Lakewood Rental Car Accident Lawyer
Being involved in an accident with a rental car driver could prove to be troublesome since there may be issues with establishing liability and determining the insurance coverage of the at-fault driver. Fortunately, with the help of a Lakewood rental car accident, these issues can be overcome.
If you have suffered injuries to the carelessness of a rental car driver, schedule a consultation to learn more about how to hold the at-fault party accountable.
Definition of a Rental Car
A rental car is defined as a vehicle that is rented for generally short periods of time. Examples may include vehicles belonging to Avis or Hertz. However, with the advent of cars like Car2go, Zipcar, and rental scooters/bicycles, there are now many different categories of rental vehicles. In addition, certain retail outlets, like Home Depot and U-Haul, allow for customers to rent a car or a truck for a couple of hours.
Insurance Coverage for Rental Vehicles
Insurance coverage differs between a typical car accident injury and a rental car accident. When purchasing a rental vehicle or using a rental vehicle, customers have the option to utilize their own insurance company for coverage for the rental vehicle. In addition to obtaining or using one’s own insurance, a renter has the option of obtaining insurance from the rental car company that could cover property damage, bodily injury, and other contingencies that could arise during the use of the vehicle.
Common Causes of Rental Accidents
Some common causes of rental accidents in Lakewood include the driver being unfamiliar with the car that they rented. The use of the signals may be different, how the mirrors work may be different, and the transmission, whether it is automatic or standard, may be different. Due to this unfamiliarity and lack of experience driving a particular car, rental car drivers make themselves vulnerable to auto accident.
It is prudent and appropriate after somebody has rented a car to drive the car on a less busy street or even in an empty parking lot to familiarize oneself with the car so that they are less likely to be in an accident due to unfamiliarity with the mechanics of a car.
Recoverable Damages after a Car Accident
As defined by Lakewood law, economic damages are out of pocket losses, such as wage loss, in which an injured party could prove what wages they lost from missed time from work as a result of the accident. Examples include medical bills, the cost of future medical care, and future lost earnings, including wages or retraining costs.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, include intangible losses such as, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and overall the impact on a person’s quality of life. The important consideration of non-economic damages is that they are capped in a Lakewood personal injury case while economic damages are not.
Retain Legal Assistance Today
Filing a compensation claim against a rental car driver could prove to be difficult since there may be confusion as to which insurance company would be involved in the claim. However, with the help of a Lakewood rental car accident lawyer, you may be able to determine who is responsible for the compensation of damages. To learn more about how an experienced attorney could help, be sure to schedule a consultation today.
