PORSCHE DIMINISHED VALUE CLAIMS ATTORNEY

Porsche Diminished Value Claims in Virginia

After a car accident in Alexandria, Richmond, or anywhere in the DMV, vehicle owners face a significant issue that is not recognized by many car accident lawyers: the diminished value of your car. Diminished value is a legal term that that refers to the difference between your car's pre-accident value, to it's post accident value (after repairs are finished).

Most cars that have a history of car accidents, even just the one, lose some of their inherent resale value. This impacts your own financial position - and this is even more true when you are the owner of a higher-end vehicle such as a Porsche. Your car is not just your transportation - it is also an investment.

At Blaszkow Legal, we have a team of attorneys who know how to maximize the value of our clients' cases, including diminished value claims. We know the complexities of the law, and we work hard to get you the compensation that you are entitled to.

If your Porsche has been damaged in a car accident, even if there are no injuries, then you may have a diminished value claim - call us today for more information, and a free consultation!

How do you know if you have a Diminished Value Claim?

The question of whether or not you have a diminished value claim after a car accident is going to depend on the Porsche's value. You will only know that after several things have already been done:

1) You have contacted an Experienced Diminished Value Attorney
2) All repairs are complete on the vehicle
3) The repairs are adequate: you've driven the car, and nothing needs any more attention
4) You obtain a useable, professional, Diminished Value Appraisal

Getting a Diminished Value Appraisal

Appraisals are a dime-a-dozen, if you only type that phrase into Google. There are any number of ads for online-appraisal companies that will be only too happy to take your money. STOP - do not click on those ads!!!

Diminished Value Appraisals online are problematic, and often worthless from a legal standpoint. This is not to say that the companies are disreputable. But, the law works differently in every state, and generally the car insurance companies will either 1) ignore them completely, or 2) de-value them so much that they are practically useless. Why?

1. Online Diminished Value Appraisals are done by pictures only. No independent, certified appraiser has looked at the car! Pictures tell a thousand words, but they only get you so far.

2. Online DV Reports use nation-wide data sets, and the insurance companies don't like nationwide math - and for good reason! What a Porsche 911 costs on the Upper West Side of Manhattan is not the same as what it costs in Hollywood and Cheboygan, Wisconsin. A local appraisal is going to use relatively local examples, not ones in other jurisdictions.

3. Some online appraisals are not done by humans, but by AI software. AI software cannot testify.

4. Even if an online appraisal IS real, the Appraiser is still far away, and the insurance companies know you are not going to fly the appraiser himself from Los Angeles to Richmond to appear in Court. But the insurance companies will have their own expert there to testify, live, before a judge. It's human nature that many judges side with a person they can see vs a stack of papers, only.

You can avoid these problems by having your car appraised by a local, in-person appraisal. This may cost a few hundred dollars more, but given the value of your vehicle, it is something that we ALWAYS recommend.

Diminished Value Claims - Frequently Asked Questions

What damages can I claim after a car accident?

If you were involved in a car accident, you have both 1) personal injury damages (sometimes called bodily injury claims) as well as 2) property damage claims. Personal injuries include the cost of your medical treatment and pain/suffering as well as inconvenience, and more. Property damage claims include the repair of your vehicle, as well as the diminished value of the car, after all repairs are completed.

Can Blaszkow Legal help with all Diminished Value Claims?

Many Porsche owners have Diminished Value Claims after car accidents, but not all Diminished Value Claims merit the involvement of an attorney, due the amounts involved. If the amount of the DV claim is modest, say $5,000, then it is counterproductive to engage an attorney. However, if we also represent you for your personal injury claim, then there is no limit to the Diminished Value Claim we will assert. If you have been involved in a car accident, then let us handle the whole case: injuries and diminished value.

Do I have a Diminished Value Claim if my car was a Total Loss?

Unfortunately, no. If your vehicle was declared a total loss, and you accepted the payment therefor, then the case is over. You cannot accept the total loss valuation and then go back and say the valuation was incomplete. If you have accepted money for a total loss, then the case is over. Generally, you must retain your vehicle to assert a diminished value claim.

How much do you charge?

Blaszkow Legal handles Diminished Value Claims the same way we handle injury claims: we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we don't get paid unless we collect money for you. Our fee is a percentage of the monies recovered.

Fault and Diminished Value Claims

Virginia, Maryland, and DC all practice a legal doctrine known as Contributory Negligence. This means that a person cannot assert a claim if he or she contributed in any way to the happening of a car accident. This is a very tough standard, and the insurance companies love it - they get to deny more claims here, than anywhere else.

The insurance companies will use anything you say against you - never speak to an insurance company until you have spoken with an attorney!!!

If you are blameless, however, then you may be able to assert your claim. Some examples of incidents were liability is not in dispute:

1. Your vehicle was parked and someone struck it

2. You were rear-ended at a stop light

3. Someone ran a red light or stop sign, and struck your vehicle

However, we always have to prove that the other driver was at-fault. We do this through an immediate, in depth investigation. It is vital that you contact us as soon as possible after the accident, so that we can get to work. Unfortunately, most people wait to speak to an attorney, and we are then only able to use whatever the evidence is, when we are contacted.

Call a Porsche Diminished Value Attorney today!

If your Porsche was damaged in a car accident that was not your fault, call Blaszkow Legal today. We are your first and only stop for Porsche Diminished Value Claims! Our team of attorneys and paralegals will fight the insurance companies to get the compensation you are entitled to - before Court, or in Court!

Get Justice with Joe and call 703-879-5910 for a free consultation!

Alexandria/Northern Virginia Office:
5270 Shawnee Road #102, Alexandria, Va. 22312
703-879-5910

Richmond Office:
7824 Shrader Road, Richmond, Va. 23294
804-273-8929

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