After More Than Year Fight, Durham Woman Get Diminished Value Claim

A Durham woman says it took more than a year—and help from ABC11’s Troubleshooter—to finally get paid after a crash left her fighting for something she didn’t even know she was owed.

After her car was hit, she did what most people would expect: got it repaired and thought the case was closed. But later, she learned about a “diminished value” claim, which covers the money a car loses just because it now has an accident history, even if it’s been fixed.

She says getting that payment was anything but simple. Her claim was denied over and over again, and it turned into a long back-and-forth with the insurance company.

Frustrated, she eventually reached out for help—and after ABC11 stepped in, things finally started moving. Not long after, she says the insurance company contacted her directly and she received a check for $5,675.

Now, after more than a year of fighting, she’s finally been paid—and says she wishes she had known about diminished value claims from the start.