Determining Fault in Chain Reaction Car Accident

A chain-reaction car accident is a series of small collisions that all originated from the same initial collision. This causes a multi-vehicle chain reaction to follow, and thus determining who is at fault in such a chain reaction multi vehicle accident is difficult. In cases where the damages are great, or there are personal injuries, figuring out who is at fault can allow victims to obtain their compensation for the chain reaction crash from the person at fault.

There are many examples of chain reaction accidents that all look slightly different, with different individuals at fault.

Examples of Chain Reaction Car Accidents

Car accidents that create a chain reaction effect can happen quickly and can be looked at in different ways.

For example, if the first driver stops abruptly at an intersection or elsewhere on the road and causes the second driver to be unable to react and crashes into the back of the first driver, this would be the first accident. The chain reaction would happen when the second driver who was unable to stop in time pushes the first car into an unsuspecting third car in front of it, creating a three-car collision in the road that was all triggered by the initial first accident, and the first car breaking too quickly.

Additionally, this can also happen in larger groups of cars. A simple rear-end car accident can turn into another chain reaction when the first collision results in a third and sometimes even fourth unsuspecting car unable to stop or avoid the first collision.

These types of chain reaction car accidents are more common than they seem, as a chain reaction car accident causes fifteen percent of all traffic-related deaths. Most of these chairn reactoin car accidents occur on freeways, but in general, they are most common in places where there is frequent traffic congestion.

Chain reaction multi vehicle accidents can happen quickly and often involve three or more vehicles. Thus, because there are so many cars and people involved in multi-vehicle chain-reaction car accidents, determining who is at fault can be incredibly challenging.

Where Does Fault Lie in a Chain Reaction Car Collision?

Proving liability in a chain-reaction car accident for insurance claims with a car accident personal injury lawyer would start by determining who was the negligent party in the car accident. The goal is to identify which driver's negligence was most critical to the cause of the collision. There can more than one driver who was determined negligent, and these drivers would share in the fault and liability for the accidents.

An important consideration, to start, is that drivers should always leave room to stop should the car in front of them need to slam on the breaks suddenly. The vehicle behind should never be so close as to be completely incapable of avoiding a collision when the car in front of them has to come to an abrupt stop. If a driver fails to keep enough distance from the car in front of them then he would be considered negligent.

If your car were pushed into the car in front of you by a negligent driver who rear-ended you, the fault of the car accident would still lie with the initial motorist. The first car that failed to break, and shoved the car in front of them into another vehicle would still be liable. As such, they'd be responsible for the compensation of both drivers ahead of them in a lawsuit.

It can get more complicated depending on the scenario, however. For example, if the third driver felt two impacts at the far end because the first driver failed to stop and the second driver was unable to stop, the first two drivers would be liable for the damages of the third. This instance would be negligence for both the first and second drivers as both of them had been driving too close to stop in time for the car in front of them. Thus, causing the chain reaction car collision to result in at least two separate impacts.

Additionally, it is not only the rear car that could be at fault. In some cases, a driver may not look both ways and cut in front of traffic or ignore signs and cut someone off. This would put the driver's liability at the front of the line, though it could also be multiple liabilities. As the first car collision would be as a result of the first vehicle cutting in front of the second, but if the third vehicle was too close to stop and caused a secondary collision with the second car, both drivers could be liable for the second car's damages and injuries as a result of this chain reaction car accident.

Even with only three vehicles involved, a chain-reaction car accident can get incredibly complicated very quickly. Adding more drivers into the mix would only make it harder and create even more liabilities in the accident. Thus, determining the initial fault and the source of negligence that caused the accident can be incredibly tricky. 

Other actions that are considered negligent that could cause an accident like this are,

• A speeding driver
• A driver failing to signal turns or other indications
• A tailgating driver
• A distracted driver (i.e. texting or otherwise not looking at the road)
• Unmaintained traffic signs
• Roads left unmaintained or uncleared of debris

There can be cases, however, in which the fault is not on the individuals or the city. For example, there is no liability or fault in the case of a storm, ice, and other natural hazards on the road, and occasionally when a medical emergency/condition causes the "liable" party to lose consciousness or lose control of the car.

The trick in establishing fault is that you need to have the right car accident personal injury lawyer, who can handle the complicated process. However, the most crucial aspect of determining fault in these types of accidents is the ability and elements to prove who was the negligent party in the accident.

This requires several essential elements that can help establish liability and negligence, such as,

●        Evidence

If you are uninjured in a chain-reaction car accident and don't need immediate medical attention, then taking pictures of the skid marks and debris at the scene can be a good idea. These pictures can be used as evidence. Even the damage to the vehicle itself can be used as evidence to prove liability.

●        Eye Witness Statements

Other drivers not involved in the collision, passengers in the car, or pedestrians can all serve as essential witnesses in these types of car accident cases. If someone has witnessed the car crash and could help lend to the liability, this could be critical to the liability case.

●        Police Reports

When an accident like this happens and a police report is filed, that could serve as additional evidence for your car accident lawyer to use.

●        Past Traffic Violations of the Negligent Party

If the person who caused the collision has a previous history of speeding, tailgating, or not signaling their intentions, this could serve as evidence that the negligence lies with them. When an individual has a pattern of these poor decisions and causes a chain reaction car accident, their record could be proof of their bad driving habits which caused the accident.

If the multi-vehicle car accident has caused you injuries, you can request someone to gather the evidence and get witness statements for you. The faster that you can get ahold of witnesses and collect evidence, the stronger the case will be. People will begin to forget the details that could point to liability very quickly, and you want to ensure that the witnesses don't forget these details, if at all possible. However, personal safety is most important, so don't be afraid to delegate this process if you were injured and need medical attention.

Conclusion: Determining Fault in Chain Reaction Car Accident

In these multi-vehicle car accidents, the fault can lie in multiple places and be hard to determine. In the example of the first car cutting off the second car, the liability may not be entirely equal between both parties and might look different depending on the scenario. Some chain-reaction car accidents result in the single negligent party being liable for all of the cars' damage in the accident, and some are split depending on the weight of the individual's liabilities, between multiple negligent parties. These liabilities can result in the victim being compensated for damages to the car, the hospital visit, the medical fees, and pain and suffering.

Determining who is at fault in a multi-vehicle car collision that was a result of a chain reaction is incredibly complicated, as there are multiple factors to take into consideration. This is why seeking a car accident lawyer to sort out the details of your claim so that you can be compensated for the damages of the accident is so essential. These cases are complicated, but seeking compensation is not impossible. Contact The Injury Firm today for a FREE CONSULTATION: 954-951-0000!