Who Is Liable If I Am Injured in a Multiple Vehicle Crash?

 Posted on September 05, 2024 in Car Accidents

You probably know that you may be entitled to compensation if you are injured in a car accident caused by someone else. Many of these collisions only involve two vehicles, making it easier to determine why and how they occurred. When the fault for causing your injuries is apparent, you know who should pay your damages.

What if you are involved in a chain-reaction motor vehicle pileup? Where do you even begin when filing your accident claim? Multiple-vehicle crashes have many potential complications, but a knowledgeable lawyer from Kanoski Bresney can help you navigate them successfully.

Determining Liability in Chain-Reaction Crashes

Pileups involving several vehicles are actually the result of a series of individual crashes. One car may be hit multiple times by different vehicles. The more vehicles that are involved, the more complicated determining liability becomes. Sometimes, an accident reconstruction is necessary to show the order in which each collision happened.

The driver who caused the first collision may be at fault for the subsequent crashes, but not always. Establishing fault is necessary because a person’s degree of fault determines whether they can collect compensation from other at-fault parties and if they must pay damages to others.

Many complications can arise in these cases:

• Why did the first crash happen, and how did it lead to other vehicles being involved?

• Did more than one party share responsibility for causing each individual collision?

• If your car was hit by multiple vehicles, did each cause different injuries? Did the secondary impacts worsen your initial wounds?

• Could drivers other than the first at-fault driver have avoided causing further collisions, or did negligent behavior on their part contribute?

• Were you partially at fault in the accidents that injured you?

• Did a pothole or other roadway damage or obstacle contribute to causing any of the crashes?

• Was a commercial vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer or last-mile delivery vehicle, involved in the pileup?

Liable parties might include multiple drivers, government agencies responsible for road maintenance, parts manufacturers, truck cargo loaders, and others. Unraveling the entire situation to determine liability takes time, resources, and legal knowledge that many people do not have. When you choose Kanoski Bresney, we know how to get to the bottom of these and other complications to help you get the compensation you deserve.

What Damages Can You Receive After a Car Accident?

Until we discuss case-specific details, we cannot tell you if you qualify for a settlement or the kinds of damages you may receive. We offer free consultations so we can give you more pinpointed information. You might be eligible to obtain damages for things like:

• Medical costs, including ongoing care

• Property damage

• Lost wages

• PTSD, anxiety, and depression

• Pain and suffering

If you do not know how much your case is worth, you may settle for far less than you deserve. Let Kanoski Bresney help so you get the highest amount possible.

Contact an Experienced Peoria, IL Car Accident Lawyer Today

Multiple-car collisions can have far-reaching detrimental consequences, but obtaining a favorable settlement should not be one of them. At Kanoski Bresney, we will work diligently to safeguard your best interests. Call us at 888-826-8682 for your free consultation with our dedicated Champaign, IL personal injury attorney.