Oil filters are an important addition to your engine. They keep lubricating oil free of unwanted residues and dirt and ensure that your car’s engine is not damaged by dirty oil.
It would be unusual for an oil filter to be damaged all by itself as a result of a collision with another vehicle, but as it tends to stick out from the engine it could be damaged if your engine itself was affected by a head-on collision. Oil filters aren’t expensive, so replacing an oil filter is a minor factor if you are preparing to file a claim for compensation from an insurer.
Filing a Claim for Oil Filter Damage
You are highly unlikely to file a claim for oil filter damage alone. A replacement oil filter is only worth between 20 and 50 dollars and that includes a mechanic’s time to do an oil change! You are not going to go to the bother of filing a claim just for a replacement oil filter, but it is highly unlikely that nothing else was damaged if you have had a car accident. Your claim will likely be for the repair of anything else that was damaged as well as compensation if anyone was injured.
You cannot file a claim for damages unless you are certain that you were not to blame for the accident and have proof that someone else was at fault. You should have exchanged details with the other driver if you were involved in an accident including insurance information.
Specific Evidence Needed for Proving Oil Filter Damage
If your engine was damaged in a collision then there will be obvious visual signs of what has happened. You will need evidence of the extent of the damage to submit with your claim.
One good way of showing the extent of the damage is to take photos of the front of the car including the engine compartment. Try and take several photos from different angles.
If the collision was enough to incapacitate your engine, then police officers would have come and investigated. Get a copy of their accident report and any contact details of eye witnesses who may have seen what happened.
You are interested in not only showing the damage to the car, but having some proof that the other driver was to blame and that the driver could have avoided the accident with more care. Negligence is the most important factor in a claim for compensation.
Why you Should Work with a PI Lawyer When Filing for Oil Filter Damage
If your car has been seriously damaged and you have been injured as well, then you are going to have to deal with a lot of expensive bills. It is not fair that you have to pay out of your own pocket or even try and claim the amounts from your own insurance carrier. If someone else was negligent enough to cause extensive damage to your car and injure you as well, then you have good grounds for claiming compensation from them.
You shouldn’t try and avoid using a personal injury lawyer with car accident experience. Most PI lawyers will defer any legal fees until a payment in compensation is made by the at-fault driver’s insurer. Fill out the Free Case Evaluation today!
