If I Was in a Rental Car Accident, Should I Contact a Hammond Car Accident Lawyer?

November 1, 2024

Hammond car accidents can involve practically any category of vehicle imaginable, including rental cars, which may pose some distinct challenges for injured motorists who are looking to be fairly compensated.  Join us as we examine how a skillful attorney could help if you are wondering “If I was in a rental car accident, should I contact a Hammond car accident lawyer?” 

Who Can Be Pursued for a Hammond Rental Car Accident? 

In the vast majority of Hammond car accident cases, the main source of financial recovery will be the insurance pertaining to the vehicle that brought about the accident, usually the personal auto insurance of the vehicle’s driver and/or its owner (if separate from the driver). 

That same principle should apply in Hammond rental car accident cases.  If you have been hurt by the driver of a rental car, your primary compensation will likely come from that driver’s own auto insurance policy, provided that the policy does not specifically exclude it, and you may have other means of obtaining economic damages as well.   

For example, the rental car company may offer short-term insurance policies to customers while they are in possession of its vehicles.  Furthermore, when a car renter is an out-of-town visitor on a business trip, his or her employer might bear some responsibility if the rental car is being used at the employer’s behest.  In certain situations, multiple parties could share varying degrees of legal liability simultaneously, for which they might share vary degrees of fiscal liability, and you must go after every single one of them within the period allotted by law or be forever barred from doing so. 

But no matter how many defendants your case ultimately has, the rental agency will probably not be one of them, since it is shielded from civil action by the Graves Amendment.  Under this legislation, vehicle rental companies may not be held accountable for the injuries inflicted by their customers unless the companies contributed to those injuries through their direct negligence or wrongdoing, a standard that can be very difficult to overcome. 

How a Seasoned Hammond Car Accident Attorney Can Make a Difference 

As you can see, rental cars can present an added layer of complexity that might keep a successful outcome frustratingly out of reach, but teaming up with a seasoned Hammond car accident attorney can make a difference.   

While you might have no idea how to proceed in the immediate aftermath of a rental car accident, a lawyer with years or even decades of experience will know every step that must be taken in order to build a rock-solid foundation for your case.  This is a key reason why personal injury victims who hire attorneys receive 3.5 times more on average than victims who choose to go it alone. 

What can you expect with a Hammond car accident lawyer in your corner?  Your attorney will begin by launching a comprehensive investigation to identify the individuals and entities who caused your rental car accident, then establish valid claims against all of them.  Every insurance carrier with relevant coverage will also be tracked down, and a lawsuit might be filed too to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the quest to get you top dollar for your automotive injuries. 

Next, your Hammond car accident lawyer will move swiftly to amass the materials necessary to support your claim, including both evidence of your damages, such as medical bills, caregiver testimonials, and payroll documentation, and evidence of the defendants’ misconduct, such as: 

• Police reports 

• Citations and dispositions 

• Crash scene photos 

• Dash cam, traffic light, and surveillance footage 

• Black box data 

• Witness statements 

• Phone records 

• Driving histories 

• Maintenance logs 

• Accident reconstruction and forensic analysis 

When confronted with an airtight case that exhaustively details the extent of your losses and the depth of the insured’s guilt, an adjuster might be convinced to tender a healthy settlement rather than risk a worse verdict at trial.  Indeed, most Hammond car accident claims are resolved outside of the courtroom, though a battle-tested attorney will be essential if your claim is an exception.   

Whereas plaintiffs who represent themselves in court only win about four percent of their cases, plaintiffs with professional representation are statistically favored to prevail, which could allow them to acquire the funds they need to become whole again. 

Hammond Car Accident Lawyers Prepared to Get You Justice 

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting on behalf of the wrongfully injured since the firm first opened its doors in 1998.  Regardless of what type of vehicle harmed you, our dedicated Hammond car accident lawyers are prepared to get you justice. 

You can schedule a free consultation with an accomplished Hammond car accident attorney by calling or texting us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form at your earliest convenience.