How the Property Damage Repair Documentation is Vitally Important to Your Case

The problem with accidents where injury is involved, is that, generally, property damage exists where it cannot be seen, such as underneath the bumper cover to the actual metal behind the cover. Consequently, it is very important that even if you think there is little or no damage to your vehicle, promptly to get a complete property damage estimate, including an estimate of the cost to properly repair the vehicle. Frequently, once the body shop starts removing metal and parts in the car in order to begin repairs, they discover further damage. It is very important that this information be documented on the repair estimate, as this type of damage is not readily observable. Reputable body shops will clearly put on the estimate a disclaimer that the initial estimate can be finalized only after they take the car apart to make the repairs. Then, they will revise the estimate and obtain authorization from the vehicle’s owner and the insurance company for the full cost of the required repairs. Having this information allows you to prove that just because the plastic bumper cover doesn’t show a lot of property damage, once the body shop began disassembling the damaged parts in order to make repairs, substantially more damage was revealed.