Where Can I Find the Best Rental Car Accident Attorney in New York?
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Best Rental Car Accident Lawyers in New York
New York has one of the busiest roads in the country, which explains the high number of car accidents witnessed every year. This is also one of the reasons why there are plenty of personal injury law firms in the state providing legal representation for victims of car accidents.
But with the availability of numerous car accident lawyers and law firms all over New York, how do you choose the best? The good news is, you shouldn't struggle to find the best New York rental car accident lawyers - Morgan & Morgan is one phone call away.
But even before we discuss why Morgan & Morgan has the best rental car accident attorneys in the state, let's first look at various policies offered by New York rental car companies.
Types of Rental Car Insurance Coverage in New York
In New York, rental car companies provide the following types of insurance coverage:
Collision Damage Waiver
Also known as Physical Damage Waiver (PDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), this coverage usually costs around $9 per day for cars valued at $30,000 or less and around $12 per day for cars valued at more than $30,000. If you have this type of coverage, the car rental company will waive part of all of the costs involved if a rental car is damaged or stolen.
However, the waiver also comes with certain terms and conditions. For example, it may not apply if the car is driven by an unauthorized driver, stolen, or even driven recklessly.
Supplemental Liability Protection
This coverage is also known as SLP insurance, Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI), or Liability Insurance Supplement (LIS). It costs around $11 per day and supplements the car rental company's liability insurance as a requirement in New York.
SLI insurance comprises the minimum levels of liability insurance all vehicles in New York are legally required to have. They include:
At least $25,000 of bodily injury liability protection if one person gets injured in an accident in the state of New York or at least $50,000 if more than one person is injured.
If there's one death due to the accident, the driver must have at least $50,000 worth of liability protection and $100,000 for more than one death. An additional $10,000 is required for damage liability protection.
Personal Accident Insurance
Also known as PAI coverage, this coverage costs around $3 per day. It provides ambulance, medical and death benefits for the renter and the passengers of the rental car in the event of an accident.
The medical coverage provided is usually around $3,500 and at least $150 for ambulance benefits.
Personal Effects Coverage
PEC insurance costs around $2 per day. It provides coverage of up to $500 per individual and a maximum of $1500 for theft or personal items belonging to the rental car driver and other eligible persons.
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What You Need to Know About Rental Car Insurance Companies in New York
As mentioned earlier, auto insurance companies in New York usually provide different policies under different names and abbreviations. In addition, these companies may try to convince you to purchase certain policies even if you don't need them.
Half of the time, some of these policies are usually provided by your existing personal auto insurance. Additionally, some credit card companies also provide insurance for eligible drivers.
For this reason, it's always advisable to contact your credit card company beforehand if you intend to use your credit card to rent a car in New York.
Similarly, talk to your personal auto insurance provider to determine if your current policy covers rental cars as well. This information can help you save money in the event of an accident and also establish the party responsible for the damages.
Why You Need a Rental Car Accident Attorney in New York
As discussed earlier, car rental companies in New York have different insurance policies. In addition, these policies usually come in abbreviations such as SLP, PAI, PEC, and so forth. Therefore, when you get into a car accident, you may not know what you are eligible for as compensation, especially if you don't understand the terms of the insurance policy.
An experienced car accident attorney can help break down these policies and determine the kind of compensation you are entitled to. This is one step you should never ignore because once the settlement agreement is reached and all the required legal documents signed, you may not be able to sue the insurance provider over the same claim.
Secondly, rental car insurance claims are more complicated than those involving non-rental cars. When it comes to rental cars, you might be eligible for compensation from multiple insurance companies. An experienced car accident attorney can review your case and advise you on the party responsible for the damages, ensuring you don't miss anything you're entitled to.
For instance, some drivers use their credit cards to rent cars in New York. The same drivers might also have their personal auto insurance. Things become even more complicated if they purchase car insurance offered by the rental company. In the event of an accident, it might be difficult to know which insurance company should pay for your damages.
And you shouldn't expect any insurance company to approach you, claiming responsibility for your compensation. Remember, insurance companies make their money from limiting the amount they spend on their clients or third-parties as compensation. So if you expect any insurance company to be honest with you about the settlement you're entitled to, then you'll be disappointed.
