what happens in a 3 car accident

However, you want to make sure you do not leave the scene, Holeman advises. For example, if the other driver was at fault, you shouldnt see a rate increase at renewal time. Here is a look at a few of the common ways these crashes occur with consideration given as to fault: When it comes to determining liability in an accident, one must establish that the driver of the other vehicle was driving negligently or recklessly. You may want documentation in case you discover more damage later or the other party tries to make a claim against your liability auto insurance. Once youve determined its safe, Secure and conceal any valuables before exiting the vehicle, advises Passmore. We've evaluated insurers to find the best car insurance companies, so you don't have to. Even if you are the victim, you will need to get legal advice as to what your next steps should be. Here are some tips: Were you injured in a three-car crash? We're a proud part of the Capitol Auto Group that's been serving the greater Salem, OR area for over 80 years with a unique customer-driven experience. Retrieved from. If you were in violation of any state laws and caused the crash, you could be liable for the other drivers damages. The most common types of traffic law violations include: There are many causes of three-car accidents. Receive a free consultation and discover your options. However, even when there are multiple cars involved, there is often one driver thats determined to be at fault for the accident. In other instances, multi-car accidents arent always chain-reaction-type crashes. Driver 1, Driver 2 and Driver 3 are going at a slow and constant speed. Something went wrong. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 506 4th Avenue E Suite 205, 705 S 9th St Ste 203. DUI / DWI Dispute Midland But whether its a chain-reaction, rear-end collision, or a highway pileup, determining who is at fault in a three-way accident depends on a lot of factors, particularly how each driver was driving. In some cases, the rearmost driver isn't always to blame in such incidents. Your first step should be to consult with an attorney. When you call 911, get someone nearby to give you the location of the accident if you dont know exactly where you are. This could create a chain reaction accident of many cars rear-ending those in front of them. When you are the victim in a chain-reaction car accident, you have the right to pursue legal action against those at fault for the crash. When she's not tracking the impact of automation on the retail industry or the latest in digital privacy laws, she's cheering on the Indianapolis Colts while planning her next international adventure. There are many different ways in which a 3 car accident can occur. Jordan Steinke was acquitted of the third charge of manslaughter. Factors that help determine fault are major driving violations, like speeding, driving under the influence and distracted driving. Passmore summarizes how fault determination works: The insurance adjusters for each company will gather the facts regarding the accident and, based on the details and state law, will determine who is at fault or the degree to which each driver is responsible for the accident, he says. If a driver or multiple drivers are determined to be at fault, they could face criminal consequences, such as a reckless driving or DUI charge. Determining blame in a multi-car accident is reliant on the outcome of investigations into the cause of the incident. Later, save bills and medical records from the accident, since you might need them for claims or court. Driver 2, however, was turned around, reaching for something in their back seat. Car crashes happen every day even among the safest of drivers. One driver may cause the accident by crossing the center line, or cutting off a car traveling in the same direction. A 55-year-old woman from Oshawa, Ont., and two New Brunswickers, a 54-year-old man . (2021) 2019 Traffic Safety Facts: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data. Even so, disputes happen. Above all, dont struggle through the process alone. It depends on the situation. If youre driving along the freeway, for instance, and another driver swerves in front of your car and then immediately slams on their brakes, resulting in you rear-ending them, the fault will likely fall on the first driver. When this happens, the adjuster will assign a percentage of fault to each driver. One could argue that all the drivers in this scenario are at fault for one reason or another. Whether you're in North Carolina or South Carolina, you'll find the report useful. Here are some of the most common ways that chain reactions occur: The common factor in most chain reaction crashes is the presence of traffic congestion. Once they acknowledge the receipt of your request, theyll be in touch with you on how you can get it and inform you of the requisite fees you have to pay. Use caution when traveling around tractor-trailers, knowing that they require additional space to stop, feature significant blind spots, and are prone to rolling over in accidents. Tell them what you need corrected and provide documentary proof of the mistake. In such instances, the rearmost vehicle is generally liable for causing the entire accident. Insurance companies also look into accidents to validate related claims made by one or more parties. Speeding, following too close or distraction can all be reasons the driver of the middle car may be at fault in a three-car crash. Contact the police if no one else has done so. Some states use modified comparative negligence rules that say a person cannot recover damages if their contribution to the accident is 50% or greater. However, if the front driver was driving while drunk or their brake lights were not working, you may be only partially at fault. A business establishment that serves alcohol if it is discovered that the individual was over-served, drove drunk, and caused an accident due to that impairment. If children traveling with you during the crash are young enough to be in car seats, dont remove them from the car seats after the accident. Use of our services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The more information you can collect, the stronger your claim will be. If they are distracted or swerve to avoid an object thrown from or falling off another car, the driver of that car may be partially responsible, but the driver who swerves or stops still may be, too. