PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS EXPLAIN ACCIDENTS INVOLVING MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE
We’ve all been witness to pile-ups on the highway. Unfortunately for the people involved, it’s more than rubbernecking entertainment. Car accidents involving multiple vehicles can be devastating to a person’s physical property as well as causing irreversible damage to an individual’s physical and mental health. As California is a state with many large corridors of traffic surrounding their large cities, multiple vehicle accidents are not uncommon. When there are multiple drivers and contributing factors in a multiple vehicle accident, determining who is at fault can be extremely complicated. For this reason alone, it’s best to contact skilled accidents attorneys who can evaluate your case and determine the best course of action to take.
CAUSES
Commonly, multiple vehicle collisions occur as a sort of rear-ending chain reaction. This can occur in the following situations as well as others:
- Following behind a vehicle too closely
- Stopping too suddenly
- Changing lanes without sufficient warning
- Traveling too quickly and not being able to stop
- Rain or slick roads
- Poor visibility
- Poor car maintenance, such as old brakes or burnt out tail lights.
The size and weight of the vehicles involved has a significant impact on whether the incident will be multi-vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 81% of fatal crashes involving big rig tractor trailer trucks involve multiple vehicles.
WHAT TO DO
When an individual is involved in a multi-vehicle accident, the first thing to do is to ensure the safety of yourself and others. If anyone requires medical assistance, seek help immediately. Less urgently, it is important to exchange insurance and contact information with all drivers involved. Finally, seek legal advice from experienced injury lawyers as there are several things to do to assist the litigation process:
- Seek witnesses and obtain their contact information.
- Call the police in order to generate an official report.
- Take photographs of the damage and the general scene. Be sure to include images of any skid marks or anything that could have contributed to the incident.Take images from multiple angles.
- Be sure to have someone, such as a loved one or a legal representative, to do these things for you to ensure evidence is preserved.
DETERMINING FAULT
Multi-vehicle accidents are quite complex. As there are many individual drivers engaged in a multiple car accident, each collision may have a different person at fault. Additionally, there are entities that can be considered at fault in a car collision, such as a construction company, a vehicle manufacturer, etc. The reason each car collides with another may be for separate reasons. For example, vehicle A pops a tire in a pothole on the highway while raining and loses control of the vehicle, striking vehicle B. Vehicle C then collides with B after failing to stop in time. Because vehicle C doesn’t have brake lights, vehicle D hits the back of the car. The cause for each collision differs and fault may be difficult to determine, especially in the initial incident. This can complicate settling damages, especially if someone is injured or a government entity becomes involved. There are so many factors that affect how accident cases are handled. Contacting personal injury attorneys who have experience and resources is the best thing you can do to maximize your chances of receiving compensation.
California is what is called a “comparative fault” state. This means that a percentage of fault for each collision can be attributed to different people or entities. This directly indicates the damages each group is required to financially reimburse.
California is also a “substantial factor” state. This means that any individuals or entities that significantly contribute or are a “substantial factor” in causing harm are considered liable. California defines a “substantial factor” as more than remote or trivial but not necessarily the only cause.
COMPENSATION
In multiple vehicle collisions, each driver involved who contributed in any way to causing or contributing to the incident can be held responsible for some portion of the damages.
These damages may include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages in the case of permanent or semi-permanent disability
- Physical pain and mental suffering
- Property damage
- Emotional trauma
If you or someone you know has been involved in a multiple vehicle collision, it is imperative to seek the legal advice of injury attorneys. Insurance companies can be very difficult to deal with and when there are multiple vehicles, it becomes very difficult to suss out liability. With multiple drivers comes multiple insurance claims and possible refuting of the claims. Comparative fault then compounds this complication as it must then be determined to what degree each individual is at fault. Contact a legal representative as early in the process as possible to help guide you through complicated litigation and work on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve and protect you from other drivers.
ACCIDENT LAWYERS CAN HELP YOU GET THE COMPENSATION YOU DESERVE FOR YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING FROM MULTI-VEHICLE COLLISIONS
Multi-vehicle accidents can not only cause severe property damage but can change your life in many ways. Whether you suffered a catastrophic and life-altering injury or accrued high amounts of medical bills, you may be entitled to compensation. Don’t wait to speak to our skilled injury lawyers who are ready to help you get your life back.
Call (916) 357-6767 today for a free consultation with our Sacramento personal injury lawyer regarding your auto accident injury case.