Who is Liable for a Pile-Up Accident on a Freeway?
Pile-up vehicle accidents, also called chain reaction accidents, are road traffic crashes that involve multiple vehicles and can cause and related losses. They are usually among the most traumatic kinds of crashes for injured victims. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to avoid this type of accident, particularly if your vehicle is one of the vehicles that are in the middle of a pile-up crash.
For people whose vehicles are located in the front and back ends of the pile-up, their losses might not be as significant, but the consequences can be life-changing or fatal for people whose vehicles are trapped in the middle.
Determining Liability in Freeway Pile-Up Accidents
In general, determining liability after a freeway pile-up accident involves showing and proving that one or several drivers were negligent. All drivers owe the people they share the road with a legal duty of care, so when a driver breaches that duty and their actions result in a crash, they can and must be held legally responsible for the resulting damages.
But determining fault and liability in multi-vehicle pile-ups is not so easy. There will be multiple investigations going on by all the parties involved, different perspectives on what exactly happened, and a lot of blaming going around, which will make it hard to determine who was at fault and who must be held liable for the damages caused by the accident.
Fortunately, the police, lawyers, accident reconstruction specialists, and other relevant parties involved can figure out which party caused the pile-up by investigating the accident scene and using other evidence to establish fault and liability. From there, it’s a matter of figuring out if any other drivers involved in the crash contributed to the pile-up.
In Florida, liability is determined based on the comparative fault rule, which means that even if driver A initially caused the crash, if drivers B and C were found to have contributed to the crash, they could also share liability for the pile-up. When determining compensation for the drivers entitled to recover damages, the amount they can recover will be based on their share of fault for the crash. For instance, if you were found to be 8% at-fault for the crash, your compensation amount will be reduced according to your share of fault.
Talk to a Top Clearwater Car Accident Lawyer Now
If you were involved in a freeway pile-up accident, contact our Clearwater car accident lawyer right away because proving liability for your losses may be challenging due to the multiple parties, insurers, and lawyers involved. Remember, even if you didn’t contribute to the crash, the other drivers might attempt to place some of the blame on you to reduce their liability.
Our Clearwater car accident lawyer will advocate for your best interests to ensure that the right parties are held liable for the crash and losses you incurred. Get in touch with Tragos, Sartes & Tragos today and arrange your free case evaluation by calling our office at 727-441-9030 or completing our online contact form.