Providing ABAC opportunities and increasing customer service. Auto body shop owners intuitively know that customers with damaged vehicles often do not receive full compensation for the total value of the car. What many shop owners do not know is that there is strong case law history here in Connecticut that supports a diminished value claim.
The important Connecticut case below describes how the court measures the damage and very clearly explains that evidence of basic repairs does not put the car in the same condition or value as before the accident.
Matthew Forrest, Esq.
LEGAL NOTE
Littlejohn v. Elionsky 130 Conn. 541
Successful Connecticut Supreme Court Diminished Value Case
“The measure of damages isthe difference in value between the property before and after the loss, with interest from date of loss. …[T]he defendant offered evidence that the car could be and was restored to a sound or good state. This falls short of a claim that the repairs had put the car in substantially the same condition as before the collision. For example, a new car may be badly damaged and be repaired so as to put it in a sound or good state, and yet be worth much less than before the collision.”
FROM THE DESK OF…
Based on feedback from ABAC members, Forrest Law has developed a easier referral system for shops that are interested in diminished value cases. Our new referral letter form explains the service and process in a quick easy-to-read one page document. This document can be included in the final packet of materials that shops review with owners when a car is ready to leave the shop. If the client is interested in pursuing a diminished value case, they simply need to sign the form to indicate interest and Forrest Law will follow up.
We hope that this form will make the explanation process easier for shops. If you would like a referral letter or more Forrest Law brochures, please contact us at matthew@matthewforres tlaw.com or 860-757-3828.
RECENTLY SETTLED CASES
We have been very successful with a number of claims that have come through ABAC body shops.
Diminished Value for $2,250 with Nationwide Ins.
Diminished Value for $3,100 with USAA.
THANK YOU AIRPORT ROAD AUTO BODY FROM HARTFORD!
