What To Do When in a Rental Car Accident in North Carolina?

If you’re in a rental car accident, you should do the same things you would do after any auto accident. You should move to a safe area, call 911, document the scene, and seek medical attention. With a rental car, you should also notify the car rental company and review your insurance coverage.

Rental car accidents can be as stressful as regular car accidents. Knowing the steps you can take to protect your health and legal rights after you get into an accident in a rental car makes all the difference.

What Steps Should You Take After a Rental Car Accident in North Carolina?

After a rental car accident, follow these steps to protect your safety and help you build a strong legal claim:

• Seek prompt medical attention – See a healthcare provider as soon as possible, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline can mask pain. So, some injuries don’t present symptoms until days after a crash. When you see a doctor, they will create medical records that will be essential if you pursue a car accident claim.
• Report the accident – Call the police immediately, even if it seems to be a “minor” traffic collision. The responding officer will create a police report containing details about the crash, including the date, location, and time. It should also include statements from parties involved, an accident diagram, and an initial fault assessment. You should also request a copy of the report.
• Document the accident scene – Take photos and videos of vehicle positions, damage, accident debris, skid marks, traffic signs and signals, the surrounding area, and visible injuries. Visual confirmation of your version of events can provide strong evidence for your car accident claim.
• Collect contact information – Gather the names, contact information, driver’s license and plate numbers, and insurance details of all parties involved. If anyone witnessed the accident, get their names and contact information.
• Notify the rental company – Promptly notify the rental car company about the accident. They may have procedures for towing the vehicle, making repairs, and filing a claim, which you’ll want to follow to avoid breaking your rental agreement.
• Contact The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A. – An experienced car accident lawyer from our law firm will protect your rights after a rental vehicle accident. We can review your case, analyze your rental agreement, explain your legal options, and help you avoid errors as you pursue your claim.

How Does Insurance Coverage Work in a North Carolina Rental Car Accident?

Insurance coverage is a factor in rental car accidents. North Carolina follows a fault-based system. So, the at-fault driver’s insurance pays for damages. If another driver caused an accident, their liability insurance should cover your injuries and vehicle damage. However, you must prove the at-fault party’s negligence to recover the compensation you deserve.

Your auto insurance policy may extend to rental cars and offer liability and collision protection. Rental companies typically provide rental car insurance, including liability coverage and additional coverage like personal property insurance and collision damage waivers. Credit card companies may provide insurance coverage if you use them to pay for the car rental. You should review these policies to determine whether you could obtain payment from the credit card issuer after a crash.

How Can You Prove Who Is Responsible for a Rental Car Accident?

Proving fault in a rental car accident case requires substantial evidence. You must prove that the at-fault party caused your injuries. You must also show the extent of the harm they’ve caused you to suffer. Your attorney will likely obtain:

• Police reports – While law enforcement accident reports are typically inadmissible as evidence in civil court, they can still serve as crucial documentation in your claim. They can provide your attorney with key information for building your case, including witness names, each driver’s insurance information, and details about skid marks and vehicle damage.
• Witness statements – Unbiased third parties can provide written or recorded accounts of the accident that lend credibility to your claim and offer details you may have missed.
• Medical records – Official medical documentation can offer proof of your injuries and connect them directly to the accident.
• Financial documents – Estimates, invoices, bills, and receipts can help you quantify the economic impact of the accident when calculating your compensation.
• Expert witnesses – In some cases, your attorney will work with accident reconstruction specialists to piece together the events leading up to and during the accident to show how it occurred and who bears responsibility. They may also consult doctors, vocational rehabilitation experts, and others to learn more about the impact of your injuries on your health, ability to work, and enjoyment of life.

Can the Rental Car Company Be Held Liable for the Car Accident?

Sometimes, the rental car company may share liability for an accident. These companies are legally obligated to maintain safe vehicles and warn renters about known defects if mechanical failure or improper maintenance contributed to the accident.

Rental agreements sometimes include clauses outlining company responsibilities. Your attorney can review the contract to identify those clauses and determine whether you have a valid claim against the rental company.

What Happens If the Driver Who Hit Me Has No Insurance?

Dealing with an uninsured driver may complicate your case, but it doesn’t automatically exclude you from recovering compensation. North Carolina law requires all auto insurance policies to include coverage for uninsured motorists (UM). So, even if the driver who hit you has no auto insurance coverage, you may still be able to recover compensation through your insurance policy.

You could also file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver and seek compensation directly from their personal assets rather than from an insurance policy. However, recovering the compensation you deserve can be challenging if the driver has limited assets. For this reason, pursuing a claim through an insurance company is typically the most reliable option.

Contact a North Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you suffered injuries in a rental car accident caused by someone else’s negligence in North Carolina, you need an experienced car accident lawyer to protect your rights. Our legal team at The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., has proudly represented injured North Carolina residents for three generations and recovered millions in settlements and verdicts, showing the depth of our experience. Contact us today to learn more in a free consultation.

Visit Our North Carolina Car Accident Law Offices