If a Loaned Vehicle Caused Your Tampa Auto Accident, Should You Call an Attorney?

The answer to the above question is, “Yes.” If you were injured in a Tampa Bay area auto accident in which the negligent driver was in a borrowed vehicle, you should call an attorney. Insurance issues can be tricky in borrowed vehicle situations, and the counsel of an experienced attorney could mean all the difference in receiving a fair settlement for your injuries.

To clarify, let's consider the following scenario. You are driving home from work in Tampa to Clearwater when another vehicle hits you from behind. You sustain serious head, neck, and knee injuries in the auto accident. You soon find out that the driver at fault had borrowed the car from a friend. The cost of your injuries far surpasses your PIP insurance, so you know you will have to pursue an insurance claim from the driver at fault. But which insurance policy will apply in your case? The car owner's policy? The negligent driver's policy? Or both?

Tampa auto accident attorney Dale Appell, P.A. is committed to pursuing all avenues to ensure his clients receive a fair settlement for their injuries. In cases involving borrowed vehicles, attorney Appell may pursue his client's uninsured or underinsured motorist protection, the vehicle owner's insurance, and the negligent driver's insurance.

The following are some issues that may come into play with an auto accident case involving a borrowed vehicle:

1. Did the car owner give permission for the vehicle to be borrowed?
2. Did the negligent driver borrow a car from his or her employer for business reasons?
3. Did the car owner lend his or her vehicle to a person who is unlicensed, incompetent, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs?
4. Did the car owner have knowledge of the driver's history of accidents?
5. Did the car owner lend out a defective or faulty vehicle?
6. Was the negligent driver in the process of running errands or doing other favors for the vehicle owner?

If you have suffered injuries in a Tampa Bay area car accident and the negligent driver in the accident was operating a borrowed vehicle, contact Tampa auto accident attorney Dale Appell, P.A. Our law firm has years of experience in insurance coverage disputes and fighting for just settlements for our clients in Tampa and surrounding communities like Brandon, Clearwater, Carrollwood, Lutz, Sarasota, Pinellas, Thonotosassa, Apollo Beach, Safety Harbor, and St Petersburg.