Automotive Collision Center Inc.

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Whether the accident is your fault or the other driver’s, make sure you go to an appropriate repair shop — and ask for what you require.

Teenagers have a profound impact on those auto insurance rates of yours. There are ways to help keep those rates lower when junior decides he wants to start driving though. Here are five tips to surviving the long haul of your teenager being on your auto insurance policy.

1. Younger kids get older cars

New cars are expensive on that auto insurance budget. This is usually due to the coverage that has to be carried on that sleek new ride. This might not be the best type of car for your new driver in the family.

The teenager might be asking for a fast sporty car, but in reality, they really need to be learning with an older sedan. Older cars often need less coverage than newer cars. Getting a sedan also helps with that monthly auto insurance bill as sedans often come with the “not going to play speed racer” stigma.

2. Scholarly rates are a win-win situation

Some auto insurance companies will give discounts for good grades. This is due to many scholars performing many studies. These studies have found that students with good grades are often involved in fewer accidents and acquire few traffic violations. Not only do you get the benefits of cheaper insurance, but you get a rocket scientist as a benefit.

3. How do you define that teenager?

How you define your teenager can have a drastic impact on your auto insurance. When you are adding little missy to your policy, you might be asked if they are an occasional driver or the primary driver. The answer to this question means the difference between steak or rammen noodles for dinner.

This also means that the teenager might need to drive the family car if they are defined as a hobby driver. Your teenager might be on the constant go, but they don’t need to be the only driving amongst their friends. Teach your kids the value of sharing the driving responsibilities.

4. Make them pay

Parents don’t have to take on the burden of everything their kids do. If your kid wants to drive, now might be the prime opportunity to start teaching them budgeting skills. Make that kid pay some sort of auto insurance to you.

This doesn’t have to be drastic. Remember, you want them doing important things like learning in school and developing good money habits. One of the most common practices is to make your kids pay the difference in auto insurance rates when you add them to your policies.

5. Take more than just driver’s education courses

Driver’s education just gave your teenager the basics they needed to get driving. It might be time for them to consider more education. Defensive driving and road rage classes are a plenty these days. Have your teenage successfully complete these types of courses and watch your auto insurance premiums return to your bank accounts.

Teenagers already cost you an arm and a leg in that weekly grocery bill. Don’t let them suck your bank account dry with the auto insurance premiums as well. Teach your kids good driving techniques on the road and enjoy that extra money in your pocket.

Automotive Collision Center Inc.

8201 Washington Blvd. Jessup MD 20794

410-799-2000

www.mdaci.com

The pain and suffering aspect of personal injury cases always contain some form of emotional stress. However, in many cases the injured party eventually recovers from their injuries. When someone dies due to another person’s negligence, the emotional pain that the decedent’s family and loved ones experience is difficult to restore. In addition, the individual’s unexpected death may place financial hardship on the family. If you are in such a situation, suing the individual or entity responsible for your loved ones death is a course of action you may want to consider.

Overview of Wrongful Death Personal Injury Litigation

Losing a loved one is never easy. If you are a dependent or close family member of the decedent a and the relative’s death was the result of wrongdoing by another individual or entity (such as a company), you may be able to file a type of personal injury called wrongful death. Your relationship to the decedent is only one condition that you have to meet. Depending on the laws of the state, you may also have to prove the following when contending a wrongful death personal injury:

• The decedent has a family representative overseeing their estate. If the decedent’s estate is in probate (being managed by the state) because they did not have a will, you may not be able to file a personal injury claim.
• The person or entity is entirely responsible for the death of the individual or played some part in the actions that led up to the death.
• The individual or entity responsible for the death was negligent (careless) or meant to cause harm, and this lead to your relative’s death.
• You and another surviving family members have experienced emotional injury sufficient to warrant compensation.

