In this week’s addition to our property damage blog, I would like to discuss your rights if you have your vehicle repaired and then realize that your vehicle has additional damage that is from the car wreck, but undiscovered until after repairs were made. In this situation, the liability insurance carrier (the insurance company for the driver who caused the collision) is still on the hook for the damages. It is important that you promptly contact the insurance company and alert them of the additional damage. Once you alert the insurance company, have them sign off on the repairs for the additional damage so you wont have to pay out of pocket and then have to fight with the insurance company later to reimburse you. Fortunately, even if you signed a release, you are still protected by the North Carolina Administrative Code which allows a person to “promptly assert a claim” to have additional damages repaired if they are caused in the wreck and were “unknown to either the claimant or to the insurance carrier prior to repair of the vehicle.” 11 NCAC 4.0421. If you have any questions on this topic or other questions about getting your vehicle repaired, call us at 919-719-2750.
To find out more about Owens & Miller PLLC, please visit us at www.owensmiller.com.
