Determining Liability After A Multi-Vehicle Accident

According to data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), between  2016 and 2020 nearly 1,5000 fatal car crashes happened on New York roads, equating to roughly 300 crashes per year. The same database showed 250 fatal motor vehicle crashes involving more than two-vehicles over the same period of time.

Multi-vehicle accidents, by nature, affect more than one motorist and can potentially result in injuries to more than one motorist. They can occur on highways, and at a high rate of speed. Multi-vehicle accidents can also sometimes pose difficult liability issues because of the number of vehicles involved. An experienced New York personal injury attorney can help identify potentially liable parties 

What Are Some Examples of Multi-Vehicle Accidents?

Multi-vehicle accidents can take many forms. For example: 

• A rear-end collision between two vehicles.  
• A chain-reaction collision in which more than two vehicles rear-end one another in succession.  
• A drifting, lane-changing or merging accident in which a car laterally collides with a car in an adjacent lane. This, too, can lead to a chain reaction. 
• One car strikes another, sending it spinning into other cars.
  

As you might expect, multi-vehicle accidents can get complicated, especially when it comes to apportioning fault between the involved parties, as every driver involved might tell a different story. So might different witness,  which can make determining exactly what happened a challenge.  

Such discrepancies can often be reconciled through careful investigation. Was anyone speeding or driving negligently or distractedly? Did anyone unnecessarily slam on the brakes or suddenly change lanes?  How closely were the motorists following one another? Who had the right of way? These are some of the sorts of questions that might be asked when identifying information that can be used to help apportion fault and determine liability.  

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help After a Multi-Vehicle Accident?

A car accident lawyer can help investigate the causes of a multi-vehicle car accident, which can include seeking surveillance footage from local businesses, obtaining witness statements,  downloading event data recorder or black box data from involved vehicles and, when necessary, enlisting the services of an accident reconstruction expert. These steps can help to increase the likelihood that at-fault parties can be identified and held liable.  

Compensation for Car Accident Injuries

Once liability is established, someone injured in a multi-vehicle accident may be entitled to make a claim for pain and suffering. An experienced New York personal injury lawyer can help to establish that accident-related injuries warrant compensation for pain and suffering.  

Hurt in a Multi-Vehicle Accident? Call William Mattar.

If you need an attorney after sustaining a serious injury in a multi-vehicle accident, do not hesitate to contact us. You can also call us at (844) 444-4444. Our team of experienced attorneys can offer guidance.