Car accidents that involve multiple vehicles present complexities that can complicate the process of seeking fair compensation for injured victims. Usually, such accidents entail a messy scene of seriously injured motorists and passengers, damaged vehicles, and questions regarding fault and liability.
Multiple-vehicle accidents usually take place on high-speed highways and roads. They can result from rear-end collisions, head-on impacts, and side-swipes. In general, they are more serious than accidents that involve two vehicles because of several effects and the increased chances of serious injuries or even fatalities.
If you are a victim of this type of traffic accident, learn more about your legal options and rights by consulting with a car accident attorney in Manhattan, Kansas:
What Contributes to Multiple-Vehicle Crashes
The following factors can contribute to the occurrence of accidents that involve several vehicles:
- Weather conditions. Adverse weather conditions like fog, rain, ice, or snow can decrease visibility and create dangerous driving conditions, usually resulting in multi-vehicle collisions.
- Speeding or reckless driving. Motorists who are driving recklessly or speeding usually cannot react in time and avoid an accident. When this triggers a chain reaction, multi-vehicle crashes can take place.
- Distracted driving. Distracted drivers like those who are texting while behind the wheel cannot pay attention to the road. In turn, this increases the possibility of accidents.
- Impaired driving. Drug or alcohol impairment negatively affects judgment and slows a driver’s reaction time. This can lead to drunk driving accidents that can involve several vehicles.
How to Establish Fault in Accidents that Involve Multiple Vehicles
This kind of accident must be thoroughly investigated. Typically, the process involves interviews with witnesses, collection of evidence, and expert testimony. Also, your car accident lawyer can work with a reconstruction specialist to recreate the events that led up to the crash to identify fault and responsibility.
Because multi-vehicle accidents involve several parties, fault determination can be hard. Sometimes, liability for the crash may be shared by several parties. Kansas adopts a comparative fault system, which means you can recover damages even if you contributed to the accident. But your fault percentage should be less than 50 percent. Also, your percentage of fault will reduce the compensation you can recover.
Kinds of Injuries You May Suffer
Accidents that involve several vehicles are usually serious because of the extent of the impact. Usually, they can lead to different injuries that can be life-threatening. Common injuries in multi-vehicle accidents include whiplash, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, and broken bones.
