Getting involved in a car accident is never a good situation. But what might make this situation worse is if your accident was with a rental car. With this, you may not know what additional trouble you may find yourself in. Follow along to find out what happens if you crash a rental vehicle and how a proficient Toronto car accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you in recovering your damages.
What should I do if I crash a rental vehicle?
After you finish speaking with a law enforcement officer, collecting the contact information of other drivers, and seeking the paramedics and EMTs at the scene, you must contact the car rental company. They will give you instructions on what your next steps should be, which may consist of the following:
- The rental company may request that you drive the car to a certain location so that they may inspect the damage.
- The rental company may request that you fill out certain paperwork so that you can provide your own recount of the accident.
- The rental company may request that you provide certain pieces of evidence that you acquired while still at the scene of the accident.
With this, you must comply with the directions of the rental company to avoid any further legal issues.
Can I recover damages after my crash?
Unfortunately, after all this is said and done, the rental company may expect you to pay to repair the car’s damages. This does not even mention your having to pay for medical bills for the injuries you may have incurred, or any other economic and non-economic damage that came about.
So, before turning to your own insurance company, you must recall whether you purchased supplemental insurance coverage when you picked up your rental car. You may have opted for collision damage insurance, liability insurance, personal accident insurance, personal effects insurance, or otherwise. Regardless of which, this may relieve you of some of the damages you are responsible for.
In addition, if you believe that your car accident was due to no fault of your own, then you may first turn to an at-fault driver’s insurance company. And if they end up denying your claim, you must not stop here. Instead, you may pursue legal action via a personal injury claim.
A lawsuit may just be the only way to recover your damages after a crash, but it is nonetheless an effective way. As you may likely conclude yourself, you may have an important case on your hands that requires immediate action. More specifically, it requires you to file within two years from the date of your crash. So you should not hesitate in reaching out to a talented Toronto auto accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A.
