What Happens If I’m Hurt in a Fort Lauderdale Accident in a Rental Car?
Florida is a major tourist attraction. In the spring, people come for spring training. In the winter, they come for the warm weather. Year-round people visit our casinos, our 24 miles of beaches, and come to see shows in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District. Parents visit their children who attend Florida’s great colleges and universities. Businesses hold conventions in Florida year-round.
While many tourists and Fort Lauderdale residents use public transit, private buses, or rideshare services, there are many other visitors who rent private cars. Local residents may also rent cars if their vehicles are being repaired or they don’t have a car. Even when drivers are lucky enough to find the same brand and model as they drive back home, there are numerous difficulties getting used to driving a rental car. When accidents happen, Yeboah Law Group is ready to hold the liable drivers accountable – whether it’s the rental car driver or the driver of another vehicle.
Why do rental car accidents in Fort Lauderdale?
Some of the many reasons a rental car driver may cause an accident include:
- The driver is from another state and isn’t familiar with the local roads and local speed limits.
- The driver is from another country and doesn’t understand the state traffic laws.
- The rental car has new technology that the driver doesn’t understand.
- The driver doesn’t understand how to use a GPS.
- The driver drives while distracted – by texting, calling, eating, drinking, adjust the entertainment stations.
- The driver operates the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- The weather makes it difficult to drive such as glaring sun, wet roads, fog, and even snow.
- The roads are filled with potholes.
Even rental cars have problems. Defective brakes, windshield wipers, and other defective car parts can easily cause a car crash. The rental car companies need to inspect their vehicles after each customer finishes using them.
Our Fort Lauderdale work with investigators, the police, and traffic reconstruction professionals, if necessary, to show how car accidents happen and who is responsible. We also question everyone involved in the accident and use many other strategies to determine fault and responsibility.
Who is liable for a rental car accident in Fort Lauderdale?
At Yeboah Law Group, we file claims against everyone who is responsible for a rental car accident. The defendants may include the following:
- The driver of the rental car
- The driver of another car that collided with the rental car
- The owners of the other vehicle that caused the accident
- The manufacturers of any defective car parts if the defect caused the accident
- Anyone, such as the local hotel bar, that sold alcohol to a driver who is a minor or who the seller knows is habitually intoxicated caused the accident.
The rental car company may be liable if they failed to properly maintain the car or allowed the car to be driven when they know the car needed repairs. The rental company may also be liable if they rented the car to someone who was not authorized by Florida to drive the car. This means, for starters, that the rental company should check to see that the driver has a valid driver’s license. The lease agreement should limit drivers, other than the lessee, to people with a valid license too.
Personal injury and wrongful death claims against an out-of-state driver involve additional issues. Generally, as long as the accident occurs in Florida, we can file a claim against the driver even though he/she lives in another state or country. There may be rare instances where it may be to your advantage to file the claim in the driver’s home state.
We represent anyone injured in a Fort Lauderdale rental car accident – drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicycle riders.
What types of injuries do rental car accidents cause?
Rental car accidents cause the same types of accidents as any other type of car accidents. The injuries depend on how the collision occurred and what safety measures such as airbags might protect a driver or passenger. Common car accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and head trauma
- Spinal cord injuries including paralysis
- Complex, compound, multiple and simple fractures/bone breaks
- Traumatic amputation/loss of all or part of an arm or leg
- Nerve, ligament, muscle, and tissue damage
- Shoulder, neck, and back injuries
- Lung, kidney, and other types of organ damage
- Hearing loss
- Vision loss
- Third-degree burn injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional trauma
We work with your doctors and our own network of doctors to verify the type of injuries you have, the scope and severity of the issues, the types and length of your treatments, and the cost of all your medical care.
If a loved one died, we file a wrongful death claim on behalf of a spouse, the children, the parents, and any other eligible family members.
At Yeboah Law Group, our Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers have the experience and resources to help victims obtained justice. We’ve earned the respect of former clients, insurance companies, and defense lawyers for our thorough preparation of your car accident case, our negotiating skills, and our persuasiveness in front of judges and juries.
To discuss your rights to compensation after a rental car accident in Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in South Florida, give us a call today at 1-800.TELL.SAM or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.