Involved in a Rental Car Accident?
Our Murrieta Rental Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Explore Options
Millions of visitors come to sunny California every year. There are tons of attractions that span across the state and the weather is generally temperate year-round. Many visitors fly in and rely on rideshares (Uber, Lyft etc.) and rental cars to travel locally once they arrive. Unfortunately, many of these people are unlucky enough to get involved in an auto accident with their rental car. In these instances, there are often burning questions and concern involving who is at fault and who can be held liable for damages incurred.
Founder and lead attorney, Steve Gnau, opened the doors to his California personal injury law firm with the intention of helping those who need it most. He is a Murrieta rental car accident lawyer who can help you manage the fallout from your rental car collision quickly and efficiently. Between dealing with the rental car company and multiple insurance adjusters — and possibly being thousands of miles away back at home — you need a local attorney who regularly handles rental car accidents. In your stead, you can trust Steve and his legal team to ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Rental Car Accident?
Rental car agreements contain numerous waivers, releases and consents, which can make it extremely difficult for you to quickly resolve your claim. It is also important to note that if the driver who was at fault in your case does not have adequate insurance, then you will need to pursue claims against the rental company in order to fully recover your losses. However, it can be next to impossible to do so without knowledgeable legal representation. These companies are often well protected with a large retainer of lawyers behind them. Although not every rental car accident case involves a claim against the rental company, it is an avenue that you should at least consider before settling for an unsatisfactory resolution to your claim. Additionally, for out-of-state travelers, there can also be various home state insurance issues and other complications that make it best to hire an experienced local attorney to represent you.
Additionally, if your accident was with an Uber or Lyft driver, the companies themselves are usually protected from lawsuits, but you can potentially hold the individual driver responsible. In order to be hired by Uber, Lyft or other rideshare company, drivers usually are required to carry a certain amount of liability insurance individually on top of the insurance policy they get through the rideshare company. These accidents are typically treated like any other car accident and can generally be handled through each of your respective insurance companies.
What Do I Do After a Rental Car Accident?
Like any car crash case, one of the most important steps in the insurance settlement process for rental car accidents is the accident investigation. As a non-resident, it will be very difficult (if not impossible) for you to directly participate in and oversee this part of the process. Our Murrieta rental car accident lawyer, Steve — along with his legal team — always conduct thorough investigations in each and every case. We will leave no stone unturned when developing the facts for your claim advocating for compensation.
There are steps you can take to help yourself following a rental car accident. These steps include:
- Seeking immediate medical treatment. Even if you feel fine, you may still have serious injuries, and should get checked out by medical personnel immediately. It may be discovered that you have a concussion or other serious head injury — which can often take hours, or even days, to manifest symptoms — that makes it unsafe for you to travel back home.
- Documenting the accident scene. This includes writing down what you remember about the incident, taking photographs of all damage — including bodily, personal property or municipal damage — and gathering contact information from all witnesses.This information can be invaluable when pursuing a legal claim and should be gathered immediately lest it start disappearing over time.
- Avoiding speaking with insurance adjusters. After an accident, you are required to report the incident to your insurance. However, it is extremely important how you do so. Insurance adjusters will often try to pin you down with recorded statements and attempt to settle for unreasonably low amounts before you know the full extent of your injuries and other losses. When reporting the accident, stick to the basic facts about what happened and refuse to speak to them further without consulting with qualified legal representation.
At our law firm, our Murrieta auto accidents lawyer can work with you remotely, using phone calls and email to make the whole process as easy and efficient for you as possible.
Questions About Your Rental Car Accident? Call Us Today
If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, it does not matter if you were in your own car or a rental, that person needs to be held accountable. After an accident, you will not only have to contend with compounding medical bills, but also with time off from work and rehabilitation. You do not deserve to have all this weight on your shoulders for something you did not cause. Steve and his legal team can hold the appropriate parties accountable and help you recover from these and other damages comfortably.
To discuss your situation with our Murrieta rental car accident lawyer, please call 951-370-1111 or contact us online today. Our attorney and legal staff are extremely knowledgeable and responsive. We will make sure that you feel comfortable and fully-informed throughout your California rental car accident claims process. Contact us today to start feeling peace of mind.