[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/what-do-i-do-if-i-was-in-an-accident-driving-a-rental-car\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/what-do-i-do-if-i-was-in-an-accident-driving-a-rental-car\/","headline":"What Do I Do If I Was in an Accident Driving a Rental Car?","name":"What Do I Do If I Was in an Accident Driving a Rental Car?","description":"If you\u2019re ever involved in an accident while driving a rental car in Buffalo, NY, your first thought might be, \u201cI\u2019m sure glad I wasn\u2019t in an accident in my car!\u201d But in the same breath, you might also say,...","datePublished":"2024-10-30","dateModified":"2025-09-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/author\/dwolff\/#Person","name":"David Wolff","url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/author\/dwolff\/","identifier":27,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eb92ad9148da9738cdecc03e560b071b8f516c5c0cd624aa4a60024d6548ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eb92ad9148da9738cdecc03e560b071b8f516c5c0cd624aa4a60024d6548ee?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall LLC","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Rental-Car-Accident-Lawyer.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Rental-Car-Accident-Lawyer.jpg","height":628,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/what-do-i-do-if-i-was-in-an-accident-driving-a-rental-car\/","about":["Car Accident"],"wordCount":608,"articleBody":"If you\u2019re ever involved in an accident while driving a rental car in Buffalo, NY, your first thought might be, \u201cI\u2019m sure glad I wasn\u2019t in an accident in my car!\u201d But in the same breath, you might also say, \u201cWait, is my rental car accident going to cost me a fortune?\u201d Touching base with a rental car accident lawyer can ease your worried mind.You can also take other steps to avoid stressing out too much about an accident involving a rental car. Here\u2019s what else you should do following your crash.Call 911You should do the same thing after an accident in a rental car as you would following an accident in your own car. Pick up your smartphone and call 911 immediately to have police officers and possibly paramedics sent out to your accident scene.Police officers can speak with you and other drivers involved in your accident to create a police report. This report will play a big part in determining liability in your car accident case.This is important because New York is a pure comparative negligence state. The amount of blame you\u2019re assigned after a car accident could impact the compensation you can collect if you file an insurance claim or take legal action through a rental car accident lawyer.Seek Medical CareRegardless of whether your rental car accident was a minor fender-bender or a dangerous head-on collision, seek medical care right after it. Even if you don\u2019t feel like you were injured, you should still have medical professionals evaluate you.Head to a nearby hospital after a rental car accident. Save injury documentation and any medical bills related to your crash so you can supply them to a rental car accident lawyer later, if necessary.Collect EvidenceIf you aren\u2019t injured too badly and can manage it, collect as much evidence from the scene of your rental car accident as you can. Use your smartphone to take photographs and videos of the vehicles involved in your crash and everything surrounding them.Look for skid marks on the ground and any signs of property damage to street signs, traffic lights, etc. Evidence may begin to disappear once police arrive on the scene and start cleaning up. Spring into action quickly to avoid missing the opportunity to gather it.Call the Rental Car CompanyFollowing an accident, contact the company that provided you with a rental car to see how to proceed. Rental car companies often have their own procedures for dealing with rental car accidents.You should also carefully consider how to respond after a rental car accident when it comes to filing an insurance claim. If, for example, you purchased rental car insurance or secured a collision damage waiver, you might not need to worry about putting a claim in. The rental car company will handle it.If, however, you choose to turn down the option to pay for rental car insurance or a collision damage waiver, you may need to use your personal auto insurance liability coverage. In this case, you should contact your auto insurance company to discuss your case.Contact a Rental Car Accident Lawyer for HelpThe Graves Amendment is a federal law enacted in 2005 to limit rental company responsibility following rental car accidents. It has caused a lot of confusion among consumers involved in rental car crashes.A rental car accident lawyer from Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall LLC can help you decide which steps you should take after a crash based on your specific situation. Call us at 716-848-8000 or complete this form to arrange a consultation."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"What Do I Do If I Was in an Accident Driving a Rental Car?","item":"https:\/\/www.buffalolaw.com\/what-do-i-do-if-i-was-in-an-accident-driving-a-rental-car\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]