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Every car accident is complex, but even more so when more than one vehicle is involved. Determining liability for a multi-car crash is a critical step towards winning the compensation that victims need to recover. If you’ve been injured, it helps to understand how the process works.
Hiring an attorney is a key component in your claim for financial compensation. Were you injured in a multi-vehicle accident in Nassau or Suffolk County? Let the dedicated legal team of Dell & Dean, PLLC advise you with a free initial case consultation.
How Multi-Car Crashes Happen
The pile-up is one of the most common ways in which more than one car can get into an accident. In this scenario, the first car slams into another from behind, pushing that car into the rear of the one ahead of it, and so forth. This chain reaction may involve numerous vehicles.
Pile-ups are always a risk in bad weather, with snow, ice, and rain contributing to poor traction and low visibility. Every driver is required to exercise a duty of care that includes adjusting their behaviors for inclement weather. That means slowing down to account for the conditions.
Long Island intersections are a common site of multi-vehicle accidents, due to so many cars in one place at once. There may be problems with the signals or the accident could be the result of driver inattention. Several cars turning in opposite lanes can sometimes run into each other.
Construction zones present another hazard due to changes in traffic patterns. Not all drivers are prepared for the adjustments, which makes it easy for more than one vehicle to be involved in a crash. Construction crews should, but do not always, warn drivers well in advance.
How is Liability Determined?
When a car crash involves just two vehicles, there has to be an investigation to determine who was at fault. This is complicated enough and often requires input from an expert witness. The problem is far more pronounced when it’s a multi-vehicle collision.
Law enforcement investigators in Long Island will be analyzing several pieces of evidence to try to determine who was responsible for the crash. They include:
- What were the actions of the first car that crashed? The first vehicle to strike another in a multi-vehicle accident could (but does not always) share a bulk of the liability. So investigators will need to look closely at any negligent actions of the first driver, such as speeding.
- What did the subsequent involved vehicles do? Just because one vehicle strikes another does not mean the second driver is immune from liability. How that and other drivers reacted, and whether they were negligent (e.g. following too closely), also needs to be considered.
- What were the prevailing conditions? This takes into account factors like traffic density, bad weather, road conditions and quality (for example, if there were potholes), and lighting. If, for instance, there was heavy traffic, then this affects each driver’s duty of responsible driving.
- What does the forensic evidence indicate? Skid marks, debris patterns, the collision points on the vehicles, and the final resting positions of the vehicles will be crucial here. Accident reconstructionists can use this evidence to estimate how the wreck occurred.
- What did eyewitnesses see? Eyewitness testimony is valuable evidence and provides a more objective account of the accident than the parties involved can provide. Multiple eyewitnesses may be able to describe in detail what the vehicles did.
- What was recorded in pictures or on video? Any pictures from the crash site will prove helpful. Additionally, videos from surveillance cameras, local businesses and residences, dashcams, smartphones, and other sources will assist investigators.
- Did any outside parties play a role? There are many parties not directly involved in the crash that could be liable. Construction crews, governmental entities responsible for traffic signals, and vehicle manufacturers are all potentially relevant.
Can More Than One Party Share Liability?
It’s possible for more than one driver in a multi-crash to be liable for the accident. It’s also possible for outside parties such as vehicle manufacturers to share blame. Courts can apportion liability among several parties.
Before filing a lawsuit, victims need to seek coverage for their medical bills and other losses through their Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy. This policy will first cover them, regardless of who was at fault in the crash. More serious accident victims may be able to file a lawsuit.
In a lawsuit, victims can still recover compensation even if they were partially at fault thanks to New York’s comparative fault system. The victim’s total amount of monetary compensation will be reduced by their percentage of fault.
Speak With a Lawyer Today About Your Legal Rights
If you were involved in a multi-car accident, you should expect the other drivers and their lawyers and insurers to start looking for someone to blame. Being pro-active can protect your right to compensation. Contact Dell & Dean, PLLC today to get started on your claim.
