If you go away for business or are on vacation, chances are, you’ll be renting a car. Sure, you could opt for an Uber but that isn’t always convenient. If you want to be independent when it comes to getting around, you’re going to want your own car.
Almost all of the time, you’ll pick up your rental car, drive it for a week or two, and return it. You probably won’t experience any issues with the car. You’ll get home and be happy to be behind the wheel of your own car.
While the rental car may be clean and shiny, it isn’t your car. You have no idea what could be wrong with it. At least when you’re driving your own car, you know its little idiosyncrasies. That isn’t true when you’re driving someone else’s car. If something goes wrong, you may not know until it’s too late.
If something does go wrong with your rental car, you may get into an accident. If this happens to you, you’ll probably suffer some pretty serious injuries. You’ll need to contact an experienced Augusta car crash lawyer as soon as possible.
What are the Most Common Causes of Rental Car Accidents?
Whether you’re driving a rental car or your own car, you need to be careful. This is especially true with a rental car. You aren’t as familiar with a rental car as you are with your own car. You don’t know where all of the controls are. You don’t know how the car handles. This means you’re more likely to get into an accident while driving a rental car.
Some of the most common causes of rental car accidents include:
- Speeding – You don’t know how the rental car handles. You don’t want to drive too fast. You don’t know how long it’ll take to slow down. You also have no idea how good the brakes are.
- Distracted driving – This is even more dangerous in a rental car. Since you aren’t familiar with the controls, you need to pay extra special attention. One little mistake could cause you to get into a serious accident.
- Mechanical Failure – Something could go wrong with the car and you won’t even know it. When driving your own car, if you hear a certain noise, you know something’s wrong. You don’t know what noises to look out for in a rental car.
If you do get into an accident because of mechanical failure, you may have a legal claim.
Your Augusta Car Crash Lawyer Will Pursue All Possible Defendants
If your car accident was caused by a mechanical failure in your rental car, you may have a legal claim. Your Augusta car accident lawyer will review your case to see who may be responsible.
More than likely, you’ll have to file a claim against more than one party. First, you’ll have to file suit against the rental car company. If they didn’t properly service the car, they may be found negligent.
You may also have a claim against the manufacturer of the car. If there is a design or manufacturing defect, they will be held accountable.
Finally, you may have a claim against the company that services the rental cars. Most rental car agencies use third-party mechanics to service and maintain their vehicles. If this company was negligent, they may be liable for your injuries.
Your Augusta car accident lawyer is going to file a claim against the insurance companies of all of the defendants. If these claims are paid – great. You’ll get your check-in a week or two. If, however, the claims are denied, you’ll have no choice but to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Contact an Experienced Augusta Car Crash Lawyer
If you get into an accident while driving a rental car, it can get messy. Hopefully, you have insurance on the rental car. At least this way, if all else fails, someone will be there to cover your injuries and expenses.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you’re going to need to call an experienced Augusta injury lawyer. They can review your case and let you know what it may be worth. They can also help negotiate a settlement with the insurance adjusters.
Call Ted A. Greve & Associates today and schedule an initial consultation. It’s absolutely free and you pay nothing until you settle your case.
