After your car is damaged in a parking garage, it can be hard to get the right compensation from the person responsible for your car. These steps will help you minimize your damage and perhaps find a solution for paying for your vehicle.

Look at the Terms and Conditions

Many parking garages will claim that they are not responsible for damages to your vehicle. It may state as much on the back of your parking ticket, or there might be a warning posted as you enter the garage. In that case, it can be hard to recover money directly from the parking facility. However, that doesn't mean they aren't motivated to help you recover your losses in any way.

Ask to See Security Footage

If someone knowingly ran into your car and left, that constitutes a hit and run. If the person's license plate was caught on camera, you could potentially go after them for legal and financial retribution. The parking garage may review footage to see if they can spot the time when the incident took place.

If the damage is due to a break-in, you might be out of luck if the person is on foot. But, at the very least, the security staff will have some idea of what the perpetrator looks like, and they will be able to be on guard so that another customer doesn't suffer the same fate.

Get an Auto Repair and Auto Body Estimate

In many cases, the damage caused in a parking garage is paid for out of pocket. This means that you will want to get several auto body estimates to find the lowest price. Auto services and body shops can vary wildly in the cost of their services. Some shops will look for high-quality used auto parts, while others will go straight to the manufacturer, and their services will be of a higher cost.

For larger amounts of damage, you might be able to get your collision repair or comprehensive insurance plans involved. Since you weren't present at the time of the accident, there is a higher burden of proof upon you to show that your claim is eligible. The auto body shop can at least give you an idea of what caused the damage and how much it will cost to fix; for smaller dents or scrapes, they might be affordable enough that an auto insurance claim is not worthwhile.