Auto Insurance Claims: Diminished Value Question, uninsured motorist insurance, 2007 nissan altima

Question
I have a 2007 Nissan Altima that was rear-ended.  The driver that hit me had no insurance.  Repairs are nearly $5000.  My uninsured motorist insurance will pay for repairs, medical bills, etc.  I am also told it will pay for Diminished Value.  How is diminished value determined, and how do I know if it is "fair' or not.  Do you recommend I get a lawyer to represent me since my own insurance is paying?

Answer
You need to get an appraisal from an independent appraiser, a local one to you can be found by going to www.ICAN2000.com. Search for local DV help.

Any DV appraisal is a projection of the loss you sustained. The only definitive measure of the loss, however, is an actual sale of the vehicle with full disclosure of the damage history, at which point one deducts the net proceeds of the sale fromt the pre-loss book value to arrive at a hard figure. This does not mean you haven't suffered a loss without selling your car. I get my customers settlements all the time an no one has had to sell their car to get one.