What should I do after a rental car accident in Las Vegas? After a rental car accident in Las Vegas, call 911, collect information and pictures of the scene, and report the incident to the rental company. The specifics of one accident will always differ from those of any other accident. Despite this, the steps following an accident to set your individual case for success tend to be the same.
The bottom line is that it won’t hurt to consult with a Las Vegas rental car accident lawyer regarding your accident, but beyond quickly making the call for a consult, there are several other things you can do that may help you regardless of your representation status.
Parties Involved in a Las Vegas Rental Car Accident
When dealing with a rental car accident, there will typically be at least three parties: the rental car driver, the rental car company, and the other driver or drivers involved in the accident. It may be difficult to determine who to file a claim with or the best contact person for that claim. Working with your attorney can be helpful in determining the most appropriate avenues to get what you need.
Frequently, the driver’s insurance will cover the costs associated with the rental car. If they have purchased supplemental insurance, that claim may go through the rental company’s insurance policy. When exchanging insurance information, it may be helpful to know if they have supplemental insurance through the rental or if claims will be made directly to their personal policy.
Liable Parties
Accidents become more complicated when multiple parties are involved, and this may affect who is held liable. For example, if the accident occurred because the car’s maintenance was not appropriately performed, this may mean that the rental company is responsible and not necessarily the driver.
The insurance and rental companies will likely have their legal representation, making it important for you to explore securing your own lawyer.
Your Next Steps After Your Las Vegas Rental Car Accident
The popularity of casinos and bars in Las Vegas means that many unfamiliar rental car drivers may also be running on endorphins from recent alcohol consumption, making them less likely to make sound decisions. These factors, along with general population congestion, can contribute to the Nevada Department of Transportation (DOT) data showing that Las Vegas and the surrounding areas had a high percentage of the 237,000 reported accidents in their recent reporting period. Though it may be a common Las Vegas occurrence, you may be unsure of the next steps following a rental car accident.
Take Pictures of the Scene and Injuries
Photos of injuries and the location of the accident will document the initial moments after the accident. This documentation may help determine who is at fault in the accident. These photos may also assist you and your attorney in calculating overall damages.
Call 911
Making the call to 911 is a requirement in Nevada if someone is injured or killed in an accident. Your first priority should be to look for signs of injury in yourself and others. Even seemingly minor pain can signal a more serious issue that needs prompt attention. If anyone is hurt, avoid moving them unless it is necessary to prevent further harm, as certain injuries can worsen with unnecessary movement.
When it is safe to do so, move yourself and others to a secure location away from traffic. Standing near damaged vehicles puts you at risk for another collision, especially in busy areas or low-visibility conditions. Choosing a safe spot to wait allows emergency responders to access the scene without additional hazards.
Following this, police will arrive at the scene and write a police report that may be pulled as evidence in your case. This call may also trigger the arrival of EMS for medical evaluation, which, aside from ensuring the well-being of everyone involved, acts as a documentation of your injuries for your case should you choose to pursue one.
Accept or Seek Out a Medical Evaluation
Accepting treatment is important for ensuring your medical needs and those of others have been prioritized. Refusing medical evaluation may hurt your case in the long run because it may give the appearance that your injuries are not as bad as you are stating later on. Even if you do not feel like you are seriously injured, evaluation is important because some injuries may not become apparent to you until hours or days later.
Nevada law requires you to report crashes that result in injury or death. Under NRS § 484E.030, you must call 911 immediately so law enforcement and emergency responders can be dispatched to the scene. Police will investigate, take statements, and create an official report that can be valuable evidence if your case involves disputed facts.
When paramedics arrive, accept a medical evaluation even if you feel fine. Certain injuries, such as concussions or internal damage, may not be obvious at first. Getting checked on scene creates documentation that links your injuries directly to the crash, which can prevent disputes later.
Exchange Contact Information
After an accident, getting contact information from anyone involved, including eyewitnesses, is important. While the police report will likely provide the insurance information of the involved parties, you may not be able to access it for several business days and may need insurance to cover your own rental prior to being able to access the report.
Eyewitnesses’ information may not be included in the police report at all, and may be helpful to you and your attorney later in the case.
Promptly Notifying the Rental Company and Your Insurance Matters
If you do not report your accident quickly enough, it can create openings for disputes over coverage and lead to denied claims. Many insurance policies require policyholders to give timely notice of any accident, and failing to do so can jeopardize your ability to recover maximum compensation.
If distracted driving played a role in the crash, as many rental car accidents do, your Las Vegas distracted driving accident lawyer can help identify the cause and make sure all required notifications are made quickly.
Rental Company Notification Requirements
Most rental agreements require you to contact the rental company as soon as possible after an accident. You usually need to notify them within a specific number of hours or days, and some contracts outline exactly how the call should be documented.
The company will likely ask for details about the crash, the condition of the vehicle, and whether law enforcement was involved. Keeping a copy of the agreement can help you confirm the exact requirements and avoid missing important deadlines. Once notified, the rental company will typically open an internal investigation.
This can include inspecting the car and contacting any listed witnesses. If you wait too long, they may claim the damage occurred after the rental period or that evidence was lost, which can lead to serious coverage disputes.
