Now my car has a significant crash on hits vehicle history report, tanking its would-be sale or trade-in value. The insurance company did not adjust for this, which is known in legal terms as Diminished Value.
When you get into a wreck large enough to be a point of contention on a car’s Vehix or Carfax (or whatever), you need to hire an attorney to make sure you get paid for the diminished value to your vehicle. Insurance companies don’t make money by giving it away to everyone that asks, and they generally will not make it easy on you, the customer, the end user. This is why you bring in the heavy hitters, the lawyers.
Your attorney will know which avenues are worth walking down with the insurance, but more than that, they will be an advocate and a professional bodyguard of sorts that makes sure you do not get manipulated or taken advantage of.
Lawyers do cost money, which is the downside, but the cut that a lawyer would take is generally going to be worth it for the processing of the diminished value claim, and if you’re working with a trustworthy law firm — they would tell you if their fees are going to make the claim not worth it for you.
You should definitely at least inquire about diminished value, both with the insurance and with an attorney, just to prove to the insurance company, at the very least, that you’re a force to be reckoned with and should not be lowballed.