Rental Car Accidents in Florida
In these unprecedented times, traveling for the holidays may not be something you are thinking about. However, if you are planning to travel in 2020 and you happen to rent a vehicle for your trip, you should know about your legal rights and responsibilities in the event of an accident. If you get yourself into a car accident in a rental vehicle, you should follow the same protocols that you would follow for any typical accident. Immediately after being involved in a rental car accident, you should make sure to get yourself and your passengers to safety, seek medical care, call the police and inform your insurance company once you are able to do so. If you have been injured by a rental vehicle, the strategy for litigating your injury claims against the driver is somewhat straightforward. As with most negligence based personal injury claims, a plaintiff in a rental car accident has to prove that they were injured by a negligent defendant-driver. Unfortunately, there are still several issues that may arise in an accident involving a rental car in Florida. In this blog post, we will discuss several issues that may come up if you are involved in a rental car accident in Florida including: insurance coverage information, treatment for injuries sustained in rental car accidents, specific issues that may arise in the insurance claims process and more.
Rental Car Insurance Coverage Information
Before you drive off in your rental, it is important to make sure that you know where to find the insurance information for your rental car provider and your own insurance information. Please understand that insurance laws in Florida in addition to federal laws, any potential liability is usually avoided by car rental companies. Most rental car contracts contain disclosures to that effect. Most rental car companies will hold customers liable for any repairs after a car accident. This is especially the case if you opted to waive supplemental insurance. Instead, you will likely have to file a claim with your own auto insurance company to pay for any repairs to the vehicle. For Florida residents, state law requires you to obtain $10,000 in personal injury protection. The Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage on your personal auto insurance will pay for the damages to the rental. Remember, Florida is a no-fault state. This means that regardless of who was at fault in the accident, you can use your PIP policy to help cover your medical expenses and loss of income. If you do not have auto insurance or don’t own a car, you will need to purchase insurance coverage from the rental car company in order to protect yourself in the event of an accident. If you decide to travel outside of the state of Florida, it is a good idea to research insurance laws and requirements of the state you are planning to travel to before making your trip.
Speak with a Car Accident Lawyer Today!
Were you or someone you love recently involved in a rental car accident in South Florida? If you are looking to pursue a car accident injury case and want to discuss your options going forward, contact one of our skilled car accident attorneys today! There are several ways to mitigate your exposure to other motorist’s negligence and carelessness that may develop when operating a rental car. Don’t allow negligent drivers to cost you money, time, or cause you aggravation. If you were hurt in a rental car crash, it is smart to connect with a local accident lawyer so that you can obtain vital information on how to begin the process of filing a claim or filing a lawsuit. The damages that can be recovered in a rental car accident claim or lawsuit can help cover the cost of medical treatment, medication, and absence from work. At Suarez and Montero, our policy is that if you don’t recover compensation, you won’t pay any fees for our services. Not to mention, we also provide free case consultations where we assess the circumstances surrounding your case and give you an objective overview of what steps you can take going forward if you decide to take action against the at-fault party. For over 19 years, we have delivered quality legal representation for people who, through no fault of their own, have been injured in all types of motor vehicle accidents. We are available 24/7 to give you a free, no risk case consultation.
We serve clients throughout Florida including those in the following areas:
Miami-Dade: Aventura, Coral Gables, Doral, Fontainebleau, Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Lakes, North Miami, Tamiami, and Westchester.
Broward: Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Weston; and Palm Beach County including Boca Raton, Lake Worth, and West Palm Beach.