In a multiple vehicle accident, determining liability can be complicated. In a multiple car accident, fault will be established through evidence to assign a percentage of fault to each party involved in the accident. This may require assistance from a Long Island, New York car accident attorney to represent a victim’s rights.
Determining Multiple Car Accident Fault and Liability
In order to be liable for injuries in an accident, an individual must have acted in a negligent manner. This means doing something that is unsafe (such as texting while driving) or failing to do something (such as failure to yield to another vehicle).
In some cases, fault may be assigned to just one motorist. An example would be a driver who runs a red light and crashes into other vehicles. But in other circumstances there could be more than one driver who acted negligently in a multiple vehicle accident.
Let’s say the driver of a pickup truck failed to yield to a semi-truck. However, the driver of the semi was also speeding at the time. As a result, a third passenger car was struck, resulting in the driver sustaining serious injuries. Since the drivers of the semi and the pickup both demonstrated negligence in the multiple car accident, fault could be assigned to both parties.
While there are a number of scenarios in which a multiple vehicle accident could be played out, it will come down to establishing negligence. In Long Island, New York, a car accident attorney can help victims determine which parties may be negligence so the injured motorist can recover damages.
However, the amount that can be recovered will be reduced by any percentage of fault the injured person is assigned. So if the damages total $10,000 but the driver was found to be 20 percent responsible for the accident, the payment would be reduced by $2,000. This means the driver would only be entitled to $8,000 in damages.
Since compensation is impacted by this, it is usually in the best interest of the injured person to seek legal counsel in Long Island, New York with a car accident attorney. In a multiple car accident, fault with one party who is entirely responsible for the accident or with more than one party each of who are partially at fault must be established.
Collecting Damages in a Multiple Vehicle Accident
If two drivers in the multiple car accident are at fault, for example, then the injured person would have to file a claim with each driver’s insurance company. It doesn’t matter if one driver was 80 percent responsible and the other only 20 percent. The injured person should file with both.
This doesn’t mean that damages will be doubled. Let’s say damages in an accident total $25,000. The party who was mostly at fault for the accident only has $20,000 in coverage. The remaining $5,000 can be collected from the other party.
Because the insurance companies have to work with one another in order to determine who owes what, this is yet another reason it might be a good idea to talk with a Long Island, New York car accident attorney.
In Long Island, New York, a Car Accident Attorney Can Help Establish Fault and Recover Damages
It’s important to protect one’s rights to compensation following a multiple vehicle accident. A Long Island, New York car accident attorney can deal with the insurance companies, provide evidence that establishes fault and ensure that the claims process is handled in a fair manner.
There is also the issue of negotiating a settlement. When injuries from a car accident are severe, disabling or life-threatening, it is critical that compensation covers all damages suffered. AtGacovino, Lake & Associates in Long Island, New York, our car accident attorneys can help accident victims in a multiple car accident establish fault and recover damages for injuries suffered in the multiple vehicle accident.
