Auto Accidents Involving Rental Cars: What You Should Do After a Crash
Getting into a car crash is scary and stressful no matter what — but what if the car you were driving was a rental? Determining liability in a rental car accident carries its own complexities, which is why it’s best to get a car accident lawyer in your corner as soon as you can. At Reed & Terry, LLP, serving Katy, Richmond, Sugar Land, and the rest of the greater Houston, TX, area, our car accident lawyers are here to help. This is what drivers should know after a rental car auto accident.
What to Do After a Rental Car Auto Accident
Get the Other Driver’s Information
Get the contact and insurance information for any other drivers involved in the accident. If there were witnesses to the accident, get their information as well — a neutral perspective of the circumstances could bolster your case.
Document the Scene
Take pictures and videos of property damage to the rental vehicle and any physical injuries you suffered during the accident.
Call 911
It’s incredibly important to get a police report filed after the accident. This creates a legal paper trail that verifies the incident actually occurred, which your insurance company may require.
Get Medical Attention
If you were injured in the rental car accident, you should get care from medical professionals straight away. Your intake forms, treatment notes, and more can serve as crucial evidence.
Who Will Cover the Damages?
This will largely depend on how you obtained insurance for the rental car.
1. Your Auto Insurance
If you’re already insured through an auto insurance company, you’ll likely be able to use your policy for the rental vehicle. This will cover liability for a rental car accident in Texas. It’s a good idea to double-check your auto insurance company’s policies for rental car coverage before booking the rental.
2. The Rental Company
Your rental car agent will likely have asked you whether you’d like to purchase coverage in the form of a collision damage waiver (also called a physical damage waiver or loss damage waiver). This coverage is optional, but in the case of an accident, it prevents you from being liable for repair costs and associated loss of use charges.
3. Your Credit Card Company
Most major creditors (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) offer rental car coverage for cardholders as long as they pay for the full cost of the rental with the affiliated card. Still, this type of insurance usually only covers property damage and/or theft, not bodily damage — if someone else is injured in the accident, your coverage may no longer apply.
What if the Accident Was the Other Driver’s Fault?
If your rental car crash was caused by another driver, you can file an insurance claim or lawsuit against that driver to recover compensation. If you suffered injuries in the accident, the compensation you need to move forward may be even greater.
However, Texas follows comparative negligence laws, which means more than one party can be deemed at fault for an accident. This can potentially affect the total compensation you could stand to recover, so it’s all the more important to hire an attorney with a strong background in car accident law.
Our Lawyers Are Ready To Hear From You
At Reed & Terry, LLP, there are car accident lawyers and personal injury lawyers on hand to speak with you about the nature of your case and determine an appropriate course of action. We operate on a contingency basis, so you won’t owe us anything for our services unless we obtain a favorable outcome for you. Request a 100% free consultation at our offices in Richmond, Sugar Land, or Katy, TX, today.
