and deemed the car repairable. However, I was hoping they would declare the car a total loss because the Tesla-certified repair shops in my area are quite busy, and they won't be able to start repairs until January or February. At that point, I'm not sure if they might discover more damage and decide to total the car.
On the other hand, I found out that the driver who caused the accident has insurance. Their insurance company is investigating the situation, and they will likely assign responsibility to the driver who ran the red light.
Now I'm uncertain about what to do next. Should I stick with my insurance and proceed with getting the car looked at several months from now, or should I go through the other driver's insurance and see what they propose?
My preference is for my car to be declared a total loss since I can get a replacement vehicle more quickly than waiting for repairs. If I choose the other driver's insurance, they'll provide a rental car while mine is being repaired. Additionally, once repairs are completed, I intend to request compensation for the diminished value of my car due to the accident.
My insurance won't offer a rental for more than a few weeks, and they've mentioned that the other party's insurance will handle diminished value claims. If I choose the at-fault party's insurance, will they take into account the cost of diminished value and a 4-6 month rental period when deciding whether to total the car instead of repairing it?
Regarding the accident sequence, everyone believes that the at-fault party's car hit mine. However, upon reviewing the dashcam footage, I realized that the at-fault car actually T-boned the car in the right lane, which then hit my car. Is it worth mentioning this information? I'm unsure if the driver who ran the red light might attempt to avoid responsibility since their car didn't directly hit mine. Also, I'm uncertain if the other car that was initially hit is insured. Currently, only I am aware of this detail, and I want to share it only if it benefits my case and doesn't complicate matters.
I'm making an effort to make the most informed decision, especially with this new information about the accident sequence. Thank you for your advice!