Who is Liable for an Accident if I am Driving a Rental Car in Massachusetts?
Many collisions occur each year in Massachusetts involving rental cars. The path to financial compensation after such accidents can be difficult to determine without the assistance of a car accident lawyer.
There are multiple parties who may be liable for your accident if you are driving a rental car in Massachusetts. After suffering a crash, you may be able to seek payment from the rental company, your insurer, another driver, a manufacturer, or a third-party mechanic. A car accident lawyer can investigate the cause of your crash and explain the legal options available to you.
If you were injured because of a rental car accident in Massachusetts, get help seeking the payment you deserve. Get in touch with our experienced Boston car accident lawyers by calling the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to review your case for free.
Who Pays for a Rental Car Accident in Massachusetts?
There are multiple parties that can be held accountable for rental car accidents in Massachusetts. Your path to compensation can be affected by the cause of your accident and the severity of injuries you incurred. Our Cambridge car accident lawyers can help determine which of the following parties will have to pay for damages caused by your crash:
The Rental Company
You may be able to sue the rental company that supplied the vehicle involved in your crash. For example, if the rental company did not perform proper maintenance on your vehicle and you suffered an accident as a result, then the company may be held accountable for damages caused by the crash. Our team can help investigate the cause of your accident and determine whether you can sue the rental company in your case.
Your Insurer
Your vehicle insurance can cover damages caused by your rental car accident. Accordingly, your own no-fault insurance can be held to pay for damages from your crash. Our Chelsea car accident lawyers can help assess your policy and explain the legal options available to you.
Furthermore, you may be able to purchase extra insurance coverage through a rental company when receiving your vehicle. Our team can help explain what damages may be covered by your additional coverage purchased through a rental company.
Other Drivers
In order to seek compensation from another driver who caused your rental car accident, you must sustain at least $2,000 in medical expenses or one of the following types of harm:
- Permanent and substantial disfigurement
- Broken or fractured bones
- Significant damage to hearing or sight
There are multiple types of injuries that may qualify under the aforementioned categories. Our Framingham car accident lawyers can help determine if your injury qualifies during your free case review.
If you suffered the requisite degree of harm, you will then have to prove that your accident was caused by the other driver’s negligent conduct. There are many examples of negligent acts committed by at-fault drivers. Our experienced lawyers can help determine if your collision stems from one of the following sources:
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Running red lights
- Distracted driving
- Improper lane changes
- Improper left turns
- Tailgating
- Reckless driving
If you suffered serious injuries because of a rental car accident caused by another driver’s careless behavior, you should contact our attorneys for help recovering the financial compensation available to you.
Manufacturers of Defective Parts
Additionally, some rental car accidents happen because of defective and dangerous parts. For instance, a customer may suffer a harmful collision because their rental car was equipped with a faulty braking system. In such cases, our Glouchester car accident lawyers can help seek payment from the sellers or manufacturers of the defective parts.
Third-Party Mechanics
Lastly, under certain circumstances, third-party mechanics can be ordered to pay for damages caused by rental car accidents. For example, if your rental car accident occurred because a third-party mechanic did not install parts properly, then you may be able to sue that mechanic for damages caused by your crash. You can reach out to our attorneys for help determining if your crash occurred because of a third-party mechanic’s negligent actions.
Proving Who is Liable for a Rental Car Accident in Massachusetts
If you suffered serious injuries because of a rental car accident caused by another driver, you might be able to file a car accident lawsuit against the at-fault party. However, in order for your lawsuit to prevail, you must present evidence that shows your crash was caused by the other driver’s negligent behavior. Our experienced Malden car accident lawyers can help collect and preserve the following forms of evidence in your case:
Police Officer’s Accident Reports
After an injurious accident, a police officer should visit the scene to draft an accident report. An officer’s report can contain information that points to the cause of a crash. For instance, an officer’s accident report may contain statements from drivers or notes from officers that suggest why certain collisions happened. If you were involved in a rental car accident in Massachusetts, our attorneys can help obtain a copy of your accident report.
Physical Evidence from the Scene
Physical evidence from the scene of a rental car accident can also help prove who is liable. For example, drug paraphernalia found at a crash scene may be used to show that a defendant driver was impaired when they caused a collision. Furthermore, a defective buckle may be brought into court to show that a victim was injured because of a manufacturer’s defective seat belt.
However, in many cases, certain physical evidence is difficult to gather and preserve. Therefore, other sources of evidentiary documentation are allowed.
Photos from the Scene
Photos from the scene are another form of evidence used to prove who is liable for rental car accidents. For instance, photos showing an extensively damaged vehicle may be used to demonstrate that a driver was traveling at high speeds when the crash occurred.
Furthermore, many defendants offer alternative theories of fault in car accident lawsuits. Photos from the scene can be used to disprove a defendant’s claims as to why the accident happened. For example, a defendant may state that a rental car crash occurred because of a broken traffic light. In that case, photos or videos from the scene showing a working traffic light can be used to disprove that claim and prove they were truly at fault.
Therefore, you should always take photos at the scene of your rental car accident if possible. After, our experienced Massachusetts personal injury lawyers can help assess the relevance of your photos during a free review of your case.
Witness Statements
Statements from eyewitnesses can also be valuable when proving that another driver caused your rental car accident. Witnesses can provide either written or oral testimony that helps explain the events that unfolded before, during, and after a collision. You should always attempt to retrieve contact information from witnesses after a crash. Our attorneys can offer help when reaching out to witnesses for their cooperation.
If You Were Involved in a Rental Car Accident in Massachusetts, Our Lawyers Can Help
If you were hurt because of a rental car accident, seek support from our experienced Quincy car accident lawyers by calling the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to review your case for free.