Bolstered by the tech industry and the city’s rich culture and vibrancy, San Jose has seen a rapid rise in visitors in recent years, surpassing pre-pandemic tourist levels. These visitors often rent vehicles to navigate the Bay Area, contributing to the high volume of traffic on State Road 138, I-5, I-15, and other local roads.
Unfamiliarity with the roadways is commonly a contributor to accidents here. Rental car accidents in San Jose can result in significant injuries and a complex process of determining liability and insurance resources in order to file a personal injury claim. The legal team at Valero Law Group can help you understand this process and provide services to assist you with your claim. Reach out today to begin working directly with a trusted auto collision attorney.
Who Pays When a Person Is Injured in a Rental Car Accident?
California is considered a fault state when it comes to car accidents. This means that when an accident occurs, the person or entity who was liable for causing the wreck is responsible for paying for the property damage and injury expenses of others involved. This is almost always done through auto liability insurance coverage.
When the accident involves a rental car in San Jose, there are several potential sources of insurance coverage that can come into play, including:
- The injured party’s own insurance coverage
- The at-fault driver’s personal auto liability policy
- Insurance coverage provided by the car rental company
- Rental car insurance coverage offered by certain credit card companies
One of the many services our legal team at Valero Law Group regularly performs for our clients is determining the resources available to help them seek the maximum amount of compensation. We can also collect evidence such as witness testimony and surveillance footage when available and work with experts such as accident reconstructionists.
Compensation Available Through California’s Personal Injury Claims Process
When someone is injured in an accident in San Jose as a result of another party’s negligence, whether they were driving their own car or a rental car, they are entitled to seek compensation for the financial losses they experienced due to the accident and the psychological costs of the injury they endured. California courts commonly refer to this as recovering economic and non-economic damages. Some types of economic damages that can be sought include medical bills, lost wages, property damage to the vehicle, and other out-of-pocket accident-related expenses. Examples of non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of the enjoyment of life.
Several factors determine the value of a rental car accident injury claim, including the amount of insurance coverage available to compensate the claim, the level of carelessness exhibited by the at-fault driver, and the permanence and severity of the injuries sustained by the claimant.
Contact Our San Jose Attorneys After Getting Hurt in a Rental Car Wreck
If you have been injured in a rental car accident in San Jose, the Valero Law Group wants to help you understand your legal options and the services we can provide to you during the claims process. We understand the trauma associated with car wrecks, and we want you to know you do not have to go back out on the roads to talk to us. A member of our team will come to you. We fight aggressively for the compensation our clients need and are not afraid to litigate a case. For a free case evaluation, contact us online or call us.