The calculation looks at your earnings history to establish a reliable average. Gather your pay records for a meaningful period before the injury (e.g., 6-12 months, or the year-to-date). Add up all your earnings—including regular pay, overtime, bonuses, and commissions—then divide by the time period to find your average weekly wage. This average rate is then multiplied by the number of work weeks you missed due to the injury.

The insurer calculates your vehicle’s “Actual Cash Value” (ACV). This is not the original purchase price or the cost to replace it with a new model. ACV is the fair market value of your specific car just before the accident, considering its age, mileage, condition, options, and recent sales of comparable vehicles in your area. You should review their valuation report for accuracy and provide evidence of recent major repairs or high-value options they may have missed.

You are almost always responsible for damage caused by fixtures or structures you own that fail due to poor maintenance. This includes rotten fences, unsecured garden sheds, or improperly installed lighting. Liability hinges on your duty to maintain your property in a reasonably safe condition. If you ignored clear signs of disrepair and the fixture collapses onto a neighbor’s property or injures someone, you will likely be found at fault and required to cover the repair costs.