Informing Your Own Insurance Provider
Your personal auto insurance may cover a rental car, even if you bought extra coverage from the rental company. Notifying your insurer as soon as possible allows them to open a claim file and begin their own investigation.
This also gives them time to coordinate with the rental company’s insurer so there is no confusion about who pays for repairs, medical bills, or other losses. Deadlines for reporting an accident can be short, and missing them could cost you coverage.
Give your insurer the police report number, contact details for the rental company, and any other requested information while it is fresh. The more complete your initial report, the easier it is for your insurer to protect your claim from the very beginning.
How Rental Car Accidents Affect Your Personal Auto Insurance
A rental car accident in Las Vegas can trigger your own auto insurance coverage in ways many drivers do not expect. Nevada’s proof of financial responsibility law, NRS § 485.3091, requires that every driver carry insurance meeting certain minimum standards, and those protections often extend to vehicles you rent.
If alcohol is suspected as a factor in the collision, your Las Vegas drunk driving accident lawyer can explain how that fact changes the insurance review and your potential settlement.
Primary vs. Secondary Coverage Rules
After a rental car accident in Las Vegas, the question of who pays first depends on the rental agreement you signed and the coverage you purchased. If you accept the rental company’s insurance or a supplemental protection plan, that policy will usually pay first for damage to the rental vehicle and sometimes for other losses like property damage or medical bills.
When no supplemental coverage is in place, your personal auto insurance may step into that primary role right away. This can happen if the rental company’s policy excludes certain types of damage or the accident falls outside its coverage limits. Checking both your own policy and the rental terms before you travel can help you know exactly where you stand if a crash happens.
Potential Impacts on Your Premiums After a Rental Car Accident in Las Vegas
Having a claim paid under your personal policy can lead to a change in your premiums. Some insurers will raise rates whenever they pay on a claim, regardless of who was at fault, while others only do so when the driver is found responsible. Knowing your insurer’s approach ahead of time can help you decide whether to have the rental company’s coverage pay first when possible.
If the accident is considered your fault, the increase can be more significant and may last for years. Keeping all rental agreements, receipts, and text messages or emails about your claim can help if you need to challenge an unnecessary rate increase or show that another policy should have covered the loss.
Unauthorized Driver Issues in Las Vegas Rental Car Accidents
When you rent a car, the agreement you sign contains specific conditions that can determine whether insurance coverage applies after a collision.
Nevada law, under NRS § 482.31515, allows rental companies to require that only drivers listed in the agreement operate the vehicle. If a person who is not listed drives the rental car, the rental company may classify them as unauthorized, which can affect coverage.
Your Las Vegas car accident lawyer can explain how these terms work and what steps to take if an unauthorized driver was behind the wheel.
What Counts as an Unauthorized Driver
An unauthorized driver is anyone who is not named in the rental agreement as an approved operator. Rental companies in Nevada typically require you to list every person who may drive the vehicle during the rental period. This can include spouses, relatives, friends, or coworkers.
Even if the person has sufficient driving experience and a valid license, which is required to rent a vehicle under NRS § 482.300, they are considered unauthorized if their name is missing from the agreement. Common situations include letting a friend take over driving during a trip, allowing a family member to run an errand in the car, or having a coworker use the rental for work purposes.
Whether the arrangement lasted a few minutes or several days, the lack of authorization in writing can be enough for the rental company to treat them as an unauthorized driver. Knowing this definition before you leave the lot helps you decide who should be officially added to the rental contract.
How This Affects Insurance Coverage After a Rental Car Accident in Las Vegas
When an unauthorized driver is involved in an accident, the rental company may deny coverage under its insurance policy. This can leave the cost of repairs, medical costs, and other damages unpaid by the rental policy.
Your personal auto insurance may also decline the claim if the rental agreement’s terms were not followed. If coverage is denied, you could be responsible for paying these costs directly. This risk increases when the accident results in significant property damage or injuries.
If you review the rental agreement before leaving the lot and make sure all intended drivers are listed, it can reduce the chance of a coverage dispute later.
Injuries and Damages from a Las Vegas Rental Car Accident
The tourism industry is a huge part of the local economy. The City of Las Vegas reports that it receives millions of tourists monthly. This means there are potentially millions of drivers on the road in rental cars who are not familiar with the Las Vegas roads and are more likely to cause an accident that causes injury or death.
Injuries from a Rental Car Accident in Las Vegas
These accidents can cause significant injury to those involved, including:
- Broken bones
- Depression and Anxiety
- Internal bleeding
- Head and neck injury
- Wrongful death
Damages in a Rental Car Accident Case in Las Vegas
The damages you claim in a case will correspond to the cost of the injuries and may include:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Household support costs
Contact an Injury Lawyer After a Las Vegas Rental Car Accident
When you have to figure out what you should do after a rental car accident in Las Vegas, it can be tiring. Recovering from a rental car accident can be a long and arduous process. Ensuring your needs are heard and met in the chaos of multiple insurance agents and attorneys can be challenging. With the above information, you can be better prepared whether you choose representation from H&P Law or navigate the situation yourself.
The key pieces to remember after an accident are to ensure that you have thoroughly documented as much as you can and take steps to keep that information organized to present. It is always a good idea to at least consult with an accident attorney since many of them provide free consultations to discuss the details of your case.
You deserve to have your rights to compensation protected. Contact H&P Law today.
