What/who determines the damage amount resulting from an car accident if there is no official repair quote brought to court?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What/who determines the damage amount resulting from an car accident if there is no official repair quote brought to court?
The police report from my accident states both cars totaled $500 damage each but I got to court and the judge said he thinks the damage was north of $1,000. This was made with no official repair quote presented and with no pictures presented. Is this legal?
Asked on May 18, 2015 under Accident Law, Arkansas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
It is perfectly legal: the judge (when there is no jury) is *always* the one who makes this determination. Sometimes he has more information (like repair quotes or pictures) and sometimes less, but he/she still has to make the decision. If you believe the judge was badly wrong, you could appeal--but most appeals fail, and can be costly, so they are often no cost-effective.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.