Managing Partner
Not all car accidents involve just two vehicles, with one party clearly the victim and the other at fault. When more than one vehicle is involved, questions of liability become more complex. Sorting these issues out takes considerable legal experience.
If you or a loved one were involved in a multi-vehicle car accident, you can expect the insurance companies and lawyers to fight back hard against your demand for compensation. You need legal counsel who understands the laws and is ready to go to work for you. Learn how the Long Island car accident attorneys of Dell & Dean PLLC can assist.
Why Liability is More Complicated With Multi-Vehicle Accidents
A relatively simple two-car crash is fairly straightforward in terms of who is to blame. But a crash with three or more vehicles will make liability more complicated for the following reasons, among others:
- Conflicting stories: The at-fault driver and the victim in a two-car collision will have different versions of what happened. There are even more conflicting stories with a multi-car crash, and not all of the parties will necessarily keep their stories consistent.
- More evidence: More vehicles means there is more evidence to gather and sort through. It may take time to do this, and some parties could be less than forthcoming about their role in the accident.
- The potential for numerous third parties: The driver is usually at fault in a two-car accident, but sometimes there are third parties like automobile manufacturers who share blame. There may be numerous additional third parties if several vehicles get into a wreck.
- Insurance reluctance: Insurance companies are already averse to paying claims, and may be even more reluctant to do so with multiple parties. They could try to muddy the waters on liability and confuse the matter to avoid paying.
The Evidence That You Will Need
Just because multi-vehicle car accidents are more complex does not mean that the victim will be left stranded. Working with the right law firm, you can gather the evidence that will help prove who was liable for the crash. That evidence may include:
- Police accident reports: Responding Long Island law enforcement officers will conduct their own initial investigation and generate a report with basic facts about the crash. These reports are critical pieces of evidence in any accident claim.
- Eyewitness reports: Although the drivers involved may have their own version of what happened, other eyewitnesses at the scene may have observed something as well. You can call upon these witnesses to testify on your behalf.
- Camera footage: Dashcam, surveillance, and other camera footage may have captured details about the wreck that are not evident at first. We will work to secure all footage from the crash scene to uncover the truth.
- Accident reconstruction: Accident reconstruction is an important part of sorting out who was responsible for the crash. Our Long Island law firm has a reliable network of expert witnesses who are skilled in this area.
What If More Than One Driver Was At Fault?
It’s possible that two or more drivers could be to blame for the multi-vehicle accident. This is where it helps to understand New York’s comparative negligence doctrine.
Comparative negligence means that a court must determine how much liability each at-fault party shared for the wreck. The victim of the accident, for instance, may have shared some blame. The good news is that they can still recover compensation, but the court will reduce the amount according to their relative fault.
For example, suppose that the victim’s damages were worth $100,000. However, they played some role in causing the multi-car accident, maybe by following a vehicle too closely, so the court assigns them 20% of the fault. The court will lower the $100,000 award by 20% ($20,000), netting $80,000 to the victim.
No Matter the Facts Involved, We Can Help
Don’t let the insurance companies or other parties to the crash lead you to believe that the accident is too complicated and that you should simply accept whatever settlement offer they may make. Regardless of how many vehicles were involved, you have a trusted legal advocate in Dell & Dean PLLC. Give our Long Island office a call or fill out our online contact form now to get started.
