However, if you’ve been injured, a collision can have consequences far beyond the costs of lost bookings and cancellation fees. Although you might be able to obtain some relief from a rental car company’s insurance provider or your no-fault policy, obtaining anything resembling reasonable compensation isn’t always easy—even if the accident wasn’t your fault.
Here’s what you can do to protect your rights before filing a personal injury lawsuit:
- Ensure Your Own Safety
Your priority after any car accident should be ensuring your safety, and that of your passengers. Even if you do not believe you have been seriously injured, you should still seek medical attention. Some accident-related conditions do not present any noticeable symptoms, but could still cause long-term harm if left untreated.
Seeing a doctor could also help ensure that any injuries that you sustained are documented.
- Call 9-1-1, and File an Accident Report
In New York, any driver involved in an accident that causes physical injury or extensive property damage is expected to alert the authorities. If your crash was neither reported nor investigated, you must still submit form MV-104 to the state Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days of the accident.
- Inform the Rental Car Company
If you have yet to return your rental car, inform the company of the accident as soon as possible.
The rental car company will likely ask you to share information including, but not limited to, the following:
- The names of any other drivers involved in the accident;
- A description of any other vehicles involved in the collision;
- The exact location where the crash occurred;
- How the accident happened; and
- Whether you or any other party, were injured.
Although reporting your collision to the rental car company will likely mean filling out more paperwork, it is an integral step in protecting your right to a fair recovery.
- Contact Your Insurance Provider
Dealing with insurance after a rental car accident can be difficult, especially if you are visiting New York from another state or are not sure which policy should cover your losses.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident and your coverage, you may have to submit a claim through any one or more of the following:
- Your no-fault insurance provider, if your coverage extends to rental car collisions;
- Your credit card company, if your credit card offers protection for rental car accidents;
- The rental car company’s insurance agency, if you purchased a personal injury protection policy for the duration of your trip; or
- The at-fault driver’s car insurance company.
In some cases, you may have to submit claims through multiple insurance providers.
If, for example, your credit card company only offers secondary insurance, you must typically file a claim through your primary provider—usually a health insurance policy, or your no-fault car insurance carrier—before attempting to collect secondary benefits.
- Speak to a New York Rental Car Accident Lawyer
The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. believes that nobody should have to pay the price for an accident that was not their fault. Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients across the state secure more than $175 million in damages. We could help you, too.
Please send us a message online, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a New York rental car crash lawyer and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.