There’s no denying the beauty of San Mateo, CA. Situated about halfway up the San Francisco Peninsula, it offers sweeping views of one of the world’s most famous bays. Visitors flock here for its physical beauty, fine dining establishments, parks, and hiking trails. However, all this tourist attention comes at a cost: a high volume of traffic accidents. The large share of out-of-towners is just one of the reasons that nearly 300 people were killed or injured in traffic accidents in the county in one recent year.
Have you been injured in a car accident with a tourist in San Mateo? Whether you’re a local or a visitor, Carcione, Henderson & Markowitz, LLP, can help you pursue fair compensation from the person who hurt you. Contact us today at (650) 367-6811 for a free consultation with a San Mateo tourist car accident lawyer and tell us what happened.
How a San Mateo Car Accident Lawyer Can Help in Tourist-Related Crashes
The aftermath of any car accident can be a challenging time, and that’s especially true if the accident involved an out-of-state driver or happened while you were trying to enjoy a vacation. Fortunately, you can hand over the management of your case to a personal injury lawyer, who can do the following:
- Investigate the accident to determine every liable party, from the driver who hit you to the rental car company that failed to maintain its vehicles
- Identify all relevant insurance policies and determine the extent of available coverage
- Calculate the full cost of your injuries to understand what fair compensation entails
- Facilitate communication between at-fault parties, insurance companies, and corporate representatives, including across state or national boundaries
- Negotiate aggressively for a settlement that pays you without the need for a trial
- Navigate any challenges or confusion regarding your case’s jurisdiction
- Take your case to trial should the liable parties not make you a reasonable settlement offer
- Charge nothing unless they successfully resolve your matter
What to Do After a Car Accident Involving a Tourist in San Mateo
You should do the following after an accident involving a tourist in San Mateo:
- Check to see if anyone’s been injured and contact authorities. Move the cars to a safe area if possible.
- Exchange information with everyone involved. Get names, phone numbers, driver’s license details, license plate numbers, rental car information, and insurance information.
- Take photos and videos of the scene. Document any damage to the vehicles, the general road conditions, traffic signs, skid marks, and any visible injuries.
- Don’t say anything that might suggest you’re at fault. Stick to the facts when speaking with the other driver as well as any responding officers.
- Let your insurer know about the accident. If you were the one driving the rental car, contact the agency.
- Get a copy of the police report, or at least the responding officer’s contact info. This can be especially important if one driver is visiting from out of state or another country.
- Seek medical attention even if you don’t feel badly hurt. Not only should your doctor catch any injuries you’re not yet aware of, but their treatment notes can tie those injuries to the accident.
Finally, find a San Mateo car accident lawyer with experience handling tourist-related accident claims and ask to meet them for a free consultation.
Why Car Accidents Involving Tourists Are More Complex
Unfortunately, car accidents involving tourists tend to be more complex than those involving only in-state drivers. The following are a few reasons why:
- Tourists are often driving rental cars, which can affect which insurance policy applies to the crash or introduce additional layers of liability in the event that poor fleet maintenance is to blame.
- Out-of-state drivers can be harder to track down after the fact, especially if they try to shirk responsibility.
- While the San Mateo Superior Court likely has jurisdiction over an accident that happens here, there are circumstances under which that might not be the case.
However, if someone else is to blame for the accident, they could owe you compensation, and an experienced San Mateo car accident attorney can help you demand it.
Common Causes of Tourist-Related Car Accidents in San Mateo
Some of the most frequently cited reasons for accidents involving tourists in San Mateo include the following:
- Unfamiliarity with local roads, traffic laws, or driving customs
- Distraction from GPS use or sightseeing
- Fatigue caused by jet lag
- Confusion over rental car layouts
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Tourist Car Accident?
Depending on the circumstances, liability for a tourist-related car accident may rest with the following:
- One of the drivers, whether they’re a local or were simply visiting San Mateo
- A rental car company, if poor vehicle maintenance or mechanical defects contributed to the crash
- Employers or tour companies, if the at-fault driver was on the job at the time
- Vehicle manufacturers, if a defect in a key component played a role in the crash
- Government entities that failed to design or maintain safe roadways
Multiple parties might be to blame for the same crash, and each must be identified to hold them liable for their share of the responsibility.
