Turo is a new kind of car rental service that allows people to rent cars from each other. It is similar to Airbnb, but for cars. Much like with Airbnb, a person using a rental vehicle has every right to expect that the owner or host has taken the appropriate measures to ensure that their experience is as safe as possible. For a car rental, essential safety measures include making sure the car is properly maintained and safe to operate.
Unfortunately, not all private owners/hosts follow these basic safety measures for their rental cars, which can put renters and everyone else on the road at risk of being injured in an accident.
If you have been injured in a Turo accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Working with a Turo accident attorney is one of the best ways to ensure you get the support you need throughout the legal process.
Fighting to get the compensation you deserve is a much more complicated process than first meets the eye. When claimants go through the process alone, there is ample opportunity for insurers to take advantage of the situation and push toward a low settlement.
A car accident attorney will fight for the actual cash value of damages like your medical bills and lost wages. They will be prepared to file a Turo accident lawsuit if they can’t recover adequate compensation through Turo’s liability insurance.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Connect With a Turo Car Accident Lawyer
After a Turo car accident, understanding how to move forward can be complicated. If you require medical treatment, being without a car and suffering through this pain as you watch your medical bills pile up can be overwhelming. So when the insurer offers a one-time settlement, it can seem appealing. Don’t fall for this trick. Instead, connecting with an attorney is one of the best things you can do as you work on recovering.
1-800-Injured can connect you with an attorney who has experience handling personal injury claims like yours and knows how to build a strong case for compensation. If you have been injured in a Turo accident, do not wait to get help. 1-800-Injured is a medical and legal referral service that makes it easy for personal injury victims to find a nearby attorney for a free consultation.
Read more below about Turo car accidents, and contact us as soon as possible to get started on your case today.
Seeking Compensation Through Turo Insurance Coverage
Turo provides $750,000 in liability insurance for its users, meaning that if you are driving a Turo vehicle, your personal policy will not be in effect. Likewise, this means that if you are involved in an accident with someone else who is driving a Turo rental, you will be filing a claim against the Turo-provided insurance to recover the compensation you deserve.
While a policy limit of $750,000 for liability coverage sounds like there should be plenty of money available for a victim’s claim, the reality is that insurance companies are not in the business of paying victims what they actually deserve.
Instead, insurance companies and the adjusters assigned to each individual claim will work to identify any weaknesses in a victim’s claim and use those weaknesses to their advantage when negotiating a settlement.
Possible Causes of Turo Car Accidents
Many different factors can contribute to Turo accidents. Some of the most common causes are listed below. Whether or not you see your accident cause listed below, contact 1-800-Injured right away to connect with a Turo accident lawyer for a free consultation to make sense of your situation and get a clearer understanding of the legal process.
Distracted Driving
With more and more people using their phones while behind the wheel, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of car accidents in recent years. Even a momentary lapse in attention can lead to a serious accident. When drivers are focused on their phones instead of the road, the risk of an accident is even higher.
Turo drivers may not be familiar with the rental car, so even trying to adjust the temperature control, program the GPS, or change music might be a substantial distraction that could lead to a serious crash.
Maintenance and Safety Issues
Some Turo accidents may be caused by a dangerous Turo rental vehicle. Vehicle owners are required to go through a safety checklist before they can list their vehicle as a rental car, but owners may not actually perform all of the maintenance and upkeep necessary.
When someone gets into a Turo rented car, they can’t be certain when the brakes were last replaced, tires rotated, and other important safety measures. Even though Turo offers insurance coverage, this coverage doesn’t prevent Turo car accidents.
Speeding
Speed limits are in place for a reason, and when drivers exceed the posted limit, they are putting themselves and others at risk of being involved in an accident. Even if a driver is not speeding excessively, driving too fast for conditions (such as weather or road conditions) can also lead to an accident.
Turo gives people access to cars that may be beyond their abilities as a “daily driver.” When they get behind the wheel of a powerful vehicle, they may be more inclined to drive fast without realizing that they are far beyond their abilities.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is always illegal, and it is also one of the leading causes of car accidents. People who are impaired by drugs or alcohol are more likely to make poor decisions while behind the wheel, and those decisions can easily lead to an accident.
Turo has a strict policy against driving under the influence, but this does not stop all renters from making the poor choice to get behind the wheel while impaired. If you have been involved in an accident with a driver who was under the influence, you may be entitled to additional compensation for your injuries.
What to Do After a Turo Accident
If you have been injured in a Turo car accident, there are several important steps you should take, but the most important thing to remember is that your health is priority #1. If any of the following steps interfere with your safety or well-being, skip it. Your attorney will be able to help you fill in the gaps later.
Call 911
The first thing you should do after an accident with a Turo vehicle is to call 911 to report the accident and request medical assistance. Even if you do not believe you are injured, it is important to have a police officer at the scene to gather evidence and compile a police report.
There is nothing more frustrating than dealing directly with an at-fault driver only to find that they’ve changed their story after the fact. A police report can help you avoid this.
Get Contact and Insurance Information
If you are able, get the contact and insurance information from the other driver involved in the accident. This will be important when filing your claim. Renters have the option to purchase premium insurance protection but are covered by a minimum policy either way. They are not required to have their own car insurance, and you will be filing a claim against Turo’s ¾ of a million dollar insurance policy in nearly all Turo accident cases.
If there are witnesses at the scene, this is a good time to get their contact information as well so that they can provide you with additional information or testimony if needed.
Do Not Admit Fault
Even if you believe that the accident was your fault, do not say so to the other driver or any witnesses at the scene. Once you say something, it can be used against you later. Instead, allow the police to investigate and determine who was actually at fault for the accident.
Get Medical Attention
Your health and well-being should be your first priority after an accident. If you are injured, get to a safe place and call 911. Even if you do not believe you are seriously injured, it is important to get checked out by an EMT at the accident. Some injuries, such as a traumatic brain injury or whiplash, may not be immediately apparent.
Gather Evidence
If you are able, try to take photos or videos of the accident scene, as well as any damage to the vehicles involved. This evidence can be helpful when filing a claim with the insurance company. You should also get the contact information of any witnesses to the accident.
Do Not Give a Statement
The other driver’s insurance company will likely try to contact you after the accident to get a statement about what happened. It is important to avoid giving them a statement, as anything you say could be used against you when negotiating a settlement.
Contact a Turo Accident Lawyer
The process of filing an insurance claim and negotiating a settlement can be complex, and it is important to have a Turo accident attorney on your side. Once connected with 1-800-Injured, you can stay focused on your recovery while we get you connected with an attorney for a free consultation.
The Importance of Working With an Attorney After a Turo Accident
When you are injured in a Turo car accident, it is important to have an experienced attorney on your side. They can help you navigate the car accident claims process and ensure that you get the full and fair compensation you deserve.
When you file a claim against Turo’s insurance policy, you are essentially asking them to pay you money. They will have a team of adjusters, investigators, and attorneys whose job is to minimize the amount of money they have to pay out on claims. This is in the interest of both the insurance company, which doesn’t want to pay and Turo, which doesn’t want their rates to go up.
A Turo accident lawyer can level the playing field by protecting your rights and ensuring that you are not taken advantage of by the insurance company. They can also help you maximize your compensation by identifying all of the damages you are entitled to and fighting for their full value. This could include not only medical expenses and lost wages but also pain and suffering, property damage, and more.
Additionally, an attorney can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to try to reach a fair settlement and, if necessary, take your case to court if you decide to sue Turo.
If you have been injured in a Turo accident, don’t try to navigate the claims process on your own. Contact 1-800-Injured today to get connected with an experienced attorney who can help.