The Amount I got for my DV is after the car was repaired. They basically are paying for the difference in what I would get for my car if I sold it after the accident because they car will not worth as much due to accident and repair and carfax history etc.

 

OP:

This is not intended as "legal advice" and is solely informational. As some posters have noted, Diminshed Value Claims vary by jurisdiction, i.e., state law. Some states have statutes that create a cause of action for diminished value. This is a separate and discrete claim from the property damage claim. Many jurisdictions require that you are 100% NOT at fault. Your fact pattern assumes this. Usually, you do not need to file a diminished value claim at the same time as the property damage claim, but it is advisable to do so. In jurisdictions where diminished value is a statutory cause of action, there are "diminished value appraisers." They are employed by YOU, not the insurance company of the at fault driver. You can find and employ them on your own. Google is your friend here. They will look at the damage and provide an estimate as to how the damage will effect a prospective sale. You are being compensated for the delta between your car's value before and after the accident. A car, especially a high-end car, is presumptively worth less after an accident. You do not need an attorney to prosecute your claim.

 

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We tried to get the diminished value from our accident and were initially turned down. We were recommended to try a professional at AutoDamageClaim.com, and they got us $5,300 for our diminished value claim!


We found them from this youtube video:

 

There are alot of companies available that have prewritten letters they can draft for you and then take a look at your repair and estimate the DV. I live in GA and used diminishedvalueofgeorgia.com, they were aware of the state laws and were able to get me 3x more than the original DV offer from insurance on my Acura. It cost me 2-3 hundred dollars to have them complete the evaluation which I have to imagine is much cheaper than a laywer. After that they send me a letter which I sent to insurance and they paid immeidately, no questions asked. See if there is any local companies in your state that offer similar services.

 

No diminished value claims in Hawaii. We just have to live with it. I was planning to re-sell after my lease is up here in Hawaii or export to Asia but with an accident a month after buying brand new and a blemished CARFAX i'm expecting a much harder time re-selling. Icing on the cake is i lost two months of lease payments because the vehicle was not safe to drive. The insurance company was gracious enough to offer a Toyota Corolla as a rental.