How to Calculate General Damages

Calculating "damages" may be necessary if you've been in a car accident, have experienced damage to your home or have run into some other type of calamity. What you have to do is weigh the cost of repairing a damaged item versus the cost of replacing it. The cheaper figure is the number you can use to estimate the overall cost of the damages that have happened.

Instructions

1. Make a list of everything that needs some type of work. If you were in a car accident that damaged your front bumper, for example, write that down. If your refrigerator leaked water and damaged the tile in your kitchen, write that down.

2. Find the price to repair the items on your list. If your front bumper was damaged, for example, you'll need to call a mechanic or take your vehicle in and get an estimate performed. If your kitchen leaked water all over your floor, get an estimate for equipment rental to clean the floor yourself or find out the cost of having a professional come in and clean it for you.

3. Find the price to replace the items on your list. If 100 of the books in your collection were damaged, for example, look up the price to purchase a new copy of each of the books either at an online bookstore or at a local bookstore.

4. Compare your prices to find your damages. If its cheaper to repair your bumper than it is to buy a new one, the cost to repair your bumper is the damage price. If it's cheaper to buy a new tile floor than it is to professionally clean your old one, the cost of the new floor is your damages.

References

• Autos.com: How to Estimate Car Damage Repair Costs