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Accidents Involving Multiple Vehicles: What Should You Know?

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A car accident with one vehicle is bad enough. What is worse is when there are multiple vehicles involved. These types of accidents happen quite often and can cause thousands of dollars in damages. If you are a victim of a multiple car accident, the process of recovering your damages can be complex, because liability is not always clear right away. Here are some things you need to know:

Who Is Liable?

Liability for a multiple car accident is not always known right away. The driver who is found responsible will ultimately be responsible for the damages to everyone who is victimized by his or her negligence. There can also be more than one liable driver in some cases. While a natural inclination is to blame the driver who hit you directly, he or she may not have been the cause of the accident. For instance, if a car was struck by a different vehicle, and that car hits your car as a result, he or she would not be responsible because the driver was unable to control the car. The driver who hit the other driver who hit you would instead be liable. This can be the most confusing part of a car accident case. To make a determination, all evidence will have to be examined. This includes camera footage, eyewitness testimony, pictures, and the like.

How Do You Determine Liability?

In addition to evidence, the insurance company will rely heavily on the police report taken at the scene of the accident. Although the police officer does not attribute fault to anyone, the insurance companies can use the detailed information to help make a determination of liability.

Part of the police report will include interviews of all parties involved. He or she will ask how they believe the accident happened.

The insurance company will make the final decision as to who is liable for the damages. In accidents that include multiple vehicles, you will have to deal with more than one insurance carrier. Each driver who is at fault for the accident will have to pay a percentage of the damages based on his or her involvement in the cause of the accident.

This process can get confusing. For that reason, it is best to hire a car accident attorney to advocate for you and help you stay organized. He or she will also help ensure you get the fairest settlement based on your circumstances.

For more information on car accidents, contact law firms, such as Higinbotham & Higinbotham LLC.


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