What Happens after a Multi-Vehicle Accident?

A multi-vehicle accident is any collision that involves three or more vehicles, sometimes across two or many lanes, or on a highway. Such an accident may end up leading to the closure of some motorway lanes or the entire road, and is, therefore, treated as a serious incident due to the number of people and property at risk. Other common names for a multi-vehicle accident are:

1. A chain reaction accident; as the three or more vehicles are involved in a series of collisions resulting from a first single collision, or;
2. A pile-up; where vehicles from different directions have smashed into one another in no apparent order.

More so, a multi-vehicle accident, with its ensuing multiple litigations, claims, and counter-claims of accepted or exempted liabilities and concluding compensations or lack thereof can deteriorate into a huge affair. The multi-vehicle accident is mainly perceived in relation to the size of litigation and the large amounts of time and money that goes into its administration and emolument.

Although a driver’s error is the most common cause of all road accidents, a negligent pedestrian not paying attention to vehicles while crossing the street or improper observation of traffic rules may also cause multi-vehicle accidents. A high number of these accidents happen at busy intersections, highways with heavy traffic or at traffic stops – ignoring or misusing traffic lights usually results in multi-vehicle pileups. Picture a road with fast-moving traffic and an intersection without a roundabout, for example, if a runaway car speeding perpendicular to the fast-moving open lanes was to bypass the apparent red light, it would inevitably crash into two or more lanes of traffic, and probably, involve four to five other vehicles in a multi-vehicle accident.

In today’s digital age, a rise in road accidents has been attributed to distractions by phone texting or conversations while driving or paying too much attention to vehicle on-board screens. Drunk driving also has caused many casualties, while some near-sighted drivers as well have also been found responsible for a number of pile ups. Multi-vehicle accidents are also more likely to occur on a busy highway, and especially, in cases of vehicles speeding at night or during rain, a snowstorm, tornado, mudslide, and icy sleet.

Despite all drivers and pedestrians taking all precautions, sometimes vehicles, their parts, or even road damage can cause a multi-vehicle accident. Car manufacturers can also be held accountable for the failure of parts and mechanisms leading to vehicle malfunction which results in the accident.

In the unfortunate occurrence of a multi-vehicle accident, depending on its severity and the state of the scene, a person must initially check their own wellbeing as well as that of others. Judging by this, one may exit their vehicle and also try to move trapped individuals to safety. Those that complain of back and neck pains may only be moved by qualified medics so as not to further their injuries. Caution must also be observed that any present fires be doused, if possible, to prevent their spreading and to curtail the risk of exploding gas tanks.

Once the accident scene is secure and emergency services have arrived, you need to get medical attention as soon as possible. Though insurance agents may sometimes try to discourage one to not see a doctor, any personal injury lawyer will emphasize on how not only can a full medical exam save your life, but also greatly adds to furthering your claim where any medical expertise and documentation pertinent to your condition will become a necessary requirement.

The next step is collecting the personal information of all participants to the accident; names, date of birth, driving and registration permits, coupled with their insurance details and any witness testimonies available. You can also take as many photographs of the accident scene, as well as any injuries and casualties, vehicles and their registration number plates. These provide factual evidence to your claim and should be shared with your Personal Injury Attorney as soon as possible to facilitate his/her decision on the direction your claim will take. The police and emergency operators that arrive at the scene are all required to make a report, copies of which you are entitled to by law. Medical reports are of utmost importance in the instance of filing a personal injury claim as it is much more difficult for you to prove you are at pain without the medical documents.

At an accident scene, the first rule is to never leave the scene. Not only is this critical in minimizing or completely preventing one’s own or other people’s injuries, but the law may also consider a driver who flees the scene of an accident as a hit and run driver! After calling the police or emergency medical responders and informing your insurance provider, call a personal injury attorney who will evaluate your accident and start working on your case.

Take careful note of factors such as the causes and severity of the accident, a consensus among individuals and witnesses involved about the sequence of the occurrence(s), and the direction of the blame for the accident as this will determine whether the services of a lawyer are immediately needed. However, the circumstances can become exacerbated especially in the case of a multi-vehicle accident as liability isn’t usually easy to confirm, or might even be shared by more than one party. Your best plan of action will be that before any roles in the accident are allocated, a personal injury attorney is present or has been made aware of the situation.

The bottom line for insurance companies’ business depends on their making profits off of your policy or compensation pay-out, by either withholding awards in totality or handing out the lowest possible settlement for a personal injury or property damage claim. Therefore, don’t be in a rush to put your signature to anything before speaking to a personal injury lawyer, who will initially provide you with the dos and don’ts regarding your accident.

The term driver duty of care is a reference used to attribute the reasonable care that any drivers should take while driving to preserve their safety and that of others on the road. This involves carefully looking out for pedestrians, other vehicles, and any other obstacle on the road. The driver is also required to be in full control of the speed and direction of his/her vehicle.

In the initial stages of proving responsibility for a multi-vehicle accident, technical phrases like “owes” or “is owed duty of care” may be thrown around. You might even be implicated as the one who breached the said duty of care as other defendants aspire to diminish their responsibility. Your Personal Injury Attorney will collect all available reports on the occurrence and prove your observance of the duty of care by looking into details such as:

• Vehicle damage
• Skid marks
• Road and vehicle conditions
• Vehicle direction and eventual placement in relation to the crash
• Evidence of previous accidents on that scene or by any of the participants
• Eyewitness accounts
• Alcohol inebriated or incapacitated drivers

A vehicle irresponsibly changing or merging lanes is liable for any damage, injury, or loss of life that may result from these actions. A driver that hits another vehicle from behind, also called rear-ending, is the liable party and so is a driver who fails to give way or yield to avoid a collision. In some cases, therefore, the plaintiff(s) may be able to claim damages from multiple responsible parties.

