Rental Car Accidents

People commonly rent vehicles when they are traveling for vacation, business, or educational purposes. Often, people driving rental cars lack familiarity with the way in which the cars operate and the roads on which they are traveling, which unfortunately tends to lead to accidents. The process of proving liability following a rental car accident is typically straightforward, but the process of determining which insurance is available to compensate an injured person for any damages caused by the accident can be complicated. If you were injured in an accident involving a rental car, it is wise to meet with a Rhode Island rental car accident lawyer to discuss the compensation that you may be able to recover. Attorney David Tapalian knows how to prove that the driver who caused the accident should be liable for your damages, and will zealously advocate on your behalf.

Accidents involving rental cars differ from other car accidents not in terms of proving liability but in terms of available sources of compensation. In other words, if the car was rented in Rhode Island, the person who rented the car may choose to purchase additional insurance coverage through the rental car company, or he or she may choose to rely on his or her own personal automobile insurance coverage. If the person purchases coverage from the rental company, there could be multiple sources of recovery. Furthermore, in some cases, if a person who rents a car has a credit card, the credit card company will provide insurance coverage for the rental car as well.

Regardless of whether there is one or multiple sources of insurance coverage to compensate a person injured in a rental car accident, the injured person must prove liability prior to recovering compensation. In most cases, the injured person and a rental car accident attorney in Rhode Island will set forth a negligence claim in a civil lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. Under Rhode Island law, a plaintiff alleging negligence must prove that the defendant owed him or her a duty to act with reasonable care, but the defendant breached the duty. The injured person must also show that the breach caused the accident and that he or she suffered quantifiable harm as a result of the accident. In other words, the injured person must show that he or she would not have sustained damages absent the defendant's breach.

If the injured person successfully proves that the defendant was negligent, he or she may be awarded damages that are meant to compensate for any economic and non-economic harm caused by the accident. Non-economic harm largely consists of the pain and suffering caused by the accident. If the injured person was married when the accident occurred, his or her spouse may also be able to recover damages for the loss of the injured person’s services and companionship. Conversely, economic harm is comprised of the financial losses that the injured person suffered due to the accident. A Rhode Island rental car accident attorney can help a victim pursue the cost of any medical treatment needed for any injuries sustained in the accident, as well as the cost of any medical treatment that the victim will need to undergo in the future. Economic harm also includes any loss of earnings caused by the accident, including future earnings.

Although rental car accidents may be straightforward, it can be difficult to recover damages due to insurance issues. If you sustained injuries in an accident involving a rental car, it is in your best interest to discuss the accident with an attorney who can assess your next steps. David Tapalian is a proficient car accident lawyer with the skills and experience needed to help you seek the maximum amount of damages available. Tapalian Law’s primary office is in Providence, and we are also available to meet by appointment at our secondary offices in Warwick RI and in Seekonk, Massachusetts. We regularly assist people in car crash lawsuits in the Providence area and in many areas of Massachusetts. You can reach Tapalian Law through the form online or at 401-552-5000 to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a rental car accident lawyer in Rhode Island.