Yuba City Rental Car Accident Lawyer
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With nearly two million rental cars in use in the United States as of 2021, it stands to reason that the odds of encountering a rental car in the scenic area of Yuba City, CA, are likely high — as is the risk of getting into an accident involving a rental car. Fortunately, a Yuba City rental car accident lawyer can help if you do suffer an accident.
A rental car might function the same way as other cars, but in an accident, the presence of a rental car creates complicated legal issues not found in other car accident cases. The Law Offices of Steve Gimblin can offer the knowledge and experience necessary to help you navigate this difficult legal terrain. Contact us today.
Causes of Car Rental Accidents
In many respects, rental cars are like any other motor vehicle on the road. They are only as safe as the drivers who are behind the wheel.
The reasons why someone might crash in a rental vehicle are nearly identical to the reasons why motor vehicle accidents happen overall. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some of the most common reasons accidents occur include:
- Decision errors, such as a driver who speeds or takes a curve too quickly
- Performance errors, like overcompensating or not being able to adequately control the direction of the car’s travel
- Non-performance errors, like falling asleep at the wheel
- Other causes apart from decision and performance or non-performance errors
The most frequent reason for crashes — accounting for over four out of ten wrecks — was recognition errors.
This includes drivers who are distracted or otherwise not paying close enough attention to the roads, which describes a significant number of drivers of rental cars, who can be distracted by GPS devices and cellphones, street signs, and roadside attractions.
Why Your Rental Car Accident Attorney Cares About Fault
California is a fault-based state, which means that the driver whose behavior caused the crash can be held responsible for paying compensation to those hurt in the wreck. Even if your own poor decisions played some role in causing the crash, you might still be entitled to recover some compensation from the other driver.
As an experienced motor vehicle crash firm, our rental car accident attorney at the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin knows how to investigate car wrecks to determine fault. When you retain our services, we will obtain and examine:
- Reports and diagrams prepared by law enforcement officers
- Notes and records from the hospital and any emergency medical personnel that responded to the scene
- Witness statements made by others who observed or were involved in the crash
- Computer data from the event data recorders located inside most modern vehicles
- Reports and analyses prepared by expert witnesses, if necessary
The Law Offices of Steve Gimblin will go to any length necessary to understand and present the facts of your car rental accident in a compelling, persuasive manner. When the facts of your case are clear, your chances of recovering the full amount of compensation you are owed increase.
Doing so helps put you in a secure financial position so you can focus on your recovery. You can learn more about our process by contacting the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin today.
How Insurance Works in a Rental Car Accident Case
When a driver is responsible for a crash in California, their insurance company often pays compensation to the injured parties. If you were hurt in a crash, one of the first steps your attorney will likely help you accomplish is preparing and submitting a claim to that driver’s insurance company.
When a rental car is involved, this process does not change, but it does become more complicated.
Traditional Rental Car Contracts and Insurance
When you rent a car through Enterprise, Avis, or any other traditional car rental company, you are primarily responsible for any damage that you cause others while in that car.
This means that if you have an accident in a rental car that is your fault, you and your insurance company may bear the responsibility of paying any claims for injuries and damage.
However, many rental car companies offer drivers the option of purchasing insurance policies that supersede the driver’s own personal policy. When this happens, claims should generally be submitted to that insurance company first before compensation is sought elsewhere.
If that purchased policy is insufficient to cover all your losses, then the driver’s personal policy or resources can be looked to for additional compensation.
Compensation After Turo Accidents
Turo operates similarly to a rental car company. Car owners list their vehicles for rent by others using the Turo app or website. Drivers book a car and then purchase a protection plan as part of the booking process.
In the event the driver causes a crash in their Turo vehicle, the insurance plan they purchased can pay compensation to those hurt in the crash.
Liability of Turo Hosts and Car Rental Companies
In some cases, the owner of a rental car or Turo vehicle can also be held liable after a crash. Rental car companies have a legal obligation to inspect their vehicles regularly, including when they return from being rented out.
Allowing a driver to rent the vehicle implicitly tells the renter that the vehicle is in good operating condition. If it is not, the rental company should inform the renter before they leave the lot.
