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When you’ve just been injured in a serious car accident, your first thought probably isn’t about whether the at-fault driver owns, leases, or rents their car. Even once you get past the shock and pain of the accident itself and start to think about the financial ramifications, the car’s rental status might still feel like a minor, irrelevant detail. The driver was the one who caused your injuries, so their insurance provider should cover your bills, right?
In principle, yes. In practice, yes, but… who exactly is their insurance provider? The short-term nature of car rentals means that there may be two or three insurance policies involved, all with their own exclusions and motivations to avoid paying out. Worse, there may be no insurance at all. Then there’s the rental company itself, which might share liability for the accident, but only under very specific circumstances.
Below, we’ll go into detail on why getting fair compensation for a Dollar Rental Car accident can be such an exceptional hassle, and how we can help. If at any point you would prefer to discuss your case directly with a rental car accident lawyer in Georgia, feel free to reach out by phone or chat.
In the U.S, anyone driving on a public street is legally required to carry liability insurance. Depending on the situation, someone else might be responsible for providing that insurance (an employer insuring a professional driver, for example), but no one is supposed to be driving without coverage for the injuries they might cause to others.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that uninsured driving never happens. Uninsured driver accidents are a serious problem in Georgia. To make matters worse, some personal insurance policies quietly exclude rental cars. So, when a rental is involved, even drivers who believe they’re covered may not be.
Georgia law technically requires car rental companies to make sure their renters have adequate insurance, but it does not hold them financially responsible for the lack of coverage if they fail to do this.
Dollar Rental Car’s website openly states that the company does not require any proof of insurance from customers. It only recommends that customers check with their private insurance or credit card company before renting, to make sure they’re covered.
Most car rental companies, including Dollar, offer their own temporary insurance policies as a strongly encouraged upcharge. However, these policies are not required, and many customers are justifiably wary of rental insurance, for being typically high in price and low on coverage. Rental companies can set their own terms and exclusions, knowing that their customers will be more rushed and less likely to comparison shop than they would be when buying long-term insurance.
In short, if you’re injured by a Dollar Rental Car driver, there’s an alarmingly real possibility that the driver will have no insurance, personal insurance that doesn’t cover rentals, or rental insurance that will refuse your claim for any number of fine-print reasons. In such situations, it’s crucial to seek guidance from experienced Car accident attorneys in Atlanta to navigate the legal complexities and protect your rights.
In most cases, a vehicle’s owner has a duty to maintain insurance on that vehicle, and to make sure all drivers of that vehicle are insured, either under the vehicle’s main policy or the driver’s own separate policy.
If someone causes an accident while driving a vehicle they don’t own, with the owner’s permission, any victims of that accident have a right to collect compensation from the owner’s insurance.
Under the Graves Amendment, however, car rental companies like Dollar Rental Car are exempt from the responsibility to insure the vehicles they own. No matter how badly a Dollar Rental customer behaves, or how little effort Dollar Rental put into checking that customer’s coverage before handing over the keys, the company has no automatic liability for accidents involving its vehicles.
Dollar Rental Car does, however, have a responsibility to refrain from actively endangering people with faulty products or services.
So, for example, if someone rents a car from Dollar Rental, gets drunk, and then runs a red light and hits someone, Dollar Rental is probably not liable. If, on the other hand, someone rents a car from Dollar Rental, and the car’s brakes fail at that red light, causing a collision, Dollar Rental would be liable for the harm their inadequate maintenance caused.
Sometimes, getting fair compensation after an accident with a rental car can actually be easier than it is after an accident with a driver-owned car, for one reason: credit cards.
Insurance coverage for rental car accidents is a surprisingly common credit card perk. Unlike insurance from the rental company, insurance from a credit card company usually offers comparable or even superior coverage to an average individual policy for a personal vehicle.
Policies provided as credit card perks often serve as primary coverage, meaning they can be used immediately, without having to exhaust any other coverage resources first. Others offer excess coverage, meaning they cover the difference if other policies, such the ones sold by rental companies, don’t cover the full value of the damages.
Unfortunately, credit card companies only offer coverage for rentals that were paid for with the card in question. And, whereas most rental companies strongly encourage or even require a credit card for payment, Dollar Rental Car specifically advertises itself as debit card friendly.
It’s understandable, of course, for people to want a rental option that doesn’t require a credit card, and for a company like Dollar to want to offer flexible payment options. Still, the lower odds of credit card coverage, combined with the complications and gray areas around rental car coverage, can make Dollar Rental Car accidents particularly frustrating for survivors.
