Diminished Value Attorneys works with drivers in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas whose vehicles were hit and repaired. A diminished value lawyer helps you recover the market value your vehicle lost because of its accident history, usually from the at-fault driver’s insurer. Deadlines and fault rules change by state, so start with yours.
The loss itself looks the same in Des Moines as it does in Dallas. Once a crash lands on a Carfax or AutoCheck report, buyers pay less and dealers cut trade-in offers, however good the repair was. What changes at the state line is the law wrapped around what diminished value is and how you collect it.
Start with the deadline to file suit. Each state sets its own, and they are not close. Each also has its own rule for what happens when you share some blame. Texas goes a step further. Its highest court has held that under the standard Texas personal auto policy, an insurer that elects to repair does not owe diminished value on a first-party claim when the repairs adequately restore the vehicle. Many personal auto policies in every state also decline to pay diminished value on a collision claim against your own insurer, which pushes most claims toward the at-fault driver’s carrier.
Carriers plan around all of it. Plenty of adjusters still run the 17c formula, a method that came out of a 2001 Georgia case and tends to land well below what the market shows, and some set internal notice deadlines shorter than the legal ones. Before he became a trial attorney, Chris Martineau worked in the property claims department of a major insurance carrier. He knows where those numbers come from, and an attorney who knows your state can tell you which parts of an adjuster’s letter actually hold up.
Iowa line: 515-337-9760
Our Iowa work centers on the Des Moines metro across Polk and Dallas counties: West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, Waukee, and Clive. Drivers in Ames, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport, and the rest of the state can call the same line. Read the Iowa diminished value guide or go straight to our Des Moines page.
Minnesota line: 612-383-1377
In Minnesota we cover Minneapolis and Hennepin County, St. Paul and Ramsey County, and suburbs across the Twin Cities, from Bloomington, Edina, and Plymouth to Woodbury and Eagan. Rochester, Duluth, and St. Cloud drivers are covered too. See the Minnesota diminished value guide, plus our Minneapolis and St. Paul pages.
Wisconsin line: 414-401-7320
Milwaukee and Milwaukee County are one focus. Madison and Dane County are the other. Start with the Wisconsin diminished value guide, or jump to Milwaukee or Madison.
Texas line: 972-338-4070
Across Dallas–Fort Worth, we serve Dallas, Tarrant, and Collin counties, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, and McKinney. Texas has the shortest deadline of our four states, so bring in a diminished value lawyer early. See the Texas diminished value guide and our Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano pages.
| State | General filing deadline | Fault rule in plain words | Where claims go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | Generally 5 years | You recover if your fault is not greater than everyone else’s combined, reduced by your share. | At-fault driver’s insurer first. Then Polk County District Court (Des Moines area) or small claims court. |
| Minnesota | Generally 6 years | You recover if your fault is not greater than the fault of the party you claim against, reduced by your share. | At-fault driver’s liability insurer (no-fault benefits cover injury-related losses, not vehicle damage). Then conciliation court up to $20,000, or Hennepin or Ramsey County District Court. |
| Wisconsin | Generally 3 years for vehicle damage from a motor vehicle accident | You recover if your negligence is not greater than the other driver’s, reduced by your share. | At-fault driver’s insurer first. Then Milwaukee County or Dane County Circuit Court, or small claims court. |
| Texas | Generally 2 years | You recover nothing if you are more than 50% responsible; otherwise reduced by your share. | At-fault driver’s insurer first. Then courts in Dallas, Tarrant, or Collin County, or justice court. |
Treat the table as a starting point. Your facts can change these general rules, so check your dates with us before relying on any of them, and read more about diminished value deadlines.
Use the line for the state where the crash happened. If you are not sure which state’s rules apply, send us a message through the contact form with where the crash happened and where you live.
Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Weekend calls are available by appointment.
17c is an insurance industry method that came out of a 2001 Georgia case, and plenty of adjusters still use it. Its 10% cap and its damage and mileage multipliers tend to shrink claims well below what the market says your vehicle lost. You do not have to accept the number it produces.
Texas law generally gives two years for property damage claims, the least time of the four states. Wisconsin allows three years for vehicle damage from a motor vehicle accident, Iowa five, and Minnesota six. If your crash happened in Texas, assume the clock is already running.
Call the line for your state:
You can also request a free claim evaluation online. Tell us the year, make, model, and mileage, and what happened.
