Your wheel alignment can be damaged in a car crash, even a minor one. Alignment changes may not be visible at first sight, but you will soon notice deterioration in the performance of your car.
In some cases this could prove dangerous as it may not be easy to steer the car safely or at least make it difficult to steer as normal. Even minor misalignment caused by a car accident may affect the wear on your tires and reduce their life span.
You shouldn’t have to pay out of your own pocket if you weren’t to blame for an accident. You may have good grounds for filing an insurance claim with the other driver’s insurer. A personal injury claim can help pay for alignment and other damage to your car and compensate for any medical treatment or lost earnings if you were injured in the accident.
Filing a Claim After Alignment Damage
You will notice alignment damage as soon as you drive your car after a car crash if it has been affected. Normally, alignment damage is due to quite a severe crash, so it is likely that there will be other damage done as well. All damage should be documented.
Visible damage should be photographed at the scene of the accident to prove that that is where it happened. This is not so easy if you have had damage done to your wheel alignment but a report from the car repair yard will help to fill in the evidence.
It is best to err on the side of too much documentation rather than too little when preparing a submission to an insurer. Note that there is usually a time limit imposed on claims of this nature and you should endeavor to file a claim sooner, rather than later.
Specific Evidence Needed For Proving Alignment Damage
The at-fault driver’s insurer will not make a payment just on your verbal statement. You will need to show that any damage to your car was due to something that their client did or did not do which contributed to the accident.
Photographic evidence, eye witness statements, admission of fault by the other driver and the crash damage report by the car repair yard you have taken your faulty car to all helps to build a picture of the damage causes.
Apart from showing who did the damage and what was damaged you will need to have copies of bills and invoices showing how much the accident cost you. If you were injured and cannot return to work quickly, then you should include lost earnings with the cost of medical treatment with your claim.
Why You Should Work With a PI Lawyer When Filing For Alignment Damage
If you are going to have to find substantial amounts of money to repair any alignment repairs and any other damage to your car, then it makes sense to talk to a PI lawyer first and follow his / her advice. Note that insurers will often try and treat you differently than someone who didn’t.
The lawyer will have a much better chance of winning a compensation claim than you might have all by yourself. Complete the Free Case Evaluation on this page today!
