Houston Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyer
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When a multi-vehicle accident occurs, it’s usually serious enough to make the news. This should at least hint at the potential severity of crashes involving multiple vehicles. If you’ve been in a multi-car accident, you’ve likely suffered painful injuries and devastating damage to your vehicle. You deserve for the damages you endured from the accident. But who is at fault in a pile-up car accident? Whose insurance will pay your medical bills?
At Reich & Binstock, our Houston car accident lawyers are highly skilled and experienced when it comes to motor vehicle accidents of many types. This includes crashes involving three or more vehicles. If you’ve suffered damages in a multi-vehicle crash, we’re here to help you fight for your right to just compensation. To schedule a free consultation with us, please call our office at 713-622-7271 today.
What Is a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
A multi-car accident occurs when there are three or more drivers involved with three or more vehicles. These vehicles can be cars, trucks, motorcycles, or even commercial vehicles. The damage sustained by both people and property is often substantial, with each victim potentially suffering thousands in property damage alone. There are a few different types of multi-car accidents.
Pile-Up Accidents
Pile-up accidents are among the most dangerous types of car accidents. It is a type of multi-vehicle car accident in which three or more vehicles pile up on top of each other. Cars are extremely heavy, and they produce a lot of force while in motion. When they collide with each other and cause a pile-up, this can result in serious injuries.
Chain Reaction Accidents
When one car collides with another car, this is a simple car accident. However, if the first accident causes the third and subsequent vehicles to collide with the first two, this is a chain reaction car accident. The initial accident could affect cars either in front or behind it. Either way, a chain reaction accident has the potential to cause severe injuries, and even wrongful death in some cases.
Why Do Multi-Vehicle Accidents Occur?
Multi-car crashes can occur for a multitude of reasons, including driver error, vehicle malfunctions, and negligence from other drivers. However, dangerous road and weather conditions are common causes of multi-car collisions. Additionally, they are more common on highways where there are many cars in close proximity to one another.
When road visibility is low, such as in foggy, rainy, or snowy conditions, this lowers the amount of time that drivers have to react to other drivers and vehicles. Multi-car pileups and chain reactions can occur when drivers hit the brakes too late, skid into oncoming traffic, or swerve into another lane.
Multi-vehicle collisions can occur from any type of car accident, including rear-end collisions, t-bone accidents, sideswipe accidents, and head-on collisions. No matter the cause, multi-car accident victims often suffer some form of bodily injury.
What to Do After a Multiple Car Accident
After getting into a multi-vehicle car accident, you may be in shock and unsure of what to do. Below, we outline what you should do after being involved in a multi-car accident.
- Remain in your vehicle until you are absolutely sure that it is safe to get out. If you get out too soon, other cars could contribute to the chain reaction and crash into your vehicle. The safest place for you is inside your vehicle until the full accident has ended. If you cannot get out of your vehicle, remain calm and call the police if you can.
- When you can exit your vehicle, take as many pictures and videos of the accident scene as you can. This will serve as crucial evidence in your chain reaction accident claim.
- Gather the contact information and insurance information of all drivers involved in the crash.
- Wait for the police to arrive and obtain a copy of the police report from them. This will serve as another piece of evidence in your case.
- Gather contact information and statements from eyewitnesses if you can.
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if you think you only have minor injuries. In many cases, the adrenaline in our bodies makes it difficult to feel the full extent of our injuries after an accident. Seeing a doctor will help you have documentation of the full extent of your injuries.
- Contact your insurance company to inform them of the accident.
- Call an experienced car accident attorney to represent you in your car accident claim. Multi-vehicle car accidents have the potential to turn into very complex cases. Working with an attorney can ensure that you take all the necessary steps to build a strong case for yourself.
Who Is at Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
This is where a multi-vehicle car accident becomes really complicated. In a simple rear-end accident involving two drivers, it is often fairly easy to determine who the at-fault driver is. However, in an accident involving multiple drivers, determining fault is much more difficult. It is possible for one driver to be responsible for everything, but it is also possible for all the drivers to share liability.
It is crucial to work with an experienced attorney in your case, as determining liability on your own can be difficult. Investigating a chain reaction collision requires extensive training, skill, and knowledge of what to look for after an accident. The Houston car accident attorneys at Reich & Binstock are excellent investigators and trial lawyers. This means that we can support you and fight for just compensation for you throughout every step of your claim, regardless of whether or not we go to trial.
How Is Fault Determined in a Multiple Vehicle Accident?
In order to prove fault after a multi-vehicle collision, attorneys and investigators must carefully examine the scene and analyze the accounts of the crash. Eyewitness testimony is crucial in these cases. Statements from those involved in the crash are helpful, but they are often highly biased accounts of what happened. Impartial observers are more likely to recount exactly what they saw rather than their own version of events.
Having a police officer give you a copy of the accident report is also a good idea. Police officers must remain impartial in their records, so their reports will be essential in determining who is to blame for an accident. Your injury lawyer will carefully examine all of the available evidence and craft a strong case for you. This case will seek damages for your personal injuries and property damage.
Common Injuries in a Multiple Vehicle Crash
Because of how serious multi-vehicle car accidents are, a wide range of injuries are possible in these cases. Some of the most common injuries are as follows.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Burn injuries
- Damage to internal organs and soft tissues
- Broken bones and crushed bones
- Scarring and facial injuries
- Amputations
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Cuts, bruises, and lacerations
- Catastrophic injuries
This is not an exhaustive list of injuries that can occur in an accident. If you suffered from any of the above injuries, or from another injury, you have the right to file a car accident claim.
Compensation in Multi-Car Accidents
This is perhaps the most important question after a multi-car accident. How does compensation work in multi-vehicle crashes? Because these accidents often involve several insurance companies and high-dollar injury claims, insurance adjusters will be hesitant to settle quickly. This is why it is crucial to work closely with an accident attorney. They can handle your insurance company, as well as the insurance companies of the other drivers. They will also help you file your claim and fight for the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Whose Insurance Pays in a Multi-Car Crash?
In general, the at-fault driver’s insurance is expected to pay for the damages. However, multi-car crashes often involve more than one person who is at fault. In this case, each insurance company for each at-fault driver will be expected to cover the costs.
Additionally, Texas is a modified comparative negligence state. This means that, as long as you are no more than 50% to blame for an accident, you can sue for damages. However, if you are found to be 51% or more to blame, you can no longer sue for damages. Your recovery will also be reduced by whatever percentage you are at fault for the accident.
What if There Isn’t Enough Insurance to Pay for My Damages?
After the policies of all the at-fault drivers are exhausted, what if you still don’t have enough to pay your bills related to the accident? In this case, you can file a claim with your own insurance company under your underinsured motorist policy. If you don’t have this form of insurance, you can file a lawsuit against the at-fault drivers to claim the difference from their personal assets. You’ll want to work with a highly experienced trial lawyer if you decide to file a lawsuit.
Contact a Houston Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you have suffered serious injuries from the negligence of other drivers, you deserve compensation for your injuries and pain. At Reich & Binstock, we give our clients the tools and support they need in order to increase their chances of a successful outcome in their case. We use our years of experience both in and out of the courtroom to achieve stellar results and to secure just compensation for injury victims. To schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers, please call our office at 713-622-7271 today.