Should I Salvage my Vehicle?
Many people don’t know that they have an obligation to preserve evidence that caused their personal injury claim. If you discard evidence (called “spoliation”), you may be prohibited from asserting part or even all of your injury claim. In auto injury claims, you have a duty to preserve the evidence that is under your control or ownership.
So, you may need to keep a wrecked vehicle in the same condition if the vehicle malfunctioned in any way that may have caused a collision.
You may otherwise want to keep the vehicle in its unrepaired state until you have consulted with legal counsel because once the vehicle is repaired or salvaged, you can’t go back and inspect the damages.
Take lots of photos of your damaged vehicle at a minimum before sending the vehicle to salvage.
Your insurance adjuster may be encouraging you to discard orsalvageyour vehicle before adequate pictures or inspections can be taken of the damage.
Keep in mind that the “little scuff” on the back bumper may actually be a huge dent in the metal bumper system behind the plastic bumper cover. If you allow the vehicle to be salvaged and crushed, then you are stuck with these limitations in presenting your injury claim.
What can an injured person do to make sure that they don’t destroy key evidence for their injury claim?
Meeting your duty to preserve evidence that you own or control can be confusing. This is yet another reason to engage experienced legal counsel early in the process to safely navigate all the pitfalls that may compromise your insurance claim.
Morgantown Car Accident Injury Lawyers
If you or your loved one has been injured in a Morgantown car accident due to someone’s careless conduct it is important to act quicklyto protect your claim. Mr. Robinette has handled hundreds of cases involving serious injury and wrongful death and can provide the insight you need right now.
CallJeff Robinettetoday for a free evaluation of your case at 304-594-1800 or after hours, 304-216-6695.
We are glad to provide free books and information for WV accident victims:Collision Care: West Virginia Auto Collision Guide, andRighting the Wrong, West Virginia Serious Injury Guide: 304-594-1800.
Call us today to find out how we can help you.


Car Accident Injuries
Jeff Robinette was hired by a young woman who had sustained permanent injuries to her foot due to an auto collision. The insurance company offered such a small amount and dealt with her in such a dismissive manner that the treatment of her case amounted to bad faith on the insurance company’s part. Jeff was able to obtain a substantial settlement which allowed this young woman and her husband to pay medical bills, buy a car and a home, and start building a future together.
Drunk Driver
While driving his car, our client was hit by a drunk driver which injured his shoulder so severely that three surgeries were required. The insurance company haggled over the value of the claim, initially giving a low-ball offer. Jeff Robinette was able to force the insurance company to pay all insurance available for this claim.
Motorcycle Accident
A police cruiser was attempting to make a U-turn on a four-lane highway and collided with our client’s motorcycle. The trooper had failed to follow the rules of the road by making an unsafe or prohibited lane change and was found to have operated his vehicle in an “erratic, careless, or reckless” manner.
As a result of the trooper’s negligent driving, our client sustained bodily injuries which required emergency room treatment and subsequent physical therapy and prescription medication to recover from his injuries.
The Robinette Legal Group, PLLC was able to recover an ample settlement to cover our client’s medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
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Practice Areas
- Personal Injury Overview
- Bicycle Accidents
- Birth Injuries
- Brain Injuries
- Burn Injuries
- Car Accidents
- Cerebral Palsy Birth Injuries
- Commercial Delivery Truck Collisions
- Construction Site Injuries
- Defective Product Injuries
- Dog Bite Injuries
- Drunk Driver (DUI) Accidents
- Gas Explosion Injuries
- Insurance Claim Disputes
- Medical Malpractice
- Mining Accident Injuries
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Rear-End Collisions
- Scaffold & Ladder Fall Injuries
- Shoulder Dystocia Birth Injuries
- Slip And Fall Accidents
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Truck Accidents
- Uninsured Motorists
- Work Accidents
- Wrongful Death
- Wrongful Diagnosis