My old Toyota Yaris has probably been written off by a lorry which attacked from behind.
I can buy a new car but everything has become complicated and I need to find a French expert who will act on my behalf to negotiate with my insurers and reclaim uninsured losses from the lorry’s insurers.
What kind of expert do I need?
Isn’t that exactly what your insurers will do? And if there is any doubt about the damage and circumstances they should bring in their own Protection Juridique department.
I have had 2 such experiences. A British trailer I bought new split in 2 after only 1000 kms or so. Although it took some months, PJ sent an expert to examine the wreckage who produced a damning 23 page report with numerous photos and I was, after one year, paid in full, including all my expenses, recovery etc.
Then a couple of years ago I was forced off a mountain road by an artic. With a Slovakian tractor unit, Italian trailer and Romanian driver (who spoke only Romanian, but stayed with me for 2 hours to help with the recovery) I might have been excused for thinking full restitution was unlikely. The repairs were authorised relatively quickly but I had to pay the €232 franchise (excess). This was refunded without pressure a year later after the Italians obviously paid up.
2 Likes
For anyone who is interested and who hasn’t seen it before, this is the accident mentioned above which left no doubt as to who was responsible. Understandably, bad language is in evidence. 
The car was damaged in all the RH rear panels and both windows were smashed. Cost of repair was over €2,000.
The 2 Boxer dogs within, my ‘cargo’, were unharmed and unconcerned, though due to the extreme angle of the car, could not be unloaded at the scene and reached their destination safely later in the day to be rehomed later. 