Being hit by a car is bad enough, but if you live in a tourist hotspot, you're more likely to be hit by a tourist. This can further complicate your case when you're seeking compensation, especially when the tourist is also driving a rental car.
Communication Issues
A tourist who is from another country may not speak English. Therefore, communicating with the motorist can be much more difficult. The motorist might also not be used to how insurance cases are handled in the United States and may need to be guided through the process. When dealing with an accident where you are hit by a tourist, a car accident attorney can especially help you.
Car Rental Issues
If you are hit by a motorist driving a rental car, you will still need to seek compensation from the insurance provider of the motorist. While the rental company offers some insurance, this is only meant to be a secondary insurance policy. If the driver is not able to provide you with his or her insurance information, you must find out the driver's name, address, and driver's license number.
Jurisdiction Issues
With foreign tourists, a car accident case might run into jurisdiction issues as you attempt to determine which courts will hear the case. International law determines jurisdiction between two individuals based on treaties. However, this can still be complicated, and you'll need help from a tourist car accident attorney.
Liability Issues
Some foreign tourists will purchase insurance to cover issues related to liability. If this happens, you may be able to seek compensation from the tourist's insurance provider. However, you will still need to fight with the insurance provider to reach an acceptable settlement. Insurance providers will always look for ways to minimize how much they must pay.
To seek the maximum compensation possible for damages, you will want to take photographs of the accident to provide evidence for your version of the events. Take these photographs from multiple angles so that the insurance provider can find out exactly what happened during the crash.
Report the accident to the police and to your own insurance provider. Reporting the accident to the police will allow for a police report to be created that can be used as more solid evidence of what occurred during the accident. The foreign tourist might also be cited for a traffic violation that might be beneficial when seeking compensation.
To learn more, contact a law firm like Cok Kinzler PLLP.
