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After being in an accident, the last thing you want to worry about is getting your vehicle repaired. Here are the resources you need to help you get your vehicle repaired after being in a collision in Las Vegas.

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For many people, getting their car repaired is an enormous hassle after a car accident in Las Vegas. Even if they did not suffer any personal injuries, car owners need to find an appropriate mechanic or body shop to look at their vehicle, and they might have to negotiate with an insurer to obtain full compensation to cover the cost of repairs.

Fixing a car is expensive, and auto shops vary considerably on experience, expertise, price, and variety of services offered. Fortunately, you are not in this alone. Your attorney can help you with a claim. After seeking a Vegas auto accident lawyer, you should find an auto repair facility that will perform the work you need at an affordable price.

Paying for Repairs

Who pays to fix your car? To answer this, we need to briefly look at Nevada’s fault rules and how they interact with insurance.

If another driver is at fault, or mostly at fault, then their property damage liability insurance should pay for repairs. Nevada requires all people registering vehicles to carry at least $20,000 in property damage insurance.

You might also have collision coverage. This is no-fault insurance that pays to have your car fixed regardless of who is at fault. You might even be to blame, but you can still get them to pay for repairs. Nevada does not require that owners have collision coverage. If you still have a car loan, though, your lender probably requires that you have it.

What You need to Know about Auto Repair in Las Vegas, Nevada

There are many auto repair facilities in Las Vegas. That’s the good news! What’s harder is finding a shop that fits your needs. With so many options to choose from, the confused car owner might be paralyzed with options.

One thing you should realize is that your car insurance provider might tell you where to take the car to be looked at. If so, you should take it to that shop.

If you have options, you should choose your own by answering the following:

  • Has the body been damaged? If so, you probably need an auto body shop.
  • Has the windshield or other windows been cracked or damaged? If so, you need auto glass repair.
  • Does the car need a paint job? (Most do after a collision.) You should be able to get a paint job at a body shop.

Another step to take after an accident is to look at online reviews and talk to friends or family about who they have had work on their cars.

What You Need to Know about Auto Body Shops in Las Vegas

Auto Body Shop in Las Vegas
If the body or frame was damaged, you’ll need to take your car to a body shop. The staff at body shops have received specific training for dealing with damage to the body of the vehicle. This type of damage is much more complicated than simply replacing a muffler or checking brake pads.

Because the structural integrity of your car is compromised, you should not drive it. Instead, have it towed to the body shop and inspected. The shop should provide you with an estimate of the cost for repairing the vehicle.

Major work on the frame is rarely cheap. Never agree to any work without seeing an estimate ahead of time. They should receive your permission before going ahead with repairs.

Many body shops specialize in certain vehicles and models. This is a huge advantage because the staff understands the vehicle inside and out. They should be able to fix the car so that it is safe to drive. You should know this ahead of time. There is no point in having your vehicle towed to a facility that doesn’t work on your type of car.

The quality of work varies by body shop. Your car should be restored to its original pre-crash condition or better, which means that damaged parts should be replaced with new or used parts. Unfortunately, some shops use “Bondo,” which is a plastic body filler. Bondo is sometimes the easiest and most cost effective way of repairing a vehicle, but it is not returning your vehicle to its original condition. In some cases, it might even compromise the integrity of the car.

Make sure you understand how the car is being repaired:

  • Will the body shop use Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts? This is ideal.
  • Will the body shop use parts manufactured by someone else or used (aftermarket) parts? These are less ideal, though cheaper.

What You Need to Know about Auto Paint in Las Vegas

Fully restoring a vehicle after an accident includes painting it. If you needed a new door, then odds are low that its color will perfectly match the current color of your vehicle. To keep a new part from standing out like a sore thumb, you should have the entire vehicle painted.
Occasionally, a person suffers only a scratch or series of dings that do not require that the entire car be painted. But if your insurer is willing to pay for a fresh coat over the entire vehicle, then there is no reason not to get one.

For paint, consumers typically choose between acrylic or non-acrylic, such as water-based paint. Acrylic paint can provide a glossy appearance, making your car look almost new, but some people want a non-toxic alternative.

Many body shops provide paint services, so make sure to include it in the estimate they provide for all repairs. You’ll want to go with a shop that is highly rated but also affordable.

What You Need to Know about Auto Glass Repair in Las Vegas

Vegas Glas Repair After Collision
The windshield is your window to the outside world, and whenever it is damaged it can impair your ability to operate your vehicle safely. Auto glass repair in Las Vegas involves restoring or replacing windshields as well as any of the windows on a vehicle.

There are two main considerations when dealing with auto glass repair:

  • Can the glass simply be restored without replacing the entire window?
  • Is the damage so extensive that a replacement is the only sensible option?

The auto glass repair shop you go to should understand that not all glass damage requires a complete replacement, which is usually the more expensive option. Restoration is often a sensible option for people who have experienced only minor damage, such as shallow star breaks, short linear cracks, and partial bull’s eye breaks. If your car was T-boned, for example, a side window might have been smashed but the front windshield could have sustained only minor damage.

Full replacement of a windshield is an expensive option. The price can go up to $300—sometimes more (not even counting aftermarket tinting). The total price includes the cost of the windshield as well as the price of labor and the type/make of your vehicle.

If your windshield is being restored, then you should check whether the glass repair company can do the repairs at your home or office. This would be an excellent benefit since you would not have to go out and drive.

What You need to Know about Auto Mechanics in Las Vegas

Unlike in other states, Nevada does not require that auto mechanics receive a state license before they can begin working. However, this doesn’t mean that some don’t go ahead and get an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification. It simply means that this is optional.

Most body shops have several mechanics and technicians working for them. However, the reputation of the company is the key. You should thoroughly research the company’s reputation by looking at online reviews, which provide insight into the company’s reputation in the community.

Negotiating with an Insurer

Insurance Negotiations
Typically, there are fewer disputes when it comes to settling a claim involving only property damage than when bodily injuries are involved. Still, this does not mean that you won’t have disputes regarding how much your car is worth or the amount of repairs work needed.

Some might force you to go to a body shop they select, which then does terrible work. For example, a body shop might use Bondo when it is more appropriate to replace parts or weld pieces together. Inadequate repairs can dramatically reduce the quality and safety of a vehicle.

Another common dispute is whether the vehicle is totaled. Nevada law states a car qualifies as a total loss if the cost to fix the car exceeds 65% of its pre-accident value. So a vehicle that was worth $10,000 but needs more than $6,500 in repairs is a total loss. In this situation, you might be better off getting a check from the insurer so that you can buy a different car. However, it is vital that the insurer properly value your car, otherwise you might receive less than you are owed.

Further Resources For Las Vegas Car Repair

Use this expansive map resource below to locate automotive repair services ranging from automechanic repairs, auto body repairs & paint to auto glass replacement, auto glass window tinting & even vehicle towing:

[Click on the top left icon of the map to filter results by type]

(Copy the code above to share & embed this map)

Talk with a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer

Car repair after an accident causes intense headaches, even for seasoned drivers. If you have a dispute with an insurer about any issue, please contact an attorney at Ladah Law Firm today. We offer a free consultation to those who call 702-252-0055.

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