What Is Considered Major Damage to a Car in Fresno, CA?

After a car accident in Fresno, a primary concern is the extent of your vehicle’s damage. This goes beyond the vehicle’s appearance, encompassing drivability, repair feasibility, and whether to involve your insurance provider or pursue other legal avenues. This guide will clarify what is considered major damage to a car, how insurance companies assess it, and when to consult with a Fresno car accident lawyer regarding your choices.

The Difference Between Auto Body Damage and Minor Damage

Insurance companies, auto body shops, and legal professionals use different standards to evaluate the classification of accidents.

Minor accidents often result in minor damages, such as cosmetic issues like minor dents and scratches, which typically do not impact the car’s performance or the vehicle’s safety. Conversely, major damage can deem a vehicle unsafe. Then, there are accidents that fall in the middle. Common examples of each include the following.

Minor Body Car Damage

Minor dents, scratches, scuffs, paint damage, car’s paint fading, or cracked bumpers that don’t present a safety risk or affect how the vehicle operates still impact the car’s appearance.

While these minor collisions typically just result in cosmetic issues that may not affect the vehicle’s functionality, they still reduce the car’s visual appeal. This is why minor damages are still covered in an insurance claim.

Moderate Body Car Damage

Moderate damage can involve larger dents and non-structural damage, including deeper scratches and cracks that require significant body work or parts replacement, such as broken mirrors, lights, or bumpers.

Moderate body damage may also require a more significant body work and repair process to restore the car’s safety to its original condition. Insurance covers such damages in most cases.

Major Body Car Damage

Major collisions often result in the vehicle being unsafe to drive due to significant structural damage. Such major damage can compromise the vehicle’s structural integrity and the car’s safety, making it a serious concern for car owners.

Severe damage typically impacts vital components such as the engine, transmission, suspension system, or electrical system, requiring extensive repairs. Until these significant issues are properly repaired, the vehicle will be deemed unsafe or inoperable.

Types of Auto Body Damage

When a car’s bodywork or specific vehicle components sustain damage, they raise significant concerns for insurance companies, as it would be more costly to repair the vehicle than replace it.

Additionally, not all damages are immediately visible after an accident, as hidden damages like frame problems, electrical faults, or rust may not be detected right away.

Proper collision repair and a professional inspection are necessary to address visible and hidden damages. Common examples include the following.

Tire and Rim Damage

Types of damage: punctures, bends, or cracked rims
Why it matters: These are essential for mobility. Severe rim damage can throw off alignment or make the car unsafe to drive.

Fender Damage

Types of damage: Cosmetic dents in low-speed fender-bender or structural damage in high-speed accidents
Why it matters: This affects structural integrity and can interfere with steering or expose sharp edges.

Headlights and Taillights Damage

Damage: Cracked or shattered lights, electrical issues that may affect the vehicle’s electrical system, leading to further complications
Why it matters: In California, fully functioning headlights and taillights are legally required for road safety.

Bumper Damage

Damage: Deeper scratches, dents, and detachment often experienced in rear-end collisions
Why it matters: Compromised bumpers that fail to properly absorb impact can compromise safety in future crashes.

Weather Damage

Damage: Prolonged exposure to the sun causing the interior to degrade or accelerating the rusting process in various parts of the vehicle due to drastic temperature changes
Why it matters: If an accident is attributed to a driver’s negligence in vehicle maintenance, insurance claims may not cover weather-related damage, potentially leading to the victim being deemed partially at fault.

Even seemingly minor car damage can indicate deeper structural or mechanical issues. A thorough inspection to determine minor or major damage is particularly important when it comes to being appropriately compensated in an auto accident claim. An experienced Fresno car accident attorney can assess the case, ensuring clients are fully aware of what they are entitled to.

How to Identify Structural Damage

When a vehicle’s structure is compromised, repairs may not restore it to factory safety standards. In such cases, insurance might declare the car a total loss. Structural damage often represents the difference between minor and major damage. Key components taken into consideration include:

Frame or unibody damage to the skeleton of the car, especially damage to the vehicle’s frame, is a key indicator of significant structural damage and can compromise the vehicle’s structural integrity.
Twisted or bent alignment can make the doors, hoods, or trunks difficult to close, creating driver distractions and jeopardizing safety when driving.
Wheel misalignment or uneven tire wear after impact makes drivers more prone to an accident.

Frame and Unibody Damage

Fresno’s highways and intersections often see high-speed collisions, especially along Shaw Avenue, Highway 99, and Blackstone Avenue.

These car crashes are more likely to cause structural damage, leaving victims with unsafe cars and costly repairs. This structural damage can be categorized into either frame damage or unibody damage.

Frame Damage: Traditional vehicles have a frame that supports the entire structure. If bent, the car may not handle properly during sudden maneuvers or future collisions.
Unibody Damage: Modern cars use a unibody design, where the frame and body are integrated. A single bend can affect multiple systems at once.

Determining When to Repair or Replace a Vehicle

After an accident, car owners must make a crucial decision about whether to repair a damaged car or replace it entirely. This decision will not always be apparent and will be based on various factors, such as the extent of the damage, the car’s pre-accident condition, and the financial implications of each option.

In some cases, a complete replacement of certain components, such as the windshield, may be necessary if repairs are not cost-effective.

