What If My Rental Car is Defective and It Caused Me a Serious Injury?

Rental car companies cannot lease or sell motor vehicles that have been linked to defect or recall notices. But they can and do rent out vehicles they offer regardless of whether the vehicle has been given a recall notice for potentially life-threatening errors or defective parts.

Here’s what you need to know if you get into an accident while driving a rental car and you suffer injuries because of a defect in the vehicle.

Responsibilities and Liability of Rental Car Companies

In a typical rental car agreement, the renter must sign the agreement before getting the vehicle to make sure that they understand their responsibilities when renting the vehicle. If the renter fails to follow the rules or gets in an accident while driving the rental car, the renter will naturally be liable for the losses sustained in the crash. But like renters, rental car companies are also expected to follow certain rules when renting out vehicles.

Rental car providers are responsible for providing safe and efficient motor vehicles that are regularly inspected and maintained. This means that failure to perform regular maintenance, failure to follow product recall guidelines, failure to perform proper repairs, or failure to inspect vehicles before and after renting them out indicates negligence of the rental car company. The company can likewise be held liable if they allow an incompetent, reckless, or otherwise unfit driver to drive.

So, if you get into a crash and suffer injuries because your rental car is defective, you can hold the rental company liable for your damages.

Common Vehicle Defects That Cause Accidents and Injuries

There are various ways that defects can cause serious crashes and injuries. This applies to rental vehicles and those that people own. Some of the defects are inherent to the vehicle, while some are due to improper maintenance by the rental agency. These include:

• Defective tires or those that are overly worn can easily blow out and risk the driver losing control of the vehicle.
• Airbags or seat belts that malfunction and lead to more injuries during an accident.
• Faulty electrical systems that cause car fires
• Malfunctioning exhaust systems, causing exposure to carbon monoxide.
• Faulty brakes that do not stop or slow down as expected.
• A broken steering system that suddenly locks up, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Consult with a Skilled Ventura Personal Injury Lawyer Now

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a crash due to a defective rental car, expect the process of recovering compensation to be more complex than a regular car crash due to the multiple companies, insurance plans, and contracts involved. To find out what you can expect and how you can recover proper compensation for your losses, reach out to the law office of Bamieh & De Smeth today.

Our Ventura personal injury lawyers also have extensive experience with product liability claims and can review your situation to establish liability for your damages. Fill out our online contact form or call 805-643-5555 to arrange a free evaluation of your case today.