One of the first mistakes most accident survivors make is reaching out to a company connected with the accident — like Dollar Rental Car — in the hope that the company might care about them on a human level and want to help.
Unfortunately, for-profit companies almost invariably prioritize profit over everything else, and the larger and more structured a company is, the lower the odds of human compassion or ethics winning out.
Like most rental companies, Dollar Rental Car is just one part of a larger corporate entity, in this case, Hertz. Specifically, Dollar Rental Car is one of the brands Hertz markets toward customers with tighter budgets. This makes the frequent reports of Dollar taking financial advantage of its customers all the more disturbing.
In 2012, Dollar Rental Car was sued for allegedly billing customers for services they’d refused, including additional insurance. The accusations included forcing employees to systematically lie to customers about how their electronic signatures would be used. That case ended with an undisclosed settlement.
Then, in 2019, the Attorney General of Florida forced the company to reimburse customers for a separate set of allegedly misleading fees, this time for cashless toll booth programs.
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A month ago
I can’t say enough good things about The Stoddard Firm. From the very beginning, they treated me with genuine care, professionalism, and respect. Matthew Stoddard and his team were incredibly knowledgeable and responsive, keeping me informed at every step of the process. They took the time to understand my case and fought hard to get the best possible outcome. It’s clear they truly care about their clients, not just as cases, but as people. If you’re looking for a firm that combines legal expertise with compassion and integrity, this is the one. Highly recommend!
a month ago
My experience with the Stoddard firm was great from the communication received making sure they update me with everything & explaining any details I was unfamiliar with, handling my case well when we had to appear before a judge & helping me to get the most out of my settlement that was possible. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a lawyer.
6 months ago
One thing I can truly say about the Stoddard Firm is that they take great initiative in helping their clients. My case and situation took a lot out of me. Mentally, emotionally and even physically. But the Stoddard firm did an amazing job with my case. Shauna and Janine did absolutely amazing with helping me with coping skills and they have great communication. They helped me understand that the process of my case would take some time but that they would do everything in their power to help me differentiate the odds that were against me. Yes the process was time given, but patience is key and at the end everything was successful and I am grateful for them. Like literally I think about their amazing gratitude towards my case. Their support was amazing and they always kept me updated on my case. When I fell short in life they stepped in to make sure I would come back ten times stronger and I did.
And Matt ?? Omg he was amazing ! He’s always on the roll to do what is needed for his clients. And honestly it did not fail ! Very supportive!!
I recommend them for any serious case because they GET IT DONE ! No if, ands or buts!!!!! 10/10
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More recently, individual customers have continued to come forward with stories of being cheated in various ways by Dollar Rental Car. These include multiple alleged cases of Dollar baiting customers online with deals it refused to honor, trying to substitute less desirable and more expensive vehicles than originally agreed upon, falsely charging customers for multiple vehicles at once, and even pursuing them through collections companies when they refused to pay for rentals they’d neither used nor agreed to.
What does all this mean for victims of Dollar Rental Car accidents? Well, if Dollar can’t even be fair to its own customers for the sake of winning their repeat business, it’s extremely unlikely it will be generous to an accident survivor when it has nothing to gain.
Remember, while a specific accident may be a life-changing event for everyone involved, it’s a routine part of doing business for a rental company. A company as large as Hertz will have standard policies in place to handle every accident as cheaply as possible, usually by simply refusing all responsibility.
In fact, if Dollar Rental Car does offer you anything at all after an accident, be wary. This probably means that the company knows it’s liable for your accident, either as an insurer or as a negligent party, and is trying to avoid a larger settlement later.
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While the involvement of a rental company like Dollar can complicate your accident claim, at the end of the day, if you weren’t at fault for the accident, you probably have a legal right to compensation from someone.
If the at-fault driver did pay with a credit card that has rental insurance benefits, wonderful. If not, either their personal insurance or temporary rental insurance from Dollar might be legally required to compensate you. If that’s also a no, you might be covered under your own insurance, as if you’d been hit by a driver with no insurance at all.
The key is identifying where the legal liability actually lies, and not allowing the responsible party to take advantage of the confusion. To do that, you’ll need professional legal help.
The moments and weeks after your accident are vital to your case, so for best results, follow these steps as closely as possible:
The Stoddard Firm has extensive experience representing accident survivors in the Atlanta area. We’re closely familiar with local traffic laws, personal injury law, wrongful death law, and insurance law. We accept and excel at legally complex cases, including those involving rental cars. Above all, we’re passionate about holding large corporations to their responsibilities and making sure victims and their families have the resources they need to rebuild.
