I Got Into an Accident With a Rental Vehicle
Motor vehicle crashes are inherently stressful and confusing, especially if you suffer property damage and serious injuries. However, getting into a crash with a rental or rental vehicle can be even more confusing because you can’t be sure of the legal and financial consequences.
The main reason for this is that there may be multiple liable parties and insurers involved. That’s on top of worrying over how you will get compensation to cover your medical bills, lost income, property damage, and other related losses you incurred and whose insurance coverage will cover them. Indeed, figuring out which insurance coverage applies is among the most complicated issues you must deal with after an accident with a rental vehicle.
Who is Liable in an Accident With a Rental Vehicle?
After a typical motor vehicle crash, liability for the resulting expenses and damages will usually fall on the driver who hit the other driver. The insurance provider of the driver deemed at fault for the crash should cover the damages resulting from the driver’s actions. Things are not so simple when one of the drivers is driving a rental vehicle.
If another driver hit you when you were driving a rental vehicle, that driver might be deemed legally responsible for the crash. This means that their insurance provider will be liable for any injuries you suffered in the crash and any damage to your rental vehicle. On the other hand, the insurance provider that must cover your losses may vary if the driver that hit you was driving a rental vehicle.
For instance, if the driver of the rental vehicle purchased insurance coverage through the rental vehicle company, the insurance provider of the company may be responsible for covering your injuries and other damages. However, if the driver does not have insurance from the rental company, you may seek compensation from their personal auto insurance coverage or credit card company.
It’s also crucial to note that while rental vehicles have existing insurance coverage that meets the required liability requirements of the states or areas in which they operate, their liability insurance might only kick in when the liable driver’s personal auto insurance has been exhausted. In addition, if the at-fault driver is underinsured or does not have auto insurance, your accident case will become more complicated.
Reach Out to a Skilled Tennessee Car Accident Attorney
Accidents involving rental vehicles can be difficult to navigate because there could be multiple liable parties and insurance providers involved. To help ensure that you increase your chances of securing the compensation that will cover all your accident-associated losses, you will need proper legal guidance.
At Raybin & Weissman, our Tennessee car accident attorney can figure out who you can hold liable for the accident, deal with all the involved liable parties and insurance providers and seek maximum compensation on your behalf. To schedule your free case assessment with our Tennessee car accident attorney and learn more about how we can help, call our office at 615-256-6666 or send us a message online.