Additionally, determining if major repairs are required for severe damage and if those repairs are more cost-effective than replacing the vehicle will be taken into consideration.

Cost of Repair vs. Value of the Car

This is often the most significant consideration. If the estimated cost to repair the vehicle approaches or exceeds its actual cash value (ACV) before the accident, it’s typically deemed a total loss, making replacement the more sensible and often only viable option. Insurance adjusters use a total loss formula, which varies by state, to determine this.

Age and Mileage of the Car

Older vehicles with high mileage naturally have a lower market value. Repairing significant damage to an older vehicle may not be the best economic decision, as the repair costs could easily outweigh its worth.

In contrast, a newer, low-mileage vehicle–even with considerable damage–might still be a good candidate for repair if costs are a reasonable percentage of its value.

Whether Safety Can Truly Be Restored

Beyond the monetary aspect, the ability to restore the vehicle to a safe and reliable condition is what is most important. Certain damage, such as severe frame damage or compromised structural integrity, can be incredibly difficult to fully repair without lingering safety concerns.

Even if a repair is technically possible, if it compromises the vehicle’s original safety standards or crumple zones, replacement should be strongly considered.

Ultimately, the decision to repair or replace is a complex one that requires careful evaluation of all these factors with qualified auto body repair shops.

What Auto Insurance Declares a Total Loss

When a car sustains significant damage, insurance providers carefully evaluate the repair expenses. If the repair cost approaches or exceeds the vehicle’s current market value, the insurance company may deem it a “total loss.”

In such instances, the car is considered beyond economical repair, and the insurance company typically compensates the owner with the vehicle’s actual cash value rather than the repair costs.

A significant drawback is that vehicles lose value over time, and accident victims are only reimbursed for the car’s current market value. This often means they cannot afford to replace their damaged vehicle with an identical model and may have to opt for a less desirable alternative.

What to Do After a Car Accident–Regardless of Apparent Damages

If you’ve been in a car crash in Fresno, CA, here are the precautions to immediately take, even when the damage does not appear significant.

Prioritize Safety: Immediately move to a safe location and check for any injuries.
Contact Authorities: Call 911 to get a police report, which is crucial for insurance and legal claims.
Document the Incident: Take detailed photos of the accident scene, including vehicle damage, skid marks, and road conditions.
Exchange Information: Collect necessary details from all parties involved in the accident, including their contact and insurance information.
Report the Accident: The accident must be reported to your insurance provider and the DMV within a certain timeframe. However, refrain from offering further details, speculating about fault, or giving recorded statements.
Hold Off on Repairs: Do not authorize any vehicle repairs until your insurance company or an attorney has had a chance to assess the damage.
Seek Legal Counsel: A Fresno car accident attorney can provide essential guidance throughout the claim or lawsuit process.

Other Legal Considerations in a Fresno Car Accident Case

Major collisions can have long-term consequences beyond immediate vehicle damage. In fact, victims often face a complex array of challenges, including mounting car accident medical bills for everything from emergency care and hospitalization to ongoing physical therapy and specialist consultations.

Additionally, there may be immediate financial strain due to individuals experiencing lost wages due to time off work for recovery and general out-of-pocket expenses. This can significantly impact financial stability and the ability to meet daily expense needs.

Furthermore, the emotional and psychological toll of an auto accident often develops in the form of pain and suffering. This is not only apparent in physical discomfort but also in emotional distress, anxiety, and a diminished quality of life, as well.

Car accidents inflict a broader impact beyond just auto body damage, affecting individuals and their families in profound, yet often intangible, ways. This is why victims are entitled to seek compensation for other losses.

How a Fresno Car Accident Lawyer Will Help

It is crucial not to permit insurance companies to undervalue the car accident claim. Legal representation can assist in demonstrating that the accident led to substantial vehicle damage, not only to the vehicle but also to the victim’s overall well-being.

In addition to vehicle repairs, accident victims in Fresno may qualify for compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. An attorney will negotiate for the maximum compensation.

Documenting and Reporting Vehicle Damage for Insurance Claims

To minimize payouts, insurance companies often seek reasons to undervalue accident claims. Therefore, strong documentation is crucial. A dedicated legal team can help gather the necessary evidence, which includes:

Video and street surveillance
Photos of vehicle damage
Correspondence with the insurance companies
Invoices for out-of-pocket expenses, like tow bills, repair estimates, rental car or rideshare receipts
All current medical bills and projected medical costs

When to File a Car Accident Lawsuit Instead of an Insurance Claim

In some cases, an insurance payout is not sufficient to cover the extent of damages. Therefore, filing a lawsuit may be necessary if:

The at-fault driver’s insurance won’t cover the full cost of economic damages
The accident involved an uninsured driver
Damages exceed the at-fault driver’s insurance limits
You suffered car accident injuries in addition to major damage to the vehicle
You suffered non-economic damages, like pain and suffering or PTSD
You are facing lost wages or medical debt that exceeds insurance policy limits

A car accident attorney in Fresno can help you recover the compensation you deserve, calculating your total damages, including future medical costs and your vehicle’s diminished value.

Seek Professional Legal Guidance in Fresno, CA

Attorney Jeff Car Accident Lawyer can help you understand your rights, maximize your insurance payout, and pursue a lawsuit if needed. Contact us for a free consultation to learn how we can protect your rights.

After an accident, Jeff’s got you.