Understanding Rental Car Coverage After a Car Accident
If another driver’s negligence has injured you, you are entitled to coverage for your legal damages. This can include the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired. Bringing a successful car accident claim, however, is a complex legal matter. One of the most important steps you can take early in the process is retaining the professional legal guidance of an experienced car accident attorney at John Price Law in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Car Accident Claims and Rental Car Coverage
To seek coverage for your rental car in a car accident claim, you’ll need to prove each of the following elements:
- The other driver owed you a duty of care, which they established when they got behind the wheel
- The other driver did not live up to this responsibility for your safety. This generally means engaging in some form of negligence
- Their negligence was the direct cause of the accident that caused you to be injured
- You suffered legal damages as a result, which can include property damage to your car as well as your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering
The cost of renting a car will be addressed as a matter of the property damage you experience. This is a separate matter from your personal injury claim, but they often go hand-in-hand.
Proving Your Entitlement to Rental Car Coverage
For the other driver’s insurance provider to cover your rental car expense, you’ll need to prove their fault in the matter. This comes down to proving that their negligence directly caused the accident that resulted in damage to your vehicle.
You will look to your seasoned car accident lawyer to build a strong claim that highlights the other driver’s negligence, which often takes the form of distraction, impairment, exhaustion, excess speed, aggression, or failure to follow the rules of the road.
If Another Driver Is Not Responsible
If the accident that caused your car to be damaged did not involve another driver’s negligence, you may have rental car coverage on your own policy. This is an optional form of coverage that most car insurance providers offer. If you purchased this form of coverage, your dedicated car accident attorney will spare no effort in their pursuit of compensation that fairly addresses your related rental car expenses.
It’s Time to Consult with an Experienced Myrtle Beach Car Accident Lawyer
If another driver’s negligence damaged your car and you need to pay for a rental while your vehicle is in the shop, it represents a significant expense. This is in addition to any other losses you may have experienced. At John Price Law, we dedicate our practice to helping clients like you fully recover all their legal damages, including the cost of rental cars.
We welcome the opportunity to help. Call 843-552-6011 or contact us online for more information today.