What Happens If the At-Fault Driver Is from Another State or Country?
A car accident with an out-of-state driver in California presents unique challenges. In the vast majority of cases, San Mateo has jurisdiction over a car accident that happens within its county borders, and California law applies to a lawsuit filed here. That’s true whether the at-fault party is a local, is visiting from Maine, or lives halfway around the world.
However, there may be exceptions in rare circumstances, and there are also practical challenges to interviewing or serving action on a driver who lives far away. An experienced car accident lawyer can deal with these logistical issues on your behalf.
Rental Car Accidents and Insurance Coverage
Insurance coverage can get complicated fast when a rental car is involved in an accident, as several policies might apply.
Many insurance companies in the United States extend liability coverage to rental cars driven by their policyholders. This liability coverage will pay for injuries and property damage the policyholder causes to other people in a car wreck. Renters can also purchase temporary liability and other insurance coverage from the rental agency.
Another potential source of coverage comes from credit card companies, which often offer rental insurance as a perk when customers use their cards to rent a vehicle. Credit card rental insurance typically comes in the following two forms:
- Primary insurance, which supersedes any other insurance policy while the cardholder is driving a rental car
- Secondary insurance, which only kicks in once other policies’ coverage has been exhausted
A San Mateo personal injury lawyer can review policy language to determine which insurance policies might provide you with coverage after an accident involving a rental car.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Tourist-Related Accident?
If you’ve been hurt in a tourist-related car accident that someone else caused, you could be entitled to compensation for both the financial and personal consequences of that accident. This might include the following:
- Past and future medical expenses, including emergency transport, hospitalization, surgeries, prescriptions, assistive devices, and ongoing therapy
- Lost income you couldn’t earn because you were too hurt to work, covering wages/salary, tips, bonuses, commissions, and benefits
- Pain and suffering, a legal term describing the discomfort caused by your injury
- Emotional distress, for the psychological effects of being in a bad accident, such as insomnia, panic attacks, or post-traumatic stress disorder
- Property damage, including the repair or replacement of your vehicle, as well as the inconvenience that entails
If the at-fault party was acting with extreme recklessness at the time of the crash, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. Awarded only at trial, punitive damages do not compensate an accident victim for something they’ve lost. Rather, they punish the at-fault party to discourage similar behavior in the future.
An experienced San Mateo tourist car accident lawyer with Carcione, Henderson & Markowitz, LLP, can review your case for free and advise you on how much you could be owed.
How Long Do You Have to File a Tourist Accident Claim in California?
Unfortunately, you do not have unlimited time to take legal action following a tourist accident in California. Presuming San Mateo has jurisdiction over your case, California’s statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits gives you two (2) years from the date of the accident to file suit. If you attempt to file your suit after this deadline has passed, the court will probably dismiss your case regardless of its strength.
There are also circumstances that could extend this deadline, such as the at-fault party leaving the state. Things can get even more complicated if another state has jurisdiction over the matter. Don’t risk your right to compensation by taking too long to act. Instead, get in touch with an experienced tourist accident lawyer in San Mateo right away.
Contact a San Mateo Car Accident Lawyer Today
Hurt in a tourist-related car accident in San Mateo, CA? Then turn to a law firm with over 40 years of experience winning complex injury cases, such as international driver-car accident claims. Carcione, Henderson & Markowitz, LLP, blends compassionate advocacy with an aggressive legal strategy designed to deliver maximum results. Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what one former client had to say about us:
“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Henderson for his professionalism and dedication in helping resolve the recent case regarding the illegal rental. His prompt response, clear communication, and thorough understanding of the regulations were instrumental in bringing the issue to a fair and efficient resolution. Mr. Henderson demonstrated both integrity and compassion throughout the process, ensuring that all parties were treated respectfully while upholding the law. His support made a difficult situation much easier to navigate, and I am truly grateful for his efforts.” – George Yang Ming
Contact us now at 650-367-6811 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation to discuss your case with a tourist car accident lawyer in California. Your case review is fully confidential, and you pay nothing unless we successfully resolve your matter.