You may be temporarily driving a rental vehicle while you are on vacation, while your own vehicle is getting repaired, or otherwise. And while a rental vehicle may be convenient, it may quickly turn into a hassle if you become involved in an accident. Continue reading to learn what will happen if you crash a rental vehicle and how an experienced Panama City car accident attorney at Manuel & Thompson, PA can guide you through the next steps.

What will happen if I crash my rental vehicle?

Even if your rental vehicle only received minor dents or scratches in an accident, you cannot and should not hide this from the rental vehicle company. One of their employees may pinpoint these damages in their final inspection, anyway.

So, it is best that you almost immediately inform them of your involvement in an accident. This may prompt the following series of events:

  1. If safe to do so, the rental car company may ask you to drive the vehicle to a specific location so that an employee can meet you and inspect the damages.
  2. The employee from the rental car company may ask you to fill out certain procedural paperwork.
  3. The employee from the rental car company may ask you to provide an oral or written testimony of your perspective of the accident.
  4. The employee from the rental car company may ask you to hand over any evidence that you collected while still at the scene of your accident.

What are the next steps I should take?

If your accident was due to no fault on your own, you should not have to be stuck with paying the fees the rental vehicle company directs to you. This is especially because, without opting for supplemental insurance coverage, these fees may be extensive.

Rather, you may want to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Or, if all else fails, you may even file a personal injury claim against them. That being said, in addition to contacting the rental vehicle company, you must take these steps immediately following your accident:

  1. Contact your local law enforcement.
  2. Take photos and videos of your injuries, damages, and the overall scene.
  3. Collect the contact information of involved drivers and present witnesses.
  4. Seek out the paramedics and EMTs that arrive on the scene.
  5. Check in to the emergency room and schedule a follow-up appointment with your physician as directed.
  6. Contact an attorney and kickstart your personal injury claim.

As you may likely conclude yourself, you may have an important case on your hands that requires immediate action. So you should not hesitate in reaching out to one of the skilled Panama City auto accident attorneys at Manuel & Thompson, PA.