In comparison to other forms of personal injury, wrongful death differs in many ways. The most significant of these variances is how compensation is determined. In a wrongful death personal injury claim, the compensation in question is tied to both an emotional and pecuniary (financial) injury. Statutes of limitations (time limit to file claim) are also different in wrongful death cases than for other types of personal injury claims. States determine statutes of limitations. After death and within sufficient time to determine if there was a wrongful act committed are two time-related issues that a court may consider. A judge may start the limitation period when the person was alive, if the defendant in the case determines that the decedent was aware of the wrongful act prior to their death.

Important Considerations in Wrongful Death Cases

Wrongful deaths are probably the most distressing types of cases litigated in personal injury court. In addition to emotional pain and suffering, the compensation that is rendered in wrongful death cases is usually for the purpose of recovering the family’s financial loss. For example, the death of person who was the primary provider for a family can result in significant financial hardship. The courts may also take the type of wrongful death into account when considering an appropriate compensation for the family.

Types

There are numerous situations that can lead to a wrongful death, including the following:

Medical Malpractice: This is the most common form of wrongful death personal injury. In this situation someone in the medical field performed a negligent act that caused the decedent’s death.

Automobile Accident: This is the most common claim that is filed in personal injury. A driver under the influence of alcohol who kills someone in an auto accident is an example of negligent behavior in an automobile accident that can lead to a wrongful death suit.

Criminal Behavior: In some cases, a criminal act can be litigated in both criminal and civil court. The wrongful death personal injury claim is not typically filed until the criminal trial is over. The individual does not have to be found guilty in criminal court for you to proceed with a personal injury claim.

Work-Related Accident: When these types of incidents result in death, the employer is usually at fault for creating an environment that is unsafe. A worker that develops a fatal disease as a result of handling hazardous chemicals is an example of a work-related wrongful death.

Process of Proceeding with Wrongful Death

Although having to handle the particulars of a wrongful death personal injury case can be difficult, it is imperative that you act fast once you discover the negligent act. There are many laws and circumstances associated with the timing of a claim that courts might consider in their judgment in a wrongful death personal injury case. The following is the basic process of a wrongful death case:

1. You must confirm that the decedent’s estate has been assigned a personal representative.
2. Establish who or what was the cause of the wrongful death.
3. File the wrongful death personal injury claim. The defendant may offer a settlement at this time.
4. If no settlement is offered or you decline the settlement offer, the case goes to trial.
5. The discovery phase begins. At this time the lawyers on both teams obtain evidence to prove their case.
6. The court renders a judgment for compensation based on the specified pain and suffering experienced due to the loss of the decedent.

Your Rights

If you are the relative of someone who died at the hand of a wrongful act, you have the right to recover damages that result from a wrongful death.

People often feel guilty for attempting to recover monetary compensation because someone died. An insurance company or other defendant in a wrongful death personal injury case may attempt to make you feel that your claim is inappropriate. The majority of state laws give you the right to obtain damages due to the loss of a loved one whose death was due to negligence or another form of carelessness.

According to the United States Census Bureau, there are more than 304 million people in the U.S. With that number of people driving, walking, and carrying out other activities in their daily lives, people are bound to run into each other. Whether the incidents are accidental or intentional, result in minor or severe injuries or damage to your personal property, you have the legal right to file a tort or personal injury claim to recover damages.

Overview of Personal Injury

A personal injury is a physical or mental impairment that is caused by another person, an animal, or an entity. Property damage may be involved as well. There is usually an evident fault that causes harm or an injury. However, it is not enough to claim that a person has caused your injury; you have to have proof. The following are the main three foundations used to collect damages in personal injury cases:

Negligence: You have to prove that they were negligent. Negligence refers to actions performed in a reckless manner that result in harm to another individual. To prove negligence, you must typically demonstrate that the person causing the injury:

• was obligated to act with reasonable care
• neglected to act within reason of the law, and
• their actions are the direct result of an accident that caused you harm

A person who runs a red light and slams into your car and causes you to suffer a neck injury is a prime example of negligence. The individual had the obligation to abide by the law and stop for a red light.

