Driver cut across two lanes into a parking lot and hit me — what do I do now?

Oh man, the rental car thing adds a whole extra layer of confusion — been there. When I got hit by a rental driver, I made the mistake of trying to deal with the rental company directly first and honestly it just wasted time. Their insurance and the driver's personal insurance both got involved eventually anyway. I'd just go ahead and complete your claim with your own insurer and let them sort out who's responsible. That's literally what you pay them for.

Please go get checked out, even if you feel 'mostly okay.' Neck stiffness after a collision is your body telling you something. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries can feel mild at first and then get significantly worse over the next 48–72 hours once inflammation sets in. Go to urgent care or your doctor, describe exactly what happened, and let them document it. Don't wait until it gets bad — by then you've also lost that early documentation window.

Do NOT wait on completing your claim hoping the rental company will just make things easy. They won't. Their whole job is to minimize what they pay out. Get your claim fully filed with your own insurance TODAY, get that neck looked at, and keep a written record of every single conversation — who you talked to, what time, what they said. Adjusters count on people being confused and slow-moving right after an accident.

A couple of practical things worth knowing: rental situations typically involve at least two potential insurance sources — the rental company's liability coverage and whatever the driver's personal auto policy covers (some personal policies extend to rentals). Your own insurer can help sort out which applies. On the surveillance footage — if you think there's a camera on one of those storefronts, go back today or tomorrow and politely ask the business manager if they have footage and if they'd be willing to preserve it. Most small businesses overwrite footage within a week or two, sometimes less.

Not legal advice, but from what you're describing — a driver crossing multiple lanes without signaling to enter a lot — that's a pretty clear right-of-way situation. The fact that it's a rental doesn't protect the driver from liability. If your neck issue develops into anything significant, it may be worth a free consultation with a PI attorney before you sign anything or accept any settlement offer. Most won't charge unless they recover something for you.

Former claims adjuster here. One thing people don't realize: when a rental car is involved, the rental company's insurer will often do their own investigation pretty quickly — and their goal is to establish facts early, ideally before you have legal representation or even a full account of what happened. Don't give any recorded statement to anyone (including your own insurer if possible) until you've at least had a chance to gather your thoughts and write down everything you remember. Memory fades fast and recorded statements can be used against you later.