Sometimes cars suffer serious damages in a car crash. One of the more serious kinds of damage that might result to a vehicle is frame damage. If your vehicle’s frame has been damaged in a car accident, odds are you have suffered a variety of damages, including medical expenses, in addition to this loss. You should consult with a personal injury attorney about pursuing a personal injury claim against the driver who acted negligently.
Damaged Frame in a Car Accident
To have frame damage properly repaired on your vehicle, you will need to take it to a repair facility that specializes in vehicle frame repairs. The cost of fixing the frame is dependent on the make and model of the vehicle. If the car has frame damage, it may not drive straight and will have weaker areas where the damage took place. There are several different parts of a car frame.
As an example, if your car suffered heavy damage, such as frame rail, apron damage, or radiator support damage, the vehicle must be cut off the frame and new parts must be welded on the frame. Once the car is welded back together, the car must be stretched back out using industrial machines. It could cost well over $10,000 to take care of the structural damage to your vehicle.
How to Prove You Weren’t At Fault for the Crash
To have a successful personal injury claim, you will need to show that the other driver acted negligently and that act of negligence led to the damages you sustained. There are four elements of negligence that must be met.
Duty – You must show the other driver owed you a duty or a responsibility. In this case, that duty was to drive safely and to adhere to traffic laws and avoid an accident.
The duty was breached – You must show the driver breached his or her duty. As an example, he was speeding and blew through a red light, hitting your vehicle and causing the crash.
Causation – You must show that breach of duty caused the crash. The other driver wouldn’t have hit you if he hadn’t been speeding and ignored the stop light.
Damages – You will need to prove that you had losses caused by the accident. Documentation, such as tow bills, rental receipts, photos of damages, copies of repair estimates, and other related expenses must be shown to determine the value of your claim and the amount of your damages.
Consult with a Personal Injury Attorney
If your car incurred frame damage because another driver’s negligence caused a crash, you should consult with a personal injury attorney. With the help of a lawyer, your odds of a successful personal injury claim increase significantly. Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, so you will not have any upfront costs. Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form to have your case details reviewed by an accident injury attorney who practices in your area.