Strict Liability: Safety is an important concern for manufacturers of consumer products and producers of food items. When defective or unsafe foods cause injuries, the injured party can file a personal injury claim based on strict liability. This basis of personal injury relies on the design of the product or the food item causing the injury. Recalled tires that cause a car owner to have an accident and suffer subsequent injuries is an example of a strict liability personal injury case.

Intentional Wrong: A purposeful action of an individual that causes you harm is the definition of an intentional wrong. This basis of personal injury is typically associated with criminal acts, such as assault, but litigated in personal injury court. This type of personal injury claim is usually not filed until there is a verdict in the related criminal case.

Important Considerations of Personal Injury

The basics for determining whether or not you have a personal injury case are outlined above. Which foundation you and your lawyer decide to use depends on the type of case.

Types

People often associate personal injury law with car accidents. While automobile accidents make up most of the personal injury claims that are filed in the United States, there are other types of incidents that fall under the personal injury umbrella. The following is a list of the most common types of personal injury cases:

Auto Accident: This is the most common type of personal injury case. This type of case may or may not go to trial. It is usually a matter handled between you and the defendant’s insurance company.

Slip and Fall: This category of personal injury refers to injuries you suffer as a result of a fall caused by another individual’s action. Work-related injuries typically fall under workers’ compensation. However, if your employer is at fault for your slip and/or fall, you have the right to sue them.

Wrongful Death: This type of personal injury refers to when a person dies as a result of someone’s wrongful act. For this case the decedent’s family or loved ones typically file the claim and receive any monetary judgment. Medical malpractices are the most common types of wrongful death cases.

Motorcycle Accident: A personal injury resulting from a motorcycle accident works similar to an automobile accident. The main difference in the two is the insurance law that governs the riders of motorcycles. While it won’t necessarily preclude you from filing a personal injury claim, if you do not abide by laws governing the use of motorcycles, this could become a determining factor in your case.

Dog Attack: When a dog inflicts harm on an individual, its owner may be sued. Whether or not this type of personal injury is permissible depends on if the state in which the incident takes place imposes strict liability on pet owners whose pets injures other people.

Steps of a Personal Injury Case

In a personal injury case, you are the plaintiff (person claiming the injury) and the person responsible for your injuries is the defendant. Depending on the type of personal injury case and the state in which the lawsuit is filed, the steps in a personal injury case may vary. The following are the key phases of a personal injury case:

1. Initiate a personal injury claim. This step includes officially notifying the defendant of your claim and your intentions to sue.
2. The defendant is given a specific amount of time to respond to your claims. At this time the defendant may offer a settlement.
3. People on both sides of the claim attempt to secure evidence to “make their case.” This “discovery” phase may consist of deposing witnesses and reviewing documents obtained from the defendant’s legal team.
4. Depending on the outcome of the discovery phase, the defendant may offer a settlement.
5. A trial date is set in a civil court within the jurisdiction of the offense. Depending on the type of personal injury and the jurisdiction, a jury or judge may be responsible for hearing the facts of the case.
6. A unanimous verdict (required in some states) and a judgment for compensation is rendered.

Your Rights and What You Should Do

You have the right to neglect to have a recommended surgery as a treatment for your injury. However, if you sustain further injuries that the surgery may have prevented, the person you are filing the claim against will probably not be held liable for the subsequent injuries.

With any luck, you will be blessed in life to have very little experience with filing auto insurance claims. That’s O.K. If you’ve been in an accident, you don’t have to be an expert. We can help you. At Mic’s Auto Body, we’ve repaired vehicles for the past 35 years. In that time, we have helped thousands of customers work through the insurance claims process.

Below, we have outlined the high points of the claims process, the ones that most people face in a normal claim. If you have any questions, feel free to ask your customer service representative for more specific information.

Rip-Off #1 – The Estimate Game

Many believe the first step in having their vehicle repaired is visiting a number of shops to obtain the lowest estimate.

Untrue. No law or moral standard says you must have your vehicle repaired at the “cheapest” place.

