How do we decide what is owed?

I back up into my friends car 3 weeks ago, his car was then vandalized with a concrete cinder block and totaled by insurance two weeks later before we could fix it.

We had agreed to fix the car and already purchased a door to fix it, and then their insurance company came into the picture and was told about the existing damage.

Before we got a body shop quote to paint match the door and having it back to stock for $600, now my friends mother has called and told me that what john harries, a more expensive body shop, had quoted was the amount owed to them.

What is my legal recourse in this situation? What can I do?

If I am still liable to pay them, then how much, and how is that decided?

Answer:

Hello,

This is somewhat of a confusing situation. You had to pay for what you damaged, regardless of what happened after the fact. If you have estimates of the damage before more damage was done, that is the number a court would be looking at, even if the vehicle is destroyed without being fixed.

You have a right to see all estimates and pay what is “reasonable and necessary” please see: http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/Reasonable-and-Necessary.html

This means you could negotiate your terms. However, the fact that this is a friend might put you in a bad spot (sometimes friendship is more important than money).

Good Luck,
http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com