Morristown, Tennessee Rental Car Accident Lawyers
When taking a trip for business or pleasure, many people choose to rent a car and save their own vehicle from the extra wear and tear. In fact, rental cars play a significant role in the tourism industry and rank alongside airline tickets and hotel rooms as key components for any vacation.
More rental cars on Tennessee roads means that there is a higher probability that one will be involved in an accident. While rental car accidents are similar to accidents in your own car, there are some differences -- mainly involving insurance -- that you should be aware of. A mistake in the handling of a rental car wreck claim can cost you thousands of dollars.
If you have been involved in rental car accident, you need the Tennessee lawyers of Terry, Terry & Stapleton at your side. Call us at 1-800-518-3779or contact us via our online contact form to discuss your case. The car accident lawyers of Terry, Terry & Stapleton have almost five decades of experience and are well-prepared to handle all your legal needs. We represent clients throughout Tennessee, including Rogersville, Newport, Morristown, Knoxville, Kingsport, Johnson City, Jefferson City and Greeneville.
Managing an auto accident with a rental car involves many of the same steps followed after any car wreck, such as getting medical attention for injuries, calling the police, exchanging driver information, and taking notes about what happened.
The major differences in a rental car accident involve insurance. If you purchased insurance on the rental car, then that carrier should be notified of the accident. You may also want to notify your own personal auto insurance carrier because, as a general rule, your auto policy will extend to your rental car. Of course, if you don't have collision or comprehensive coverage, your rental car won't have it either.
Many people automatically waive the various insurance options offered by the rental car companies, often without understanding them. In some cases, rental car insurance duplicates coverage that you already have. For example, rental car companies offer personal accident insurance (PAI) despite the fact that your insurance often pays your medical costs from a car accident whether you were driving your own car or a rental car. The same holds true for collision damage waiver (CDW), which covers damage to the rental car and personal effects coverage (PEC), which pays for luggage and other personal items damaged in a car accident.
If you waive collision coverage and your rental car gets damaged, your claim is sent to a damage-recovery company, a collection agency, or a claim department, which then assesses various fees. There are towing fees, storage fees, loss-of-use fees, administrative fees, and diminution-of-value fees. Many car insurance policies don't cover these costs, so you may be liable for these bills even if someone else hits your rental car and their insurance pays for the damages. Collections policies for rental car accidents frequently pit car rental companies, insurance agencies and credit card companies against each other. In the end, it's often the person who rents the car who gets stuck with the bill.
The only way to make sure that you are treated fairly in a rental car wreck is to have a Tennessee auto accident attorney who understands the insurance system and is experienced in these cases. The personal injury lawyers of Terry, Terry & Stapleton are located in Morristown, Tennessee, and we are well equipped to handle rental car accident cases from across the state. We can assist both residents as well as out-of-state visitors who are injured while traveling here.
Contact the Knox County personal injury lawyers at Terry, Terry & Stapleton today to learn more about your legal options. Please take the time to discuss your case with us by calling 1-800-518-3779or filling out our online form.
