Rental Car Accidents In Vegas
Sometimes when we travel we want to rent a car or maybe we are going to a place that doesn’t have much uber or lyft like a remote area, some areas of Lake Tahoe or Reno have very little Uber or Lyft service because it is so remote.
So renting a car is the other option and in Las Vegas it happens all the time.
In most states including Nevada you must be 21 years or older to rent a car.
Also in Nevada you must have insurance when renting a vehicle.
Usually you make a reservation either on the rental companies app or you call.
But do your homework before you make the reservation for a rental car in Nevada.
Once you make the reservation or go to pick up the car, be careful rental car agencies will throw all kinds of extras at you that you may or may not need.
After you pick your rental car anything can happen and you should be prepared for anything including what will happen in a rental car accident in Nevada.
Call The Richard Harris Law Firm today if you were involved in a rental car accident.
Am I Covered For a Rental Car Accident in Nevada
You must have insurance to rent a car in Nevada and this includes Las Vegas, even if you are just driving around Las Vegas Boulevard.
If you go to rent a car and don’t have a copy of your regular insurance you have a few options to make sure you have the coverage you need when renting a car.
So if you are ever in a rental car accident you are at least covered by some insurance.
Of course dealing with an adjuster can be tricky.
Again you must be insured to rent a car in Nevada.
Regular Car Insurance- if you have a car then you should have regular car insurance. This can be enough insurance coverage for a car rental company but you must have a copy of your valid insurance card with you at the time you rent the car. You have to actually have proof that you have regular car insurance.
Sometimes regular car insurance has rental car insurance built into the payment. If it doesn’t rental insurance can be added to your regular policy for an additional fee usually for a dollar or two a month. Rental car insurance through your regular insurance will cover all accidents with the full coverage of your regular auto insurance.
Coverage from your credit card– American Express was known for its exceptional rental car insurance. If you rented a car using your american express card they offer an insurance policy through the card that is less expensive than purchasing via the rental company.
This policy is either total coverage or supplemental coverage added to your regular policy. Obviously the full coverage will be more via your credit card.
This service is great if you are renting a car out of the country or in places like England for example where they drive or the other side of the car and the other side of the road.
Coverage from the rental car company- most people try to avoid this as this is the most expensive of the rental car insurance options. This coverage will cover a rental car like regular insurance covers your car at home.
But again this is the most expensive option and some rental car companies will still add extras onto the policy.
Make sure you do your research before renting a car to make sure you have the proper coverage if you are ever in a rental car accident.
What is Supplemental Insurance Offered by Rental Car Companies?
Supplemental insurance is an add-on to regular insurance and is not usually needed if you have regular insurance but you must look into it before you rent a car.
Knowing exactly what coverage you have before renting a car can save you time and money.
There are the major options for supplemental insurance offered by rental car companies when you rent a car.
Collision Damage Waiver– this is added to regular policy and means that you will not be held responsible for all or part of the cost of the damage if the rental car is stolen or damaged while you’re renting it.
Supplemental Liability Insurance– this protects the driver and renter from lawsuits if the renter is involved in an accident. This is good when you rent a car for a business trip or the company you work for rents the car for you since the company can be held liable
Personal accident insurance– This is the third option for supplemental insurance and this covers all the passengers in the rental car if they are in an accident. This covers everyone for medical care and any associated care after a rental car accident.
These add-on supplemental policies are usually not needed and rental car agents can be aggressive because they may get a commission to sell these add-ons.
Do your homework and know that insurance you have or need before you rent a car.
If you rented a car and were involved in an accident you should know your rights.
Call The Richard Harris Law Firm if you were in a rental car accident in Nevada.
Injuries From a Rental Car Accident
Like all other car accidents, the same applies for an accident involving a rental car.
There are many factors that play a role in a rental car accident these include:
- Weather
- Speed
- Negligence
- Vehicle malfunction
Also like most other accidents the injuries associated with rental car accidents are:
- Head and Neck Injuries including TBI
- Broken and Bones
- Lacerations, cuts and bruises
- Back injuries
- Death
If you are injured in a rental car accident in Nevada call The Richard Harris Law Firm for a free case review.
What to Do After a Rental Car Crash
There are some basic steps that you should take when involved in a car accident no matter what, they are the same if involved in a car accident with a rental car.
- Report the accident to the local police
- Gather information and evidence- get info from the other people involved like insurance info , license info , take pictures or video if possible
- Seek medical attention- if you are injured or believe you might be injured seek medical attention immediately. Waiting could cause you issues later on
- Notify the rental company and any insurance company of the accident. Notify the insurance you decided on or had when you rented the car. This is very important, you must notify both the rental company and the insurance company as soon as possible otherwise you could be held liable for damages whether or not you were at fault.
- Seek legal advice- always seek legal advice after reporting the incident but before you make a statement.
Dealing With Insurance Companies after a Rental Car Accident
Let’s be honest, insurance companies are a business like any other company.
They are in the business of making money so they will do whatever it takes to not pay a claim.
Always have legal representation before speaking with any insurance company.
Insurance companies will use many tactics to trip you up.
Some examples are:
- Calling you for a statement immediately after the accident- You are not required to speak with them right away and it could affect your final settlement
- The Insurance Company asks for a recorded statement over the phone- Never do this without legal counsel. Insurance companies will use whatever you say against you at a later date
- Offering a quick settlement- Since they want to pay out as little as possible or nothing at all they will offer a quick settlement at the lowest dollar amount possible-if you accept this low ball offer you may never be able to get get a better settlement in the future
- Claiming you are at fault- The insurance company may not settle at all and claim that you are at fault completely- This absolve them of any payments and holds you accountable for all damages
Insurance companies will use many tactics to try and not pay out claims.
Always have legal representation before you speak with any insurance agent regarding a rental car accident in Nevada.
Call Richard Harris Law Firm today and before you speak to any insurance company.
Rental Car Companies in Las Vegas and Reno
- Dollar
- Thrifty
- Enterprise
- Budget
- Avis
- National
- Alamo
- E-Z
- U-Save
- Hertz
- ACE
- Fox
- Sixt
- Payless
- Advantage
- Firefly
Causes of Rental Car Accidents
Since you are usually far from home when renting a car there are a variety of reasons rental car accidents happen.
Lack of knowledge of the area- Even with GPS and mobile phones with maps, not knowing the area can lead to an accident. Some places are more rural than others and you may not be able to use your phone or GPS
Lack of knowledge of the vehicle- Ever gets in a vehicle that isn’t yours ? Maybe it’s newer or a completely different model. I got into a rental car that seemed almost like the batmobile with all the bells and whistles.
Lack of knowledge of local laws- For example if you live in certain states like Nevada you have to have your headlights on in the rain. This is not the law in all states so maybe you don’t know that. It can be a big deal if you’re in a rental car accident in Nevada.
These are not considered excuses if you are involved in an accident with a rental car.
That’s why having Richard Harris Law Firm on your side is important.
We can find out who is at fault and help you with your legal rights.
Why call Richard Harris Law Firm after a Rental Car Accident
We at Richard Harris Law Firm have over 40 years of experience as Nevadas premier personal injury lawyers.
- We offer free case review and consultations
- Over 1,000 Positive reviews on Google
- We have recovered over $1 billion for our clients
- We are available 24 hours a day
- We fight for our clients and won’t be bullied by big insurance companies or take the first settlement offered.
- Offices in Las Vegas and Reno Nevada
- Call Richard Harris Law Firm today
