Rental Car Accident Lawyer in Dallas, TX

If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Dallas while driving a rental vehicle, you could be left wondering who will cover your injuries and related expenses. At Kraft & Associates, P.C., we believe you shouldn’t have to deal with this logistical headache while also dealing with serious injuries. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with this situation alone. We want to help.

For over 50 years, our attorneys have been getting injured Texans and visitors to this great state the compensation and accountability they need after accidents that weren’t their fault. We have the knowledge, skills, and resources to handle even the most complex rental car accident cases. Because we don’t collect a fee unless we secure compensation for you first, there’s no financial risk to securing our services.

Contact Kraft & Associates, P.C. today for a free consultation with an experienced Dallas rental car accident lawyer.

What to Do After an Accident in a Rental Car?

Your actions after a rental car accident can affect your ability to get the compensation you could be entitled to. If possible, you should:

• Call the authorities– Texas law requires any driver involved in an accident with injuries to stop at the crash scene and see if anyone needs medical attention. Additionally, police can respond and file a report of the accident, which you may need later as you pursue your claim.
• Talk to the other driver– If the other driver is not in medical distress, ask them for their name, contact information, driver’s license number, license plate number, vehicle registration number, and insurance information. If you are hit by someone else driving a rental car, ask for the name of the rental car company and their insurance information.
• Take pictures– Use your phone to take photos of your injuries, the damage to all vehicles involved in the accident, and any noticeable hazards in the area. These pictures could be crucial evidence.
• Look for eyewitnesses and surveillance cameras– Eyewitnesses and video cameras can provide a more neutral, objective perspective on what happened in a crash, which may be critical to recovering compensation for your injuries.
• Seek medical attention– When emergency responders arrive at the crash scene, they will determine whether or not to bring you to a hospital. If you are not taken to a hospital from the scene, see a doctor as soon as possible. Make sure the doctor writes down all your injuries and that you follow their prescribed treatment.
• Save your medical records and receipts– Your medical records are essential proof of the injuries you suffered in the crash and for which you could be owed compensation. Any other bills related to the collision can help substantiate other financial losses, such as your lost wages and transportation costs to medical appointments.
• Stay off social media– Anything you post about the crash might be found by insurance companies and used against you later. Do not risk giving them the justification they need to deny or minimize your claim.
• Do not give any statements to insurance companies– Insurance companies want to avoid paying out claims. One way they do this is by contacting accident victims and pressuring them into commenting about the incident, which they can take out of context as an admission of fault or to downplay the severity of the victim’s injuries. Your best bet is to hire a lawyer and let them handle any communications with the insurance companies.
• Hire a rental car accident attorney– Accidents involving rental vehicles can be more complicated than other collisions. An attorney familiar with these cases gives you a better chance of securing the full and fair compensation you deserve.

How Can I Get Insurance to Cover a Rental Car Accident?

You might have a few options for pursuing compensation after a rental car accident. You may be covered through your own auto insurance policy or any optional coverage you purchased from the rental company, which should cover your injuries and losses up to the policy limits.

You also can use your health insurance to cover your medical bills after a rental car crash. However, your policy may include a deductible, copay, or co-insurance payment, which could still be quite expensive. If you receive an insurance settlement, you might be required to pay back your medical insurance company for the amounts they covered on your behalf. You will need to carefully review your insurance policies to see which coverage is available.

Finally, you can file an insurance claim or lawsuit against the driver who hit you or any other party liable for the crash. However, to secure compensation this way, you will need to show that the driver caused the crash and must therefore pay for the harm you suffered.

Rental Car Insurance Options

There are three main options for obtaining rental car insurance to protect yourself when driving a rental car:

• Transferring your insurance coverage– Many insurance companies allow you to transfer your existing coverage to your rental car. Some policies automatically cover rental cars, while others require you to notify your insurance provider first. This is a good, affordable option for many people, but you want to review your policy first to ensure you are fully protected.
• Renters’ insurance from the rental company– Most rental car companies offer supplemental insurance to their customers. The level of coverage depends on what you are willing to spend and what you want to be covered. A collision damage waiver will cover all or part of the cost if your rental car is stolen or damaged in a collision. Supplemental liability protection coverage protects you from being sued by another party if you are involved in a crash while driving a rental car. Personal accident insurance covers medical and death benefits for you and any passengers if you are involved in a crash while driving a rental car. You can opt to buy any or all of these options when you rent a car.
• Insurance through your credit card company– If you use a credit card to rent a car, your credit company may offer insurance coverage to protect you from liability in a crash. Be sure to research the policy thoroughly beforehand to know what is covered.

Who Is Liable in a Rental Car Accident?

One reason rental car accident cases are more complicated than other collisions is that there are more potentially liable parties. These may include:

• Another driver– If you are driving a rental car and a negligent driver hits you, you would file an insurance claim against the other driver to claim compensation for your losses.
• The rental company– Rental car companies hide behind complicated contracts to avoid liability for accidents, but they can still be held responsible in certain circumstances. For example, the rental company could be liable if it rented you a car with a known mechanical defect which then contributed to a crash.
• The vehicle manufacturer– The companies that manufacture vehicles and their components can also be held liable if a flaw in their product leads to the crash.

If you are injured in a rental car accident in Dallas, state law generally gives you two years from the crash date to file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline could prevent you from getting any compensation at all.

Can I Sue a Rental Car Company After an Accident?

In most cases, your ability to sue the rental car company is limited. That’s because the rental agreement you signed probably contains language protecting the company from liability. The one major exception to this is if the actions of the rental car company or its employees directly led to the collision. For example, you could be able to sue the company if it did not properly maintain the vehicle, a component failed as a result of that improper maintenance, and that component’s failure led to the collision.

A knowledgeable attorney can investigate the accident and determine who could be liable for it.

Compensation After a Rental Car Accident

Provided you can show another party is responsible for your injuries, you can pursue compensation for losses like:

• Your medical bills
• Your lost wages and reduced future earnings
• Your pain and suffering
• Your emotional distress
• Your diminished quality of life
• Your damaged personal property

An experienced car accident lawyer can review the circumstances surrounding your accident and determine the potential value of your claim.

Call Our Dallas Rental Car Accident Lawyers

Rental car accidents are complicated cases. Don’t try to handle one yourself. Instead, contact the team at Kraft & Associates, P.C. to discuss your case for free with a Dallas car car accident lawyer. Depending on what happened, you could be owed money. Let us help you demand it.