Most of us have rented a car at one point or another, and many of us realize that these vehicles are generally treated in a rough manner by renters who drive them since they will never have to pay for any of the maintenance involved with these models.  Many understand that part of the cost of renting these vehicles includes  the maintenance that's done by the rental car companies to keep them as safe as possible.  However, a recent study has revealed that it's possible that some New York car accidents are caused by these rental car companies failing to make repairs on rental vehicles that are defective and that have been subject to recalls.

According to a study compiled and released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, a close look at what's known as the 'Big Three' in the rental car company industry that includes Hertz, Enterprise and Avis/Budget, there are serious problems with the potential for dangerous and defective vehicles being allowed on the roads.  For purposes of specificity of the study, Enterprise also owns National and Alamo. 

Defective and Dangerous Rental Car Statistics

Specifically, the NHTSA study found that tens of thousands of vehicles have been allowed on the roads in the United States since 2006 that were either recalled by their manufacturers for repairs or which were the subject of warnings regarding potential defects.  The numbers broke down as follows concerning the percentage of vehicles that were subject to recalls that were repaired within 90 days of the announcements:

• Enterprise - 65 percent of affected vehicles
• Avis/Budget - 53 percent
• Hertz - 34 percent

The rental companies have disputed these findings, claiming that the NHTSA has chosen only specific recalls and not all of them. 

New York Car Accident Lawyers

The bottom line in these situations is that if someone in the state rents a vehicle and then is harmed in a New York car accident or that defective vehicle harms another motorist or passenger, those who have been harmed may have the right to file a New York personal injury lawsuit against the rental car company if that company failed to make timely repairs to defective vehicles.  There is no telling how many claims have been filed to date, but those that have been successful could have brought damages awards that compensate those harmed for their medical costs, their lost income and their pain and suffering.

If you or someone you love has been harmed because of a defective rental car, you need to seek the help of New York personal injury lawyers who have been holding corporations accountable for the harm they have caused for 40 years.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.