You may wonder whether retaining a lawyer to sue rental car company owners is beneficial. At the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin, we will examine the facts of your case closely and consider all possible responsible parties, so you can have the greatest opportunity for receiving fair compensation.
This includes investigating to see if a claim can be made against the car rental company. If evidence shows that the rental car was in need of repair and the rental company knowingly allowed it to leave their lot anyway, then the rental car company can be pursued for compensation.
This right generally exists if you were the renter and were hurt in a crash caused by a defective vehicle, or if you were injured in a crash caused by a renter whose vehicle was in need of repair.
Turo Terms of Service and Liability
Turo’s terms of service prevent users and hosts from suing one another. Therefore, if you were driving a Turo vehicle and the host’s vehicle was defective, you generally cannot bring suit against the host for damages.
This rule, however, does not prevent you from bringing a suit against either a Turo host or a Turo driver in the event of a crash. As long as there is evidence that the host’s vehicle was in a state of disrepair that the host should have known about, the host may be held liable for damages insofar as the vehicle’s condition contributed to the crash.
However, unlike a rental car company, Turo itself cannot be sued following a crash. Turo’s services are limited to operating a platform connecting those looking to rent a car with individuals who are offering their own personal vehicles for rent. This limited service does not expose Turo to liability for car crashes.
Timeline of a Yuba City Rental Car Accident Lawsuit
Once you have been hurt in a crash, resolving your case’s legal issues can take time. With the help of the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin, your case can reach a resolution more swiftly and with a better outcome than accepting the first settlement offer made to you.
To resolve your case, the dedicated team at the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin will:
Investigate the Facts of Your Accident
First, our office will use our knowledge and resources to conduct an efficient but thorough investigation of your case. This allows us to identify the parties who are responsible for your injuries and from whom compensation should be sought.
If there are allegations that your own negligence played a role in the crash, we will look for evidence to support or disprove that. Even if you are partly to blame, we are committed to helping you recover the most compensation you are entitled to receive under the law.
We aim to complete this investigation as quickly as possible. Depending on the complexity of your crash, investigating your case may take up to several weeks.
Pursue a Settlement of Your Case
We start with a strong investigation so that we can negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. With the facts on our side, we can push back against resolutions of your case that do not address your losses and expenses or that do not align with your objective.
If our rental car accident lawyer determines that a settlement might benefit you, we will pursue that outcome. This involves our team negotiating with the insurance companies and responsible parties. We will attempt to come to an agreement that both fairly compensates you and avoids delaying you receiving compensation.
During the settlement process, you can expect our attorney to keep you up to date on any progress being made. As we receive offers, we will communicate them to you and discuss them with you.
While the ultimate decision of whether to accept a settlement offer rests with you, we will arm you with all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.
In cases where the facts are clear and you and the other party are willing to settle, a settlement can be reached within a few weeks. In other cases, settlement negotiations may go on for several months before reaching a resolution.
Take Your Case to Trial
If an appropriate settlement cannot be reached, the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin is a skillful advocate and prepared to go to court for you.
Before trial, there may be several hearings that your attorney will attend with you. We will ensure you know the purpose of each hearing and prepare you as may be appropriate to reduce any anxiety you may have.
When your trial date comes, it is your obligation to show the court or jury that you deserve compensation. You will not have to do this alone, though, because your lawyer from the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin will be there to advocate for your case.
Contact The Yuba City Rental Car Accident Lawyers at The Law offices of Steve. Gimblin Today!
Our team will present the facts of your crash in a clear manner, showing the court why you deserve to be compensated.
Depending on a variety of factors, it can take up to a year before your case will go to trial. The Law Offices of Steve Gimblin will help you prepare emotionally and financially for this big step, and we will always work to get you compensation as quickly as possible.
No accident in rental cars caused by the negligence of another should go unanswered for. If you were injured in a rental car accident in Yuba City, turn to the Law Offices of Steve Gimblin for experienced legal aid you can count on. We can answer your questions and guide you on your best options going forward.
Contact our office to schedule a free initial consultation with our rental car accident lawyer to discuss your case and your path to compensation today.