You fly into LAX and get behind the wheel of a brand new rental car. The moment you turn onto the highway, you’re involved in a collision with another vehicle. What can you do? Who’s responsible for your injuries? Who has to pay to repair your damaged rental vehicle?
Here’s what you need to know.
Any Los Angeles car accident is a stressful event. An accident in a rental car is especially hard because of the complex insurance coverage issues involved.
Generally, if you were injured in a rental car accident that was the fault of the other driver, you can’t bring a lawsuit against the rental car company itself. Instead, the driver or their insurance company will be liable for the damages.
As with any other car accident, if your injuries were caused by the negligence of someone else, you can file a personal injury lawsuit for damages. You might be able to recover money for:
Car accident injury claims can be challenging. Things can get more complicated when a rental car is involved. Don’t hesitate to seek the legal advice and assistance of a skilled personal injury lawyer in your area.
There are two types of state laws that come into play when determining liability for car accidents: fault and no-fault. California is a fault state. This means that in order to recover compensation for your injuries, you must prove that another party was at fault for your injuries.
At the time of the car accident, it’s critical to call the police and report the crash. An officer will be dispatched to the scene and generate a police report. The police report will indicate who they believe was at fault for the accident. However, additional evidence can later refute their conclusions. This might include:
The more evidence you have to prove fault, the easier it’ll be to recover compensation.
It’s important to notify your insurance company that you have had a rental car accident. If you have collision and comprehensive coverage on your policy, it will cover your rental car.
Also, most rental companies will require you to purchase extra insurance if your deductible is over $500. If you did purchase additional insurance for your rental car, make sure to inform your insurance company that there is additional coverage.
Note that liability coverage is not automatically provided for car rentals that occur in California. Also, rental car companies don’t have a legal obligation to make sure that you have liability insurance or to force you to purchase one of their policies. Therefore, if you rent a car in California, you should confirm with your own insurance company that you have the minimum amount of liability insurance already.
Also, in some instances, credit card companies offer insurance when used for a rental car. You may have extra protection if you chose this method of payment.
If you didn’t opt to purchase extra insurance for your rental car or have first-party coverage on your own policy, you will have to pay your deductible directly to the rental company. Your insurance company will then have to go after the responsible party to recover damages if you were not at fault for the accident.
Although it is rare, there are circumstances where you can sue a rental car company. All rental car companies have the duty to inspect and repair their rental vehicles. If the rental car company knew of a defect and failed to fix it, then they could be liable.
Other examples include:
If your case fits either of these situations, then the rental car company can be held liable for your injuries and damages.
“Mr. Glotzer represented me after I was involved in a car accident. I was badly injured,but the insurance company refused to offer me a reasonable settlement. I decided to find an attorney and decided to hire Josh.
His law firm did a great job on my case. They were very responsive to all my questions and obtained a great resolution for me. I received way more money than was originally offered. I would recommend their firm to friends and family.”
“Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”
“Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”
“My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”
“I was in a rear end car accident last year and hired Mr. Glotzer’s office. It wasn’t a big case but their office helped me with my property damage claim and did a good job resolving the injury portion of the case as well.”
Helpful information, news about the firm and latest updates
August 29th, 2024
One of the most common questions accident victims ask after a car accident is why their accident settlement process takes so long. Settling personal injury claims, i...
August 25th, 2024
Being involved in a car accident can be a shocking and overwhelming experience. Knowing what to do after a car accident is important to protect your rights, ensure y...
July 29th, 2024
Life can take unexpected turns. One moment, everything is fine, and the next, you're facing the aftermath of an accident. It's natural to feel overwhelmed and uncert...
