What to Do if You Are Injured in a Rental Car

South Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Broward County alone sees more than 15 million tourists per year while Miami-Dade County greets about 8.5 million travelers. The region is also one of the largest rental car hubs in the country. If you have been injured in a rental car accident in South Florida, you may be left with pain and suffering as well as uncertainty about what steps you should be taking.

Here are the most important steps to take after you’re injured in a rental car collision, including guidance for getting the medical attention you need to get better as soon as possible.

Call Your Rental Car Company

After any accident, the first thing you should do is make sure everyone is okay and seek immediate medical attention. Don’t delay getting the care you need, even if you feel fine, as injuries in a car accident may take days or weeks to become apparent.

There is one area of a rental car accident that’s unique, however: you will want to call your rental car company as soon as possible to inform them of the accident. There is likely a sticker in your glove box with emergency contact information, and this may also be listed on your rental contract. The rental agency will let you know how you need to proceed after an accident.

Make sure you read your rental agreement as there may be deadlines for reporting the accident to the agency. You may need to meet specific requirements as well such as requesting police assistance at the accident site.

Rental Car Insurance Policies in South Florida

The next step is contacting the relevant insurance company or companies. Who you need to call depends on the type of coverage you chose when you rented the car. Even if you were not at fault for the accident, your agreement with the rental agency still makes you responsible for damages to the vehicle. That’s where the following types of coverage come in.

Insurance through the rental agency:

If you purchased car insurance through the rental agency, this policy will cover damages that you cause in an accident as well as some medical expenses under personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Damage to the rental car will be covered.

Collision/loss damage waiver:

When you rented the car, you may have paid for the collision damage waiver (CDW) which means you will not be responsible for any damages to the rental car. This waiver will make the rental company liable for damages and the “loss of use” while the car is being repaired.

Personal insurance policy:

If you waived the CDW protection when you rented the car, your personal insurance policy may cover the damages you cause in an accident. As long as you have collision coverage, your policy will cover damages to the rental car. Otherwise, you will be responsible for the damages. If you or someone in the vehicle with you suffered injuries, your insurance policy’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage will pay for medical care after you pay the deductible.

Credit card coverage:

Many credit cards offer some type of rental car coverage when you rent the car with the card. Your credit card may have a type of secondary car insurance that covers damages that your personal policy would not cover. This coverage usually only kicks in when you decline coverage offered by the rental agency.

Understanding Common Accident Injuries

Any collision can cause potentially serious injuries, even fender benders. Common injuries in a car accident can include:

• Whiplash. This neck injury happens when your head and neck are forcefully and quickly moved in a back-and-forth movement. This usually happens in rear-end collisions.
• Herniated or ruptured discs. Between the vertebrae in your spine are cushions or discs that absorb impact and allow for movement, twisting, and bending. When a disc herniates or ruptures, it can be shifted out of place or the soft interior part of the disc may push out through the hard exterior. This condition can be extremely painful when the disc presses on a nearby nerve.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI). Head injuries are common in car accidents. These injuries can be very serious and leave long-lasting effects yet the full effects of a brain injury may take days or weeks to develop.
• Feet, legs, arms, ribs, and hips are all prone to breaking or being fractured in an accident.

Why You Should Seek Chiropractic Care for Injuries from a Rental Car Accident

Chiropractic care offers many benefits to help you heal from your injuries without invasive treatment or addictive medications. Chiropractic treatment after an accident can help by:

• Treating hidden injuries such as whiplash or a herniated disc which may not have symptoms for hours or days.
• Reducing inflammation by realigning the spinal column to release anti-inflammatories.
• Restoring your range of motion by easing inflammation and pain after a back or neck injury.
• Easing your pain and supporting your long-term health without the use of invasive procedures or medication.

Chiropractic care is a safe, natural way to treat your accident-related injuries while supporting your overall health. While medication has its place, muscle relaxants and painkillers can mask health problems and allow soft tissue injuries to show up days later. In most cases, insurance will pay for chiropractic treatment after a car accident.

If you have been injured in a rental car accident in South Florida, contact County Line Chiropractic today to schedule an appointment at one of our six locations to get you feeling back to normal as soon as possible.