Depreciation or diminished value claims are typically calculated using the 17(c) diminished value formula to identify the new value of a vehicle after an accident. The first step is to determine the value of the car using a tool such as Kelly blue book or the NADA. You can use information about your vehicle before the accident and put it into their online calculators to get a basic idea of the value of the vehicle. The next step is to then apply a 10% cap to that value. This caps the maximum amount that your insurance company or the other party's insurance company will pay on the claim. The next step is to apply a damage multiplier, which is multiplied by the 10% cap value. The damage multiplier is from 0.00 to 1.0 depending on the severity of the structural damage done to your vehicle in an accident. 0.00, for example, would refer to no significant structural damage or replaced panels but a 1.00 multiplier refers to severe structural damage. At that point you will then take that number and apply a mileage multiplier. This depends on the levels of mileage on the vehicle prior to the accident that would be 0.00 for 100,000+ miles but a multiplier of 1 for between 0 and 19,999 miles. You might also wish to run these numbers prior to filing a diminished value claim so that you have a better idea of what to expect and whether it is worth your time to continue in this way. Depreciation can be very frustrating for someone who has been hurt in a serious accident and will not be able to recoup the value of their vehicle in any other way. It is strongly recommended that you consult with a personal injury lawyer who has extensive experience in this area of the law to increase your chances of full and fair recovery of compensation.