If you were involved in a collision with a person driving a rental car, you might have suffered serious injuries. You may have been transported to a hospital and treated for head trauma, whiplash, broken bones, organ damage, cuts, lost limbs, or paralysis. You may have undergone one or more surgeries, and you may require other procedures in the future. You may need to undergo months of physical or occupational therapy or frequent chiropractic treatments.
Your injuries may be so severe that you cannot work. You might be able to return eventually, but in a limited capacity, or you may be unable to perform your old duties at all. The company may offer you a different position that is less physically challenging, or you may not be able to work for your employer at all. You might find work in a different field, or you may be completely disabled and unable to work in any role.
The medical bills may be piling up, along with bills for regular expenses, such as your mortgage, utilities, auto loans, and credit cards. You and your spouse may be struggling to scrape by. You may be plagued by fear and worry about the future, feeling anxious and depressed, and having trouble sleeping. The effects of the collision may be straining your relationships with members of your family.
An Aurora rental car accident lawyer might be able to help you seek justice. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can review your case and determine if you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the person who hit you or the rental company and pursue compensation for your losses.
Call our office today at (800) 223-5115 to speak with a member of our team about a free consultation.
Who Is Liable for an Accident Involving a Rental Car
Under ordinary circumstances, if you got hurt in a collision and the other driver was liable, you would file a claim with that person’s auto insurance company or file a personal injury lawsuit if the driver was uninsured or did not have enough liability coverage to fairly compensate you for your losses. Things could be more complex if the person who hit you was driving a rental car.
The company that rented the vehicle cannot be held liable if the driver’s actions caused the accident. The Graves Amendment shields rental car companies from vicarious liability claims. This means that a business cannot be held responsible for an accident simply because it owned the car that was involved in the collision.
A rental car company may be held liable, however, if it behaved negligently. For instance, if the rental agency did not properly care for the vehicle, or if it negligently rented a vehicle to someone, you could sue the company for your losses stemming from a collision.
Seeking Compensation in a Rental Car Accident
Car rental agencies typically offer liability insurance coverage to customers. If the driver who caused the accident purchased that coverage, you might be able to file a claim against the policy.
In many cases, customers decline the coverage that the rental agency offers because they have their own insurance policy that can provide coverage while the policyholder is operating a rental car. If the driver was liable for the accident and declined the coverage the rental agency offered, you might be able to file a claim with the driver’s personal auto insurance policy.
If you were seriously injured and the coverage limits are not high enough to compensate you for your losses, you might be able to sue the negligent driver. You also could seek additional compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
If the rental agency failed to properly maintain the vehicle involved in the crash, did not conduct routine inspections, or allowed the vehicle to be driven while aware it needed a critical repair, you might be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the company. You may also be able to sue the rental agency if it rented a vehicle to a person who did not have a valid driver’s license.
If you are ready to start today, Pintas & Mullins Law Firm is ready to work for you. Call us today to go over the details of your accident during a free consultation.
For a free legal consultation with a Rental Car Accidents Lawyer serving Aurora, call (800) 223-5115
An Aurora Rental Car Accident Lawyer Might Be Able to Help You
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can review the accident report to understand what happened in your case and find out if a police officer issued a ticket or a warning to the other driver for violating a traffic law.
If the cause of the accident is not clear, we can search for a video of the crash that might exist. We could find out if a traffic camera in an intersection or a surveillance camera at a nearby home or business recorded the collision. That can help us figure out what happened and who was liable.
If we suspect the rental agency may have acted negligently, we could investigate the circumstances surrounding the rental to find out if the company provided a vehicle to someone who should not have been given one. We can also review maintenance and repair records to find out if the company overlooked a serious problem that led to the crash.
Once we identify who was liable for the accident, we could enter negotiations for a fair settlement with the liable party’s insurance company or file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf against that individual or company. We can seek a financial award to compensate you for your past and future medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Aurora Rental Car Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 223-5115
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today for a Free Consultation
People who have been injured in car crashes might want to file a lawsuit to seek compensation but worry about legal fees. Concerns about cost should not stop you from pursuing justice because Pintas & Mullins Law Firm operates on a contingency basis.
If you choose us to represent you, we will not charge you any upfront fees. Our firm will only get paid if we obtain a financial award for you by negotiating a settlement or by winning at trial.
If you are considering working with an Aurora rental car accident lawyer, you have only two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois, per the state’s statute of limitations set by 735 ILCS 5/13-202. If you do not take legal action within that time frame, you may be unable to seek compensation later. A member of our staff can give you more information about how we might be able to help you.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 223-5115 to schedule a free consultation with one of our team members.
Call or text (800) 223-5115 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