Would you select a surgeon based on price? Of course not! … You would choose a surgeon based on their skill, service, knowledge, and reputation. The same is true when it comes to auto collision repair. Low estimates often leave off important operations necessary to properly restore your vehicle to pre-accident condition.

Rip-Off #2 – The Direct Repair Game

A few insurance claims offices or agents will attempt to influence your decision when selecting a repair shop. They often try to refer you to a shop of their choice — one “preferred” by them.

Why?

Many Insurance companies with “referral” or “preferred shop” programs have approached repair shops and, in exchange for discounts, use of non-original parts and other cost-cutting techniques, promise to send repair work to the particpating shop to be on the insurer’s “list.”

Many have contracts in place with these repair shops. The problem? The repair shops participating in these programs are, in essence, working for the insurance company — not you, the vehicle owner.

Rip-Off #3 – The “Approved List” Game

If you choose a shop that doesn’t “participate” in these programs, you’ll likely be told (by the insurance company) that your selected shop is not on their “approved list” or that they may not be able to as “efficiently handle” your claim due to your selection of shop.

Don’t be intimated by these intimidating steering tactics!

Be aware of your rights. Contrary to what you may be told — it’s your car and YOU choose who repairs it.

 5 Costly Misconceptions About Auto Collision Repair

Misconception #1: The Insurance Company is Responsible for Selecting the Shop to Repair Your Vehicle

False. Insurance agents and adjusters have no authority in telling you where to have your vehicle repaired. It is YOUR investment and YOUR responsibility to select a competent collision repair facility to properly restore your vehicle to pre-loss condition.

Misconception #2: The Insurance Representative Said the Shop You Selected Isn’t On Their “Approved” or “Preferred” list, and You Should Choose a Shop From Their “List”

False. In an effort to influence your decision process, some insurance companies use this “preferred shop” technique (under a number of interesting names). By them doing so, many uninformed consumers end up at repair shops who have agreed to repair the vehicle using procedures and imitation parts dictated by the referring insurance company.

You are NOT required to visit these shops. Doing so could put you at a disadvantage in settling your claim and receiving a high-quality repair to your vehicle!

Misconception #3:You Must Obtain Multiple Estimates

False. There is no law requiring you to get more than one estimate. This is often the reason one ends up with substandard repair work. You see, buying auto collision repair isn’t like buying a sweeper. It’s easy to compare features among sweepers, but difficult to compare levels of quality when it comes to auto collision repair. A repair can look good after the paint finish is applied, but it’s the underlying repair that determines the longevity of the repair.

With multiple estimates in hand, the insurance company will likely pay for the repair based on the lowest estimate.

The problem?

The lowest estimate is often the most incomplete estimate. Here’s an example:

Shop A writes an estimate including a number of operations necessary to properly restore your vehicle. These operations could include a wheel alignment check, corrosion protection (rustproofing), aiming of the head lamps, paint blend operations, etc.

Shop B prepares an estimate and overlooks the above mentioned operations from their repair estimate.

The insurance company pays for the repair based on Shop B‘s estimate. The vehicle owner mistakenly assumes they have done so because Shop B is “cheaper” than Shop A. Because of these omitted operations, the vehicle is returned to the owner with mismatched paint, could exhibit premature tire wear, or begin to rust.

Who loses? The vehicle owner.

Misconception #4: All Repair Shops Are Basically the Same

Not true. There are substantial differences among repair shops. Some have made considerably large investments in equipment and training. Many have not. Always do your homework when selecting a repair repair facility. Ask friends for recommendations.

Some vehicle owners assume the dealer must do the repairs to maintain their vehicle manufacturer’s warranty. This is also untrue. The manufacturer warrants only the parts used in the repair process. This warranty is in effect with independent repairers as well.

Furthermore, independent repair shops specialize in collision repair only, where dealers must also focus attention on selling new and used cars, servicing trade-ins, operating parts departments, etc. Independent facilities use the same, manufacturer-warranted parts as the dealer. If you have any questions about the parts warranty, just ask.