In fact, these companies will most likely bring in their claims adjusters to evaluate the accident and find any reason possible to reduce the amount you're entitled to as compensation. To counter this tactic, you need an aggressive attorney who will fight for your rights, leaving no stone unturned.
Thirdly, New York is a no-fault state, making filing rental car accident claims even more complicated.
What Is a No-Fault State?
In a no-fault state, insured individuals are required to seek compensation for damages from their own insurance companies regardless of who was at fault for the accident. This means that if you get into a rental car accident with another driver, your own insurance company should compensate you for the damages even if you caused the accident.
The benefits may include medical bills, lost wages, housekeeping or transportation costs, prescription drugs, lost wages, and other qualifying factors. But one thing most people don't know is that in the event of an accident in New York, the claimant has only 30 days to submit a claim for these benefits. So failure to observe this rule could mean losing the benefits you need to support your lifestyle after the accident.
And that's not all — it's possible to file a claim against the other party even if the accident occurred in New York, a no-fault state. However, you must meet the no-fault threshold set for such accidents for this to happen.
For instance, you must have suffered a serious injury to sue the other party for the accident in a no-fault state like New York. However, the state's laws interpret the term ''serious injuries'' differently, and whatever your definition is for such injuries might not be acceptable by the state's legal system.
The bottom line is hiring an attorney after a rental car accident helps you avoid the legal tussles involved in filing a claim for your injuries. From establishing the party responsible for the damages to interpreting the law on your behalf to ensure you receive the right compensation, a New York rental car accident lawyer can be of great help.
How Morgan & Morgan Can Help
Morgan & Morgan is the leading personal injury law firm in the United States, serving clients from all corners, New York included. Our law firm has provided legal representation services for personal injury victims for more than 30 years, having recovered over $20 billion worth of compensation.
As the largest injury law firm in the country, we always have an army of attorneys ready to represent you after a car accident. We understand how complicated it can be to file a claim about a rental car accident in New York, but that's not something you need to worry about when working with one of our experienced attorneys.
The fact that you have Morgan & Morgan by your side significantly increases your chances of winning the claim. This is because insurance companies know that we don't play games when fighting for our client's rights. We also know that insurance companies like to take advantage of clients who are unaware of their rights and will come up with different tactics to avoid taking financial responsibility for the accident.
And given that New York is a no-fault state and there's a rental car involved, the entire process of filing a claim becomes way too complicated without an attorney. At Morgan & Morgan, we have helped our clients recover over $120 million in total as compensation for car accidents alone. So when insurance companies come up against our attorneys in or out of court, they know we mean business and that we have our client's interests at heart.When you contact us for a free case evaluation, our attorney will investigate your injury to determine the party liable. This process involves reviewing your insurance policies and their terms.
Next, our lawyers will gather all the necessary evidence to create a strong case against the defendant. This may include but is not limited to accident reports, witness statements, and pictures of the accidents.
After assembling enough evidence to prove that a particular party should compensate you for your damages, we will evaluate the extent of your injuries and losses. Our attorneys will also review every aspect of the damage, including its short-term and long-term effects.
For example, in the unfortunate event that you become paralyzed after an accident while driving a rental car, we will evaluate the short-term effects of your condition and its impact on your life in the future. We'll then use this information to file a claim covering your current life and the future challenges arising from your new condition.
Once we have the right settlement amount in mind, we'll approach the defendant to inform them about their legal responsibility to compensate you for your losses. They can either settle the claim out of court, but we will file a lawsuit against them in court if they don't provide a reasonable settlement.
Most insurance companies would rather settle the claim out of court than face Morgan & Morgan car accident attorneys in court. This is because we have a solid record of winning up to 20 times more than the initial offer!
Where Is Morgan & Morgan's New York Office Located?
In New York, you'll find us at 350 5th Ave Suite 6705, right in the Empire State Building.
What's Morgan & Morgan's Morgan's New York Office Phone Number?
You can call Morgan & Morgan New York Office anytime at 212-738-6299 or send us a message online for a free case evaluation.
How Much Do Morgan & Morgan Car Accident Attorneys Charge?
Our attorney fees are based on a contingency basis, meaning you don't owe us anything unless we win the case. This also means that you have nothing to lose but so much to gain when you contact Morgan & Morgan for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.