A car accident can lead to a confusing situation where you do not know if you have the ability to sue any specific parties for the damages you incurred. The line can be blurred if a person driving an Advantage rental car crashed into you; you may wonder if you can file a lawsuit against Advantage because of their part in the crash by providing the vehicle, but it is not that easy. Fortunately, there is a good chance that you can receive compensation for your injuries, and if specific circumstances are met, you may be able to file an Advantage injury claim lawsuit as well. If you call Normandie Law Firm, a law firm that can take cases for a crash with an Advantage car, you can learn more about the value of your case and how we can help you. You should not be expected to cover your own expenses if another driver’s negligent actions caused you harm.
Reasons Accidents Happen
An auto accident may occur for any number of reasons; the driver may have been distracted and paying more attention to his phone than the road, or he may have been driving recklessly by speeding, running stop signs, and ignoring the right of way laws. Many rear end and broadside crashes happen due to a driver not seeing another car in his way. Individuals usually rent cars from Advantage because they are temporarily in town and require a vehicle to get around. The minimum age varies from state to state, but all drivers must have insurance and a valid license. These drivers may drive more carelessly than usual because the vehicles are not their own, and any accidents that happen do not directly impact their transportation methods.
If you can prove that the driver was operating his vehicle in an unsafe manner at the time of the incident, you could use that evidence as grounds for a lawsuit. You will have to show the four points of negligence, which are:
- You were owed a duty of care
- The driver breached the duty of care
- The breach led to an accident
- The accident caused physical harm
If you do not sustain any physical harm, you will not be able to file any personal injury lawsuits against the responsible parties. An attorney that has experience with car rental company accident cases will be able to help you prove these four points.
After an Accident
In the wake of an accident with an Advantage vehicle, you should take certain steps to be on the way towards receiving a fair settlement. Immediately following the crash, you should seek medical attention; you may suffer any amount of injuries, and the sooner you get treated, the safer you will be. Even if you feel that you do not any injuries, the medics may discover something that you missed because of the rush of adrenaline that accompanies a crash.
Next, take down the insurance information and personal details of the responsible party and contact Advantage to let the company know that you were involved in an accident with one of its vehicles.
You will also need to gather evidence, so take pictures of the damages to the cars and the physical injuries you sustained, as well as photos of the accident scene. If witnesses were present, take testimony from them, and request a police report if possible. Your medical bills will be available later on.
Finally, if you suffered physical damages, call one of our lawyers with experience in suing rent-a-car for an accident. It can be extremely difficult to win a lawsuit by yourself because of how often insurance companies will reject claims and use certain tactics to get you to accept a low offer. An expert attorney will help you receive the fairest settlement possible.
Injuries from Car Crashes
The types of injuries you can get from car accidents can range from minor to severe. No matter what kind of injuries you receive, we will work to bring you fair compensation for your damages. Many of our clients suffer from:
- Broken bones
- Sprains
- Strains
- Torn muscles
- Nerve damage
- Severed limbs
- Concussions
- Brain damage
- Cuts, bruises, and lacerations
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Neck damage
- Puncture wounds
- Coma
- Paralysis
- Death
These injuries can garner you various amounts of compensation. If your circumstances allow you to file a lawsuit against the rental company, contact an attorney to sue Advantage for an injury.
Advantage Injury Cases
If you are involved in a car accident with an individual who rented a car from an agency, you may not be able to sue the rental company. The company generally only provides the car for usage; in the driver were negligent in his actions, you would have to file a claim with his insurance agency. However, a portion of the damages can be covered if Advantage offered an insurance coverage option. This covers collision damages, but no liability coverage, meaning physical injuries are not taken care of.
There is an exception to this, however. If the rental car had a problem with it, you would be able to sue Advantage for an accident by a rental car. There are any number of issues that could have been present with the car, such as faulty brakes or tires, leaky fuel lines, broken steering, and engine problems. If Advantage were aware of the issue and did nothing to fix it, the company knowingly allowed a car to be rented that could be extremely dangerous to the driver, passengers, and other vehicles on the road. This dictates that they are liable for some of the damages.
As stated above, certain requirements must be met in order to rent a car. If Advantage rented a vehicle to someone who did not have a valid driver’s license or any insurance, the company could be sued for your injuries.
A rental car accident attorney in Los Angeles can make sure you receive the compensation you are entitled to if any of the above cases are true.
Statute of Limitations
Personal injury lawsuits have a statute of limitations of two years from the date of the injury or discovery of the injury, meaning you cannot file a claim to collect compensation if the damage happened over two years previous. This is done to ensure that claims are filed in a speedy manner and do not come up years later when evidence has deteriorated and witnesses have forgotten key points.
There are exceptions that can be granted to the statute of limitations. If you were under the age of eighteen, the statute would not start until you turn legal age. If the defendant traveled out of the state or country, the deadline would not begin until he returns; many people will leave in the hopes that the statute will run out by the time they return, but that is not the case. Additionally, you may have been physically or mentally incapacitated because of the accident, and thus, the statute would not start until you become capable of taking legal action.
A Los Angeles attorney for Advantage accident injury cases will be able to give you more information and work to get you a tolling of the statute of limitations.
Restitution
With the help of a rental car accident injury lawyer, you can receive ample coverage of your damages. You should not be expected to cover your own expenses if another party could be held responsible for the accident. You may be able to receive:
- Medical expenses (surgery, hospitalization, medication, physical therapy, and more)
- Future medical expenses
- Lost income
- Future lost earnings due to injury, recovery, or medical help
- Pain and suffering (PTSD, fear, anxiety, mental stress, psychological suffering)
You also may be able to receive punitive damages, which are additional forms of monetary compensation. They are meant to punish the defendant and dissuade him from committing the actions again. However, many courts and juries view these damages as excessive, so you may only be able to win them with the assistance of a lawyer in Los Angeles for Advantage injury lawsuits.
Normandie’s Role in Your Case
By coming to a law firm that handles accident claims cases against Advantage rental car, you are guaranteed to receive the best treatment possible by attorneys with the most experience in similar lawsuits. Normandie Law Firm has a host of qualified lawyers who will work to secure you a settlement for your injuries. We make it a goal to fully maximize the compensation we bring our clients in order to earn the highest satisfaction possible. You should not have to worry about taking legal action by yourself in the wake of an accident; let our lawyers help, and we will aggressively pursue your deserved restitution.
Call us today for a free legal consultation with an accomplished lawyer. All consultations are completely confidential; it is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you want and to discuss your case. We will tell you how much we believe we can earn for you and what kind of action we believe you should take. We will also tell you about our zero fee guarantee, which promises that, if you sign up for our legal services, you will not have to pay any out of pocket expenses. We will only be paid if we win your case; the money will come from the settlement we bring you, and if we lose, you won’t owe us anything whatsoever.
For more help in filing a claim against Advantage, contact our Los Angeles offices today.