California is a contributory negligent state. This means that judges assign the responsibility for accidents based on the driver’s negligence that led to the accident. This, further, is dependent on whether the car was a front car, middle car, or end car since California auto laws assign different liabilities to each of these three scenarios.

Generally, California doesn’t consider front cars liable for a multi-vehicle accident. However, a front car can be held liable if the driver suddenly applied brakes, making his/her car to be rear-ended.

A middle car, on the other hand, is responsible for the damage caused on the front car regardless of whether a third car contributed to this accident. Consequently, a front car driver may file a complaint against both the drivers of the middle and end cars. This would more likely arise when the middle car’s minimum policy is not sufficient enough to cover the damages caused on the front car.

Finally, an end car is more likely to be held responsible for a chain accident involving three cars. However, the accident liability may be shared amongst the three cars if the front or middle car applied sudden brakes that caused the accident, using the contributory negligence technique.

In the state of California, a driver causing injury and/or damage to another person or person’s property is the defendant, while anyone made victim by the accident becomes either a plaintiff, witness, or enjoined to the plaintiff in legal jargon. To ascertain which party or parties are responsible for the accident and, therefore, liable can become uncomfortable for even the most experienced road users; and some cases even deteriorate into a brawl. Once it’s done, however, the participants can then proceed to file their claims with their insurance companies.

If it’s not possible to establish liability at first, you are advised to seek legal representation before agreeing to anything, even if ordered to by the police, complainant, or any insurance company representative. A legal valuation of your case will give you a clearer perspective to your legal and rightful claim, and a personal injury attorney will make sure an in-depth investigation is completed. After all reports and accounts are consolidated, your lawyer will then proceed with the paperwork required to file your claim.

Without proper legal representation, this process can become strenuous and there is always the risk of further implicating yourself. You may also find yourself ending up with an award that is far below what it would have been had you been under the advice and direction of a personal injury lawyer. In real life, it would be difficult to deal with all the different participants to the suit; which in the case of a multi-vehicle accident, would be numerous. Your claims against defendants, plaintiffs, insurance companies, state or private enterprises stand a better chance in the hands an attorney, who will ensure your claims are not only validated but that they’re ultimately monetized into the highest available restitution.

Some factors of inclusion into your personal injury claim will be determined by the extent of your injuries or how much they affect your normal life. Medical expenses, for instance, cannot as yet be calculated until you have fully recuperated, and some unearthed infirmities may only become bothersome later. Your personal injury legal team will subpoena and peruse police records, scene of accident reports, medical reports, and vehicular damage reports while making the necessary negotiations on your behalf endeavoring to secure you the most favorable settlement.

You’ll preferably leave the scene of the accident in your own vehicle, but if you’ve suffered an injury, especially one that limits your mobility, then you’ll be taken away by paramedics on an ambulance to a hospital. As you hopefully recover and recuperate from your injuries, the medical costs and bills accrued will start to accumulate. For Instance, the loss of earnings due to an inability to make a living, and factors like emotional toil will hamper you down; thus, family situations and nature of adjustments needed for your return to normalcy will be considered when making a personal injury claim. A personal injury lawyer is essential at this point to provide the much-required assistance and negotiate treatment expenses with your insurance provider.

Damages resulting from a multi-vehicle accident for a personal injury claim may include;

• Tissue and bone injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Loss or incapacitation of limbs
• Head and brain injury or damage
• Deformation and disfigurement
• Medical and personal expenses
• Emotional damage

Bear in mind that the statute of limitations or the time allocated until one cannot ever sue again in California is two years for a personal injury claim, and three years for a property damage claim. Therefore, you should immediately set out making a claim soon after a multi-vehicle accident has happened. This not only sends out a clear message about the urgency of your predicament; it also makes the case easier and expedient since the various contributors still have the events fresh in memory. If, for instance, someone enjoined to the suit left the state, the court hearings may be postponed; thus, resulting in a delay on your claims’ progress.

Investigations and negotiations take anywhere from weeks to months and, in some cases, drag out for years. If you’re not legally represented well or have no knowledge of negotiations and court decisions that may affect your compensation, this can pose challenges for recovering a multi-vehicle accident. Post-traumatic stress often leaves most of us self-internalized and some are prone to depression, making it more difficult to chase one’s own claim.

The insurance company or agency representatives will have been in touch with you to discuss the modalities of what your policy covers or does not cover. It’s important to keep in mind that at this point, their evaluation of your claim is with the view of denying you as much compensation as they can get away with. Your personal injury lawyer will not only sit in with you through these deliberations and legally interpret the fine print. As your personal injury claim will also be against the individual(s) responsible for the multi-vehicle accident, their insurance companies, and other pertinent parties will have their legal divisions closely looking into the matter. So as not to be intimidated into retracting or amending your claim, a personal injury attorney from a top-rated firm will confront and object to any contradicting statements.

Whether at the accident scene, the hospital, or back in your home, Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney will not just shield you from the multiple claims and counterclaim mayhem, we will support you through every step of the process. Our team will be a loyal friend; looking out for you at this time of distress. Call your personal injury attorney at 424-231-2013. Allow us to take the unnecessary pain, worry, and anxiety out of an injury sustained after a multi-vehicle accident.