Multi-vehicle accidents are collisions involving more than two vehicles. The addition of extra vehicles makes these cases much more complicated than straightforward two-vehicle crashes. This often means that victims have a harder time getting the compensation they deserve.
Learn more about what makes multi-vehicle accidents so unique and how you can advocate for yourself throughout the claims process. For more personalized advice after a car accident, call Hodges Trial Lawyers at 256-826-4129 to discuss your case with our Huntsville attorneys.
Why Multi-Vehicle Accidents Are More Complex
A number of factors contribute to the complexity of multi-vehicle accidents. To start, there are multiple points of impact—often on every vehicle involved. This significantly increases the damage caused and makes it more likely that victims will suffer severe injuries.
To add to that, having multiple points of impact means that it can be very difficult to determine liability. In many cases, liability isn’t cut-and-dry. While there may have been one error that set off the chain reaction, it’s likely that other parties share a smaller amount of liability. This is difficult in Alabama, where having any share of liability prevents you from recovering any compensation in court. Your attorney may need to work with an accident reconstruction expert to figure out exactly what happened and who is responsible.
Because these accidents often cause much more damage than other collisions, insurance companies may be looking at paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars in claims. This is a massive loss for an industry that is notoriously tight-fisted, so you can expect them to fight your compensation demands as hard as they can.
The Role of Other Parties’ Insurance Companies
You cannot expect other parties’ insurance companies to advocate for you during this process. This isn’t a scenario where all of the non-liable parties fight the liable party together; this is a scenario where every insurance company is looking out for their own best interests. While they may be more than happy to tell you why they are not liable, they won’t put in any extra work to help you figure out who is liable or how to recover compensation. Multi-vehicle accidents often involve shared liability, which means that your best interests are often directly contrary to the company’s best interests.
What does this mean for you? It means that you need a car accident lawyer if you’re looking for an advocate. The other parties do not have a vested interest in helping you get compensation. Your attorney only gets paid if they recover any compensation for you, so you can expect them to fight aggressively on your behalf.
Valuable Evidence
While multi-vehicle crashes can be very complex, they also produce an enormous amount of evidence. You can use this evidence to demand full and fair compensation from the liable party. Some types of evidence you may want to explore include:
- Eyewitness testimony: These crashes often have many eyewitnesses, including occupants of other vehicles and those in the vicinity at the time of the crash. Get their testimony early so you can use it to build your case.
- Photos and video footage: It is important to get as much photo and video evidence as possible. You have a limited amount of time to do this, as the authorities want to clear these accidents up immediately to avoid further collisions. Take shots from various distances and angles.
- Expert witness testimony: Accident reconstruction experts are often valuable resources in these types of claims. They may be able to put together exactly what happened leading up to the collision, making it easier for your attorney to determine liability.
- Police reports: The police report will contain information on what the involved parties said and which citations were given out. Both can be useful. You may be able to get a copy of the report at the Huntsville Police Department.
- Medical records: Keep copies of all of the medical documentation you get throughout your recovery. It proves the extent of your injuries and what it costs to treat them.
- Traffic camera footage: Traffic camera footage and surveillance footage from local buildings may prove exactly what happened.
Fight for Compensation with Hodges Trial Lawyers
If you’ve been hurt in a multi-vehicle crash in Huntsville or Athens, the team at Hodges Trial Lawyers is here to help you. Call us at 256-826-4129 or get in touch online to schedule a free consultation now.