The Four Mistakes to Avoid When Selecting a Shop

Mistake #1: Failure to Select a Qualified Repair Shop

Don’t rely on your insurance company to make this selection for you. You must do your homework . Select a repair facility that will represent YOUR best interests by repairing your vehicle to pre-accident condition and provide you with a written warranty on the repair.

Mistake #2: Choosing a Shop Based on the “Lowest” Price

Estimates are seldom written “apples-to-apples.” If a few necessary labor operations are excluded from an estimate, one could assume the shop is “cheaper” than an estimate prepared with these operations included.

Truth is, the consumer doesn’t receive these necessary operations during the restoration process.

Mistake #3: Allowing the Insurance Company to Make (or Influence) Your Decision When Selecting a Repair Shop

Some insurance companies insist you have your vehicle repaired by a shop on their “preferred” shop list. You are not required to do so. Instead, like any purchase, choose a repair facility based upon reputation, quality and workmanship guarantee.

Mistake #4:Failure to Understand Your Responsibility in the Repair Process

Always remember: It’s YOUR car. It’s YOUR choice.

From the selection of the repair facility to securing payment from the insurance company, you are ultimately responsible for the proper and safe repair of your vehicle.

 here are 7 things your auto-body shop won’t tell you. In fact, I could have used this article a few month ago when my car was in for repairs after an accident.

1. That fender bender will be a major expense. If the accident is your fault and you have the typical $500 deductible for a collision, kiss your money goodbye…

2. Approved shops are beholden to tightfisted insurers. Auto insurers contract with providers to repair vehicles for a pre-negotiated rate (think of it as managed care for sick cars). And your car could be the victim of cost cutting…

3. Not all replacement parts are created equal. Original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts are designed to match precisely and may be safer. But insurers prefer that shops use generic or salvage replacement parts because they’re cheaper…

4. The due date is most likely fiction. Mechanics routinely blame missed deadlines on delays in parts delivery. The truth is that many of them take on more business than they can handle…

5. A rented car will cost you. Renting a car for three weeks could cost $1,000 or more. Even if you have optional rental-car insurance (which costs $1 or $2 a month), your daily reimbursement may be limited to the cost of a compact car.

6. Your car needs a shop that speaks its language. Many European cars use aluminum and ultrahard steel that require special equipment to repair… Shops should be certified by the manufacturer to do the work, meaning they must have specialized training and equipment — and charge higher rates.

7. The insurer’s warranty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Insurers sometimes dangle warranties on the parts (for as long as you own the vehicle) to entice you to go to shops in their network. But the body shop’s guarantee is the one that’s important.

 Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Rocky Hill Rep. Tony Guerrera, D-District 29, got a look at the issues themselves by visiting South End Auto Body. They claimed the issues with Painter’s SUV illustrate a wider problem in the industry called steering, in which an insurance company illegally pushes business to a certain repair shop.

“The consumer may be under the impression that he or she has no real choice. We want to make clear: Your car, your choice,” Blumenthal said.

Parker said the concern is that customers might think insurers are making the repairs.

“You look at your estimate and you estimate says Progressive Insurance. It doesn’t say ABC Automotive. It doesn’t say YZ Automotive,” Guerrera said. “So, technically, they’re saying they’re doing the repair, and I don’t think Progressive has a license to do automobile repairs.”

“The insurance companies are looking to cut corners because it cuts costs, and that also cuts quality for the consumers and potentially creates dangers for them,” Blumenthal said.

Both men are pushing a law that makes it tougher for insurance companies to make those recommendations.

Progressive said they’re not steering business, saying that all they’re doing is giving customers a choice.

“Steering is illegal and we agree with that,” Andreoli said. “So, do I think we need another law for that? Personally, no, I don’t think so. It doesn’t really make sense.”

In the meantime, Painter is getting her car fixed the right way.

“Are you changing your insurance provider?” Parker asked Painter.

“No comment,” she replied.

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