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. If a driver is at fault, typically their insurance will pay out on their behalf depending on the nature of the policy. It is common for contingency amounts to be anywhere from 25% . Cooperate with law enforcement. If you are following too closely and the car in front of you brakes suddenly, you run the risk of crashing into the back of it. It isn't always easy to determine who was at fault and who should pay for what. He or she will likely have additional ideas and resources to help strengthen your case. Get a copy of the police report. That collision leads to other cars getting involved in the accident after the initial crash occurs. As a result, they may end up making errors in their police reports. While some of these car accidents are single-vehicle crashes, many involve multiple vehicles and some could even be considered chain reaction crashes. If youve been in a 3-car collision, here are some simple steps you could take: Weve hinted a few times already that you may want to consider involving a car accident lawyer on your case. No one else was injured in the accident. They can also provide direction on how much compensation youre entitled to and take over communications during the settlement stage. Driving without insurance has different penalties depending on where you live, who caused the accident and how much damage was done. Is Ukraine Part of NATO? Remember, 511 is not for reporting vehicle collisions; its for learning travel conditions in the area where youre dialing. Not all car accidents make your rates increase. As an example, Driver 1's vehicle gave out on him while driving. Now that you have seen an in-depth description of how the fault might be determined in your 3 car accident case, be sure to find the right lawyer to represent you. We'd love to hear from you, please enter your comments. It is also a good idea to provide a statement detailing your account of events. Well, heres one more reason. The most common type of accidents involving more than one vehicle are front-end collisions, which make up half of all multiple-vehicle crashes. While single-vehicle accidents are responsible for more than half of motor vehicle fatalities, multi-vehicle accidents cause more passenger fatalities, overall injuries and costly damage. Driver 4 is some distance back but going too fast for the conditions. Here are some tips to capture the accident scene. Lastly, letRHINO Lawyersanswer your questions and review the facts of your case with a Free Consultation. The exception is when the lead driver is at fault, such as for stopping quickly to avoid hitting an animal in the road.If the lead driver stops quickly to avoid hitting a person in the road or. Car Accident Not at Fault Frequently Asked Questions Key Takeaways If you cause a car accident and are the at-fault driver, you will be financially responsible for any damage you cause if you don't have insurance. Our passion is the people we help and the lives that we help change. Most states and Washington, D.C. are at-fault states, meaning the driver, or drivers, found at fault is responsible for paying damages, including medical bills and property damage, for the other drivers. Amarillo, Personal Injury Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Partial fault is when more than one driver shares responsibility for causing a car accident. Rescuers freed her and she was transported to the hospital. A car plowed through a . Avoid speeding, particularly in congested areas or in inclement weather. As these can be very harrowing and confusing events, it is crucial to know your rights and what to expect in the aftermath. Such liable parties could include: A personal injury attorney can carefully evaluate all of the factors involved in a multi-car accident to identify all potentially liable parties and potential insurance resources that could be accessed to pay damages to those injured. Even in a fender bender, those can take hours or days after to manifest. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA, fatal collisions involving multiple vehicles rose by 16% in 2021. All Rights Reserved. However, it becomes even more complicated in a three-car crash. Les is an insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. That being said, there are circumstances when the middle or front driver may be to blame, at least in part. If the police cant come to the scene, have to leave before taking a report, dont show up because no one got hurt or the involved vehicles are not blocking traffic, dont panic. Those include dialing cell phone-only numbers like *SP (star 77) for state police or *HP (star 47) for highway patrol, to report highway and vehicle-related problems. A good attorney will not only let your voice be heard but also help you introduce mitigating factors that could drastically reduce your culpability and the damages you would otherwise have to pay. For example, if Driver 1 had a phantom car cut him off, he wouldve had to slam on his breaks. Dont make any side deals with other drivers to accept or pay cash for the accident instead of filing an insurance claim, even if the other driver offers a significant sum or claims they have no auto insurance. Its important to know which emergency numbers to call in your state when to report accidents to the state motor vehicles division, and the other driving laws in your state before youre in an accident. These types of collisions can play out in the following ways. It may also be possible to obtain video recordings from nearby CCTV cameras. He noticed too late the car ahead of him was stopped at a crosswalk. A 10-day strike at UPS would cost the U.S. economy a total of more than $5 billion, according to a recent estimate from the Anderson Economic Group. SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco police are looking for the people involved in a dramatic crash that sent a car sailing over the Sanchez Street steps on Saturday night. In such instances, the third driver may also bear some level of responsibility for the injuries sustained. Besides your name and other identifying information they request, prepare to provide the city, street name and house number youre closest to, mile markings and traffic signs or signals, travel directions and whatever else you think will help them find you quickly and easily. So how do we sort this out? Two drivers may even share fault for the wreck, depending on the factors of the crash. Another term to describe this type of crash is a chain-link collision. Comparative fault does not prevent you from recovering compensation for damages in an accident, as long as you were not 50 percent or more at fault for the accident. 2023 The Levin Firm . var bbbprotocol = ( ("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? If so, you may have the right to recover compensation for your injuries. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. An attorney isnt only useful if you plan to file a lawsuit.