You could file a claim against the liable party’s insurance company if you sustained injuries or got into an accident in a rental car. Then, you can seek compensation for your losses. The circumstances of the accident can also determine what happens next.
You could speak to an attorney for more information about what happens after getting into an accident in a rental car. They can provide you with accurate answers for your specific case. An attorney could also inform you if you can seek compensation for your losses. Overall, a legal representative could help you tremendously after getting into a rental car accident.
Does My Car Insurance Cover the Accident in a Rental Car?
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles description (FLHSMV) states that Florida law requires the driver to have an insurance policy before driving a vehicle. Therefore, you shouldn’t drive a rental car without a proper policy.
If you were at fault in a car accident while driving a rental car, different policies could cover the damages depending on your circumstances. Examples of insurance coverage that could apply when an accident occurs in a rental car include:
- Your car insurance would cover the accident. Most car insurance policies will cover an accident that happens in a rental car. Although sometimes a policy won’t cover a rental car accident. It’s important to understand the terms of your policy before you drive a rental car in case an accident occurs.
- You could buy a supplemental policy. If you don’t have a car and therefore no car insurance plan, you could purchase a supplemental policy before you drive the rental car. You might also have to purchase this policy if your car insurance policy doesn’t transfer to rental cars.
If you didn’t cause the accident, the at-fault party’s insurance policy would cover the accident. However, if fault is unclear, it could help to hire an attorney to investigate the accident and prove who was at fault. As a result, you could file a claim against the correct party.
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Can I Still Recover Compensation After an Accident in a Rental Car?
When you get into an accident in a rental car, you can still recover compensation for your losses. Determining liability is important to know whose insurance policy will cover the accident. If another party caused the accident, you could file a claim against their policy.
Filing a claim against their policy is the first step to recovering the compensation you need to cover your damages. Examples of damages you could sustain in a car accident include:
- Medical costs: Any cost related to medical treatments your injuries require. You could include the costs of diagnostic tests, surgeries, hospital stays, or emergency healthcare.
- Lost income: Any losses you endured if you couldn’t work because of your injury recovery. Within lost income, you could also seek compensation for lost bonuses and overtime pay you would have received had you remained working.
- Diminished earning capacity: If your injuries are so severe that you cannot work anymore, you could seek compensation for the diminished value of your earning capacity.
- Other expenses: Commonly, injuries will cause you to incur other expenses. For example, you might need to buy gauze, bandages, and other wound care products. In addition, you might have to pay a babysitter to watch your children while you go to receive medical treatments. You could include these extra expenses in your claim.
- Pain and suffering: You could seek compensation for any physical pain you experienced from your injuries. Our attorney could help you calculate an accurate compensation value for this loss.
- Emotional distress: If you manage mental health conditions due to your injuries, you could seek compensation for emotional distress damages. Like pain and suffering damages, these losses are not monetary. Therefore, they can use formulas and tools to determine how much compensation to seek.
When you hire an attorney after a car accident in a rental car, they can develop an accurate value of your damages. Once they determine how much compensation to seek for your damages, you can demand the liable party compensate you for your losses.
You Must File a Lawsuit Before the Statute of Limitations Deadline
After a car accident in a rental car, you might feel overwhelmed with the claims process. In addition to taking care of your claim, an attorney can work towards building your case before your state’s statute of limitations deadline. Each state has a statute of limitations for how long the injured party must file a lawsuit. For example, if the accident happened in Florida, you have two years, per Florida Statutes 95.11.
Many things happen before your attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf:
- They would need to investigate the accident and review your damages so they know how much compensation to seek.
- They can negotiate to reach a fair deal outside of court.
- They can file a lawsuit if they cannot reach a fair agreement outside the court system.
You must complete this entire process before the two-year deadline.
Reach Out to an Attorney After Getting in a Rental Car Accident
When you get into an accident while driving a rental car, you might feel confused about what happens next, including who will cover the accident. You can have an attorney review your case at no charge so you can understand what steps you could take. They can identify if your insurance policy will cover the accident or if you should file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance. An attorney can also help you through the claims process and handle the paperwork, saving you time.
Bogin, Munns & Munns’ personal injury attorneys have helped many people who got into accidents in rental cars and guided them in facing what happens next. We can explain how insurance coverage works and if you have the potential opportunity to seek compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation with our attorneys.
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