Driving a rental car can be a nerve-wracking experience. Not only do you have to figure out how to handle a car with which you are unfamiliar; you also have to worry about avoiding an accident and wrecking the car. If you do get into an accident while driving your rental, however, you should make sure that you protect yourself and avoid agreeing to pay for more damage than that for which you are liable. Taking these considerations into mind can help you when you wreck a rental car.
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Call the Police Immediately
If you are capable, you should call the police immediately after the accident. Calling the police should be done before you exit your rental and approach any other drivers that were involved in the accident. Summoning the police quickly will ensure that help is on the way and any mounting emotions are quickly calmed. Calling the police is your primary obligation if you wreck your rental car.
Take Pictures, Videos, and Get Eyewitness Testimony
Before you depart the accident's location, you should take pictures with your cell phone, as well as video to bolster your case. On that same note, you are encouraged to ask eyewitnesses to give statements on your behalf. According to a West Palm Beach auto accident lawyer, eyewitnesses can make the difference in the final outcome. Having this evidence can help soften the financial blow for which you may be expected to pay. It can also dismiss you entirely from the case if you are found to be not liable for the wreck.
Do Not Admit to Causing the Accident
Even if you caused the accident, you should avoid admitting guilt right away. Rather, you should answer the policemen's questions honestly and cooperate with law enforcement without coming out and saying that you were the direct cause of the wreck. You should leave the duty of figuring out the accident's details to an accident re-creation team or investigators. Admitting guilt automatically takes away any liability from the other drivers, even though they may have contributed to the accident without your being aware of this fact.
Call Your Insurance Agent
After the policemen have completed their accident report, you should then contact your insurer. Your insurer can dispatch an adjuster to the location where your rental car is driven or towed. An adjuster can also assess the damage of the other drivers' cars and determine who is eligible for compensation and in what amount.
Contact the Rental Agency
You also have an obligation to contact the rental agency from which you rented the car. Being in an accident violates your contract with the rental agency; however, you must still find out what the company's procedures are for repairing the damages, and how you are expected to cover these expenses if indeed you are liable. You can also allow your insurance company to communicate with the rental agency on your behalf.
Wrecking a rental car does not have to be a nightmare. Following careful steps to protect yourself and your finances can help relieve or absolve you entirely from having to pay for damages.
About author: Midnight Walker likes to write about law and legal issues. She is also passionate about finding ways to keep drivers and passengers safe on the road. West Palm Beach auto accident lawyer, Steinger, Iscoe & Green, aggressively helps clients recover medical bills, property damage and lost wages after an accident.