We handle car accident cases involving rental car drivers, rideshare and delivery drivers, taxis, and commercial vehicles, including accidents involving Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt, Thrifty, DoorDash, and taxi services.
To get started with a free consultation on your case, call us any time at 470-467-2200, or reach out through our online chat function.
A dedicated, ethical advocate who takes on major corporations and global insurers with virtually unlimited resources. Known for high-profile cases featured on Courtroom Viewing Network, this attorney is also a sought-after legal educator, teaching at seminars for top bar associations. Trusted by clients and media alike, they work tirelessly to secure justice and deliver results.
Member of the Atlanta Bar Association, the Georgia Bar Association, and the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association
Licensed in Georgia since: 2008
Education: University of Georgia School of Law
If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, we’re here to help. Fill out the form below, and one of our experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys will contact you shortly to discuss your case. Call us 678-RESULTS.
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I can’t express enough how good attorneys Keith Evra and Matthew stoddard are as well as the rest of the firm. They took care of me and my family and did everything they could for us and were professional and amazing at what they do. You can count on them to genuinely make you feel like they care about you and will do everything they can for you. If I could give 500 stars I would. If you are debating to choose them for your representation look no further becuase you won’t find a better firm. They are the best.
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By far a great group to handle such a tremendous and difficult time in our lives, not only do they communicate and explain in detail, but they really care to make this process as easy as possible. I would highly recommend this firm for any of your needs because they really do go above and beyond with blood sweat and tears for their clients
One thing I can truly say about the Stoddard Firm is that they take great initiative in helping their clients. My case and situation took a lot out of me. Mentally, emotionally and even physically. But the Stoddard firm did an amazing job with my case. Shauna and Janine did absolutely amazing with helping me with coping skills and they have great communication. They helped me understand that the process of my case would take some time but that they would do everything in their power to help me differentiate the odds that were against me. Yes the process was time given, but patience is key and at the end everything was successful and I am grateful for them.
Matthew Stoddard and his team of lawyers, including Belle- Anne and the staff, were very professional and caring from the beginning to the end. They were very knowledgeable, always available to answer any questions, and made sure I was always updated. I’m very grateful and highly recommend them.
I contacted the Stoddard Firm and told them about the accident and explained our family’s situation in detail. They took on the case and did a FANTASTIC job. They were very mindful that this was a very heartbreaking situation for all of us. They made certain our entire family was well informed of everything going on throughout the entire process. They were always very polite, very responsive and never got frustrated whenever a situation arose where we didn’t understand something. They were always very patient and explained any questions or concerns we had at all times. I would highly recommend them to anyone who has experienced the unfortunate need to hire an attorney for this type of situation.
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They are client focused and make sure that you are in the loop every step of the way. We worked directly with Matt Stoddard, Keith Evra, & Shauna Thomas and they were accommodating, understanding, and wonderful. They treat their clients with respect and care and genuinely have your best interest at heart. We weren’t treated as just clients, we were treated as family. Their knowledge and experience with law shows and they know exactly what they are doing. This is a top of the line law firm and you will be extremely satisfied when you choose them for your case.
The Stoddard firm did a extraordinary job on my case. Their whole team is very professional, and will go over and beyond to achieve the greatest results so that the customer is satisfied. Thank you again for making me a priority.
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The Stoddard firm done an excellent with my son case. They had great open communication and treated you like family. The whole staff was just on point and had great customer service. I want to thank everyone at the Stoddard firm
The Stoddard Firm has been an excellent firm to work with. Everyone there was very professional. I truly appreciate everything that they did to walk me through the process. I know they worked very hard to bring my lawsuit to a favorable conclusion. I especially appreciate Matthew, Janine and Shauna and the dedication to my case.
All the folks at the Stoddard firm were responsive, polite, professional and caring. They handled our case with determination. They handled our family with high regard and respect.
I work with a lot of law firms across the country, and I can say The Stoddard Firm truly cares about all their clients and are invested in seeking justice for them. Their staff is always delightful, and super organized! Class act firm from top to bottom!
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was revised and approved by Attorney Matthew B. Stoddard, who has more than 16 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, we’re here to help. Fill out the form below, and one of our experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys will contact you shortly to discuss your case. Call us 678-RESULTS.
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