Rental Car Accident Attorney in Gainesville

If you are reading this, odds are you have been in a rental car accident in or near Gainesville, FL. You are probably sitting in a hotel room hundreds of miles from home or possibly even still at the site of the accident. 

With the possibility of your entire vacation being ruined, you might want to shout, “Where can I find the best rental car accident lawyers in Gainesville, FL?”

The good news is that you have found the best rental car accident lawyers in Gainesville, and we are here to help you. Our first piece of advice to you is “Don’t panic.” If you just remain calm and follow a few simple instructions, everything will go smoothly, and your vacation will barely be interrupted.

The first thing we’ll do for you is answer the question, “Where can I find the best rental car accident lawyers in Gainesville, FL?” The answer is Morgan and Morgan. Contact us immediately to schedule a free and convenient case evaluation.

First Steps After a Rental Car Accident

So you’ve been involved in a rental car accident in Gainesville, and now you are seeking advice. Here is what you should do, depending on where you are in the process.

At the Scene of the Accident

If you are still at the scene of the accident, you have chosen a good time to contact a lawyer. You haven’t yet spoken to anyone else, which means you are protected against potential liability or missteps. Before you leave the accident scene, you will need to:

• Receive a medical evaluation and treatment if needed
• Share contact information with the other driver
• Inform the rental company you were in an accident
• Inform your car insurance company you were in an accident and probably begin the claims process
• Possibly speak to a police officer taking a report

Except for receiving medical evaluation and treatment, every other interaction should be advised by your attorney. Your attorney can be present for conversations with the police and should. 

Also, your attorney can advise you on what questions you should and shouldn’t answer when speaking to the car rental company and your insurance company. Finally, only give the minimal information required by law to the driver of the other car and don’t talk about the accident otherwise.

Since the rental car agency owns the car, it will likely take the lead in moving the car to a repair facility. If it is still driveable, you may be given directions so that you can drive it yourself. If not, the rental car company should provide a tow truck.

Getting Additional Medical Attention

If you are lucky, nobody was injured, or all injuries were superficial. But that is pretty uncommon in a car accident. If there is any reason to believe that somebody in your car might have been seriously injured, go to a hospital or urgent care facility immediately.

There are two reasons to get medical attention quickly. First, the sooner you are treated, the easier it is for doctors to prevent or reduce the long-term consequences of an injury. Even a mild delay could result in years of additional pain and suffering.

The second reason is that you need a medical report to ensure that you get full compensation for your injuries. Without a medical report, your insurance company can deny your claim or underpay you. Your rental car accident lawyer can help you find good medical services in the area where you will be treated quickly.

A New Rental Vehicle

The next step is to acquire a new rental vehicle. Your rental car agency should provide a replacement vehicle for the remainder of your contract. However, due to inventory limits, it may not be the same type of vehicle you initially rented.

As soon as you have ascertained your health, you should make arrangements for either pickup or delivery of your new rental vehicle. The longer you wait, the more this transaction could interfere without your vacation. If the rental car agency can’t or won’t replace the vehicle, your lawyer may be able to help you find an alternative.

The most important part of this process is that you shouldn’t sign any paperwork regarding liability for the accident. 

You may need to sign a new contract for the new vehicle, and that is fine. However, just to be safe, you should have your attorney look over any contract or paperwork that your rental car company wants you to sign after an accident.

File Your Car Insurance Claim

If you didn’t or couldn’t file the claim when you initially contacted your insurance company, do it as soon as possible. Florida is a no-fault state, which means your car insurance company will pay for the claim, regardless of who was at fault. By starting your claim immediately, you speed up the timeline of the claim process.

When you file the claim, only provide information that your attorney has approved you to provide. Also, provide contact information for your attorney. Your attorney can act as your point of contact for the process while you are on vacation, allowing you to relax and enjoy the remainder of your time in Florida. 

The claim process should be well underway when you finally get home and settled.

Enjoy Yourself

Hopefully, you hired a car rental lawyer long before this point. If you did, you can relax and simply enjoy your remaining time in Florida. You have a replacement vehicle, filed your insurance claim, and received medical attention. Your lawyer has all of the information they need to pursue your case, and you no longer need to worry about it.

If you haven’t yet hired an attorney, you are likely asking, “Where can I find the best rental car accident lawyers in Gainesville, FL?” 

We can still help you at this point, though it may take a little longer since we will have to review everything you’ve done already before taking over your case. We will still make every effort to try to make sure that the rest of your visit to Florida is stress-free.