People involved in an Atlanta accident might end up with a great loss. Such losses include personal injuries as well as vehicle damage. The worst type of vehicle damage comes when you find out that your car has been totaled.
A totaled car or a vehicle that is a total loss in an Atlanta accident means the vehicle is damaged to an extent that the repair costs exceed the actual cash value (ACV) of the car. ACV is an average metric used to compute the pre-crash market rate of any vehicle. It depends on several factors such as the manufacturer, model, condition, mileage, and add-ons used for the vehicle.
Regardless of how safe and responsible you are as a driver, always stop at intersections, and never cross the speed limit. Your vehicle can be completely totaled without any fault of your own, i.e. due to the negligence of another driver on the road.
Insurance companies use different methods to assess the degree of damage a vehicle has endured when you file a totaled car crash claim. Atlanta accident attorneys can help and support you while filing a claim against the at-fault drivers without losing valuable time. You require legal assistance to claim compensation for the physical pain, emotional duress, and economic losses you suffered.
When Is a Vehicle Considered Totaled?
For an insurance company, a car is totaled in an Atlanta accident when it is a total loss. Conflicting with some popular views, a totaled car doesn’t mean the said vehicle is beyond repair.
The car is only declared a total loss when an insurer confirms the charges for repairing your car are either the same or close to the actual market value of the car. In several states, the consideration of a vehicle as a total loss is an issue controlled by local law.
Unlike many other states, Georgia doesn’t consider the total loss threshold in the statute. It is entirely up to the insurance companies to decide whether a car should be determined as a total loss or not.
Insurance adjusters have several approaches and techniques to be sure about their decision. Some of them deem a vehicle to be a total loss if the repair costs reach 70-75% of the car’s actual market value.
Others might consider a vehicle as a total loss only if the repair costs exceed the worth of the car. To evade any doubts about an insurer’s methodology, you should contact the insurance company for more information.
What If People Don’t Agree That Their Car Is Totaled?
Sometimes insurers offer a smaller value to prevent paying for insurance premiums. If you are sure that the rate of your car is more than what an insurance company has estimated, you have three options:
- You can reject this estimation
- Try to negotiate with your insurance company for a higher sum
- File a legal claim against the company
Can I Still Keep My Car After It Gets Totaled In An Atlanta Accident?
Some people keep their cars, even after they’ve been totaled, if they are dear to them, i.e. if a vehicle holds a sentimental value. That’s why even if the car gets totaled in an on-road Atlanta accident, they decide to keep the damaged vehicles with them anyways.
If the car is considered road-worthy and can be operated easily without any issue or risk of further accidents, you can use it for future drives. But using a totaled car reduces the payment from your insurer.
We Are Here To Serve
An experienced and qualified attorney is your prime need when filing a lawsuit in case your car got totaled in an on-road accident in Atlanta, Georgia. We, at the Reginald Greene Injury Firm, are known for our legal team of professional accident attorneys who ensure each of your cases goes smoothly and promise to protect you against the insurer’s tactics.
If you or a loved one were involved in an accident and your car was totaled because of the negligence of another driver, then it is essential to seek compensation for the property damage.
We can help you file a claim against the incompetent drivers and support you in any way possible to get compensation value according to the losses caused to you or your vehicle.