It’s important to know the proper protocol to follow to avoid unnecessary paperwork and delays in receiving compensation. Read to learn about Wrecked Rental Car.

Here are the steps that you should follow:

• Get medical attention
• Exchange contact information
• Take photos
• Contact the car rental company
• Contact your insurance company
• Sort out who is responsible for what
• Consult a personal injury lawyer

Here’s why each of these things is important.

Get Medical Attention

First and foremost, you should make sure that everyone is ok.  This goes for any other passengers in your vehicle, bystanders, and the people in any other vehicles that were involved in the accident.

If someone is hurt, call 911 immediately.  If the crashed cars are blocking the roadway, set up emergency flares to prevent additional accidents or call the police to have them help you redirect traffic.

It’s so important to get the medical attention that you need after an accident.  Some very serious injuries may take some time to show.  While you may “feel fine” after the accident, it’s safest to get checked out by a medical professional.  If you don’t get checked out right away, it’s possible to make your injuries worse!  For more information about why you should get seen by a medical professional right away, see our article: “Why See A Doctor After an Auto Accident.”

Also…this is not the time to worry about expenses.  If you’re worried about the cost of medical bills, see our article: “How To Pay For Medical Care After a Car Accident.”

Tips like these can help you achieve a better outcome if you are involved in a rental car accident or any type of vehicle accident. You can benefit from our Las Vegas law firm’s years of experience representing clients in car accidents. Don’t wait: receive your free consultation from Anthem Injury Lawyers. Call (702) 857-6000.  

Exchange Contact Information

Once you have made sure that everyone is safe, you should obtain contact information from the other drivers and any witnesses.

The information that you should get from other drivers includes:

• Full name, address, phone number, and email address
• Make, model, license plate number, and VIN number of all involved vehicles
• Insurance information including the name of his or her insurance company and the insurance policy number

The information that you should get from any bystanders or witnesses includes:

• Full name, address, phone number, and email address
• A brief statement of what they saw

For more information about collecting evidence after a car crash, see our article: “What Evidence Should You Collect After A Car Crash.”

Take Photos

While you are still at the scene of the accident you should take pictures of as many details as possible.  Some of the things that you should try to capture in your photos include: 

• The entire scene of the accident from different angles
• The location of the accident
• The final position of the vehicles
• The location of any skid marks on the road
• The road and weather conditions
• The location of traffic lights, stop signs, and other street signs
• Any visible injuries
• Close-ups of any property damage

For more information about taking photos after a car accident, see our article: “Tips for Taking Photos After a Collision.”

Contact the Car Rental Company

If you’ve gotten into an accident with a rental car, you need to deal with a little more paperwork than if you got into an accident with your own vehicle.

As soon as possible, contact the rental car company and inform them about the accident.  You can usually find the rental company’s contact information in the paperwork that they gave you when you rented the car, on a sticker or card located in the glove box, or in the confirmation that you received if you rented your car online.

Be sure to ask the rental company about how to proceed.  When you have the opportunity, read the fine print of your insurance policy, any rental coverage that you received from the car rental company, and your car rental agreement.

If you purchased rental car insurance through the rental car company, ask them about their claims procedure. Information like this can be crucial to resolving your car accident case to your advantage. 

Another tip to remember is that sometimes credit card companies provide car rental insurance protection when you rent a car using your credit card. Some research into this may be useful before you rent a car, as some credit card companies will require that the car rental is for business reasons. 

If you’ve been involved in a rental car accident, or any vehicle accident, call Anthem Injury Lawyers. Anthem Injury Lawyers offers years of experience representing clients in car accident cases. Call us today to schedule your free consultation. Call (702) 857-6000.  

Contact Your Insurance Company

You must also contact your own insurance company.  Contact your auto insurance company and ask them whether they will take care of filing any necessary accident reports or if this is your responsibility.  

If you don’t already know exactly what your car insurance covers, ask.  Find out exactly what type of insurance you have.  There are many different types of insurance coverage.  For example, in addition to the minimum liability coverage that is required by law, you may have collision insurance or comprehensive coverage.  Your car insurance policy may also cover things like the cost of a rental car while your own car is being repaired. 

For more information about different types of car insurance, see our article: “Different Types of Car Insurance Coverage.”

Sort out who is Responsible for What

Getting into a car accident when you’re in a rental car can be complicated because there are more involved parties, insurance companies, and adjusters.  

If you didn’t purchase extra insurance or a signed a collision damage waiver when you rented the car, your personal insurance is likely responsible.

If you bought extra insurance, either with the rental company, through your credit card, or a third-party travel agency, you will need to read the fine print on all of those policies to sort out who will be paying for what.

Some rental insurance policies provide complete coverage as long as you pay the premium.  Other policies require you to pay a deductible first.  If you have more than one policy, read all of the policies together to see who will pay first and who will pay second.

Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you should speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help you navigate the process of filing a claim against the responsible party to get the compensation that you deserve.  

The personal injury claim and lawsuit process can be confusing if this is the first time you’ve ever been involved in an accident like this.

You don’t have to do this alone.  Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer today who can help guide you through the process.

For more information about how a personal injury claim works, see our article: “The Steps in the Personal Injury Settlement Process.”

Experienced Las Vegas Car Accident Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you protect your rights and advise you if you have a valid personal injury claim.

Our personal injury lawyers are experienced in handling all types of personal injury cases, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, traumatic brain injuries, dog bites, wrongful death claims, and accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

If you are looking for a law firm with experienced personal injury and car accident attorneys, contact Anthem Injury Lawyers today to set up your Free Consultation.

Our phone number is (702) 857-6000.  Our law office is located in Henderson, but our personal injury attorneys work with clients all over the Las Vegas Valley.