A tangled auto claim mess

A Complicated Auto Claim Situation

Hey Reddit,

I got into a car accident in Nevada and, thankfully, I was deemed not at fault by the other driver’s insurance, Progressive, which accepted full liability. My vehicle was towed to a lot contracted by my insurance (let’s call it Company A). However, due to Progressive’s underinsured motorist coverage, Company A took over the adjustment and claims process.

Initially, my lead adjustor informed me that a collision adjustor would be onsite for an assessment and that I should give them three days. After waiting for that timeframe, I followed up only to find out five days later that my adjustor had been removed from the claim and hadn’t made any progress. Another five days passed before I finally received the estimate, confirming my vehicle was repairable. I subsequently authorized repairs at an approved body shop.

A few days later, I was notified that my vehicle had been towed to the body shop, but it was rejected by them because Company A failed to send the necessary details. This led to a frustrating search for my vehicle, which wasn’t sent to the original lot due to holiday hours. I ended up having to provide the body shop with the estimate and track my vehicle down myself. Eventually, my car was accepted at the body shop two days later.

A week passed with Company A unresponsive to my requests for updates, and then I discovered an estimate in my online file indicating that a forklift had damaged my vehicle while it was at the Company A tow lot. When I contacted the body shop, they informed me that the damages they found were significant enough that they wouldn’t perform repairs, as they wouldn’t be able to guarantee a lifetime warranty on the new damage. I requested photographs of the damage, which were substantial enough to suggest a total loss.

The new damages, caused by moving my vehicle via forklift, include bent struts and sway bars, punctured tires, damages to the inner wheel well, a bent floor pan, and welding bead tears on the chassis and suspension.

Company A finally got back to me and acknowledged responsibility for the new damages due to their contract, but they are now waiting for instructions from corporate on how to proceed. It’s been two days since their last communication, and I still have no updates.

I’m seriously considering hiring a lawyer, but I’m unsure if that would be premature given the circumstances. If my vehicle ends up being deemed a total loss, it complicates matters because Progressive might not cover the claim since it was considered repairable at the time.

• Is Progressive liable for the damages incurred while at the tow lot, along with the initial damages?
• Did Company A mishandle this claim completely?
• Should I file a second claim with Company A for the new damages?
• Should I pursue a third claim against the tow lot, or would that responsibility fall back on Company A since they contracted them?

Any advice or insights would be incredibly appreciated. I’m here to answer any additional questions you might have, but due to the sensitive nature of this situation, I won’t disclose the names of Company A, the tow company, or the body shop. Thank you!