Dear Adam,

I’ve been in a car accident. My car has body damage ,maybe frame damage, now what?

There are many things to think about. My car was towed from the accident scene, where is it now? What is my insurance situation? Does it matter if the accident was my fault? How much will it cost to repair and who decides where it gets fixed?  How will it be fixed, the way I want it or the cheapest way?  Most importantly will my car ever be the same again? I’ll try to explain the process from the scene of the accident to picking up your repaired car.

So you’re pulling up to a red light and someone hits your car from behind. First thing to do is walk to a safe place , don’t stand around in traffic waiting for the police.  While the paperwork is being done, call your own tow truck. Have a phone number stored in your phone, do not use the company the police are going to call.  I use Done Right Towing because they know me and have always been good to my customers. Tell them to call me and I’ll be expecting your car and put it somewhere safe. You want to use a company that will take the car where ever you want it. If you don’t know of a body shop (use us) or have the car towed directly to your home or office until a decision can be made. This protects you from high storage fees and  it keeps your car from being dropped at the body shop of the tow truck driver’s choice. While you are on the way over to the shop I’ll have an Enterprise rental car on the way to pick you up.

How bad is it and who is going to pay to fix it? No matter if the accident was your fault or not I would always call my own insurance carrier. This will assure you are getting the type of service that you pay for, not the lousy coverage the guy who hit you may have. If it wasn’t your fault your insurance rates will not go up from making an accident claim. Your insurance company will send out an adjuster who will come to my shop and inspect the damaged car. He (or she) will present me with a detailed appraisal and tell me what they will pay to repair your car. They will detail what type of parts are to be used , new or recycled, factory or cheaper aftermarket. The appraisal will also detail exactly how much they will pay for labor and supplies. I will look the totals over and make sure the adjuster didn’t miss anything before agreeing to start the work.  You as the consumer should always ask your company for a copy of the appraisal , to make sure you are getting all of the repairs and new parts they paid the shop for.  Look and see if you were to get any new wheels or tires, and make sure they match the originals.

I’m not going bore you with the details of unbending and painting your wrecked car. It is very important to understand that its not just banging out dents and spraying paint anymore. Todays cars are made of exotic materials (aluminum ,composites and plastic) which must be handled  in different ways. A well equipped shop will have the specialized techniques to deal with these. Painting must be handled with care. Whether its an entire car or just a spot on one panel, the color must match perfectly.

The answer is the same for most questions about auto repair. Its important to have someone who knows what they’re looking for when evaluating your damaged car. We guarantee all of our paint and body repair for as long as you own your car. I will take all of the headache out of repairing your car from having the car picked up to dealing directly with the insurance company. And yes the car can be repaired as good as new, if the right   body shop repairs it.

I invite your comments , please call me anytime at 305-443-3305

Adam Yunis
Collision Repair Expert
Shop Owner, Specialty Car Services
12930 SW 85th Ave Rd.
Miami, FL 33156
305-443-3305