Filing a diminished value claim is not the right approach for everyone. There are many different factors you'll want to consider in determining if this is the right approach for you. First of all, think about your vehicle's value prior to the accident. If you had a lot of structural damage previously or a high amount of mileage prior to the wreck, it doesn't work to file a diminished value claim because you may not receive much in return. Every state also has its own laws about diminished value claims and how they are calculated. It's a good idea to speak with your personal injury lawyer to better understand how this could influence your specific case. Two other important factors to consider when filing a depreciation or a diminished value claim are whether the other driver was insured and who was at fault. If the other driver did not have car insurance, you will need to review your own vehicle policy to determine if you had uninsured motorist coverage. In this situation, you would need to file a diminished value claim through your own insurance company, but you may also have grounds for a personal injury civil lawsuit against the responsible party. Insurance companies will not process diminished value claims if you were at fault for the damage, so you are not eligible to do it if you cause the accident yourself.