The majority of Florida car accidents involve a collision between two vehicles; however, accidents involving more than one vehicle tend to cause the most severe injuries and damages. In many cases, the force of the first impact leads to a series of additional accidents. Identifying the parties, establishing fault, and apportioning liability is often complex in these cases because the sequence of events may not be clear. It is crucial that Florida car accident victims contact an attorney if they have suffered injuries in a chain-reaction accident.
Identifying all of the individuals involved in a chain reaction accident can be difficult because the degree of injury and damage often vary. In some cases, a party that only suffered minor damages may leave the scene of the accident without providing their information. Further, in some situations, the initiating driver may flee the scene for fear of liability.
Establishing fault is a critical part of recovering after a Florida chain reaction accident. Individuals who file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against another driver will need to establish liability. This requires that the injury victim present evidence of the series of events that led to their injuries. To maximize the chances of recovery, injury victims should identify all of the parties involved, including the motorist that began the chain of events. Florida injury victims can accomplish this by collecting eyewitness accounts of other motorists, passengers, and pedestrians, reviewing police reports, and assessing vehicle damage.
After identifying all of the parties involved in a chain reaction accident and establishing fault, injury victims should work with their attorney to determine how much fault should be attributed to each party. In some instances, defendants may assert Florida’s comparative negligence rule. Under the law, a plaintiff’s recovery will be reduced by their percentage of fault in the accident.
These accidents involve various challenges because there are often confounding variables that make the series of events hard to establish. For example, a Florida news report recently described an incident where three people suffered fatal injuries in two multi-vehicle accidents. The first accident involved a collision between two trucks, a van, and a pickup truck. Police and emergency personnel responded to the scene, which caused traffic to stall. A vehicle failed to slow down when they approached the stalled traffic and slammed into the car in front of them, killing the driver of that vehicle. This event led to an additional four accidents.
Have You Suffered Injuries in a Florida Chain-Reaction Accident?
If you or someone you know has suffered injuries in a Florida car accident, contact the experienced attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon. The Florida accident attorneys at our law firm have a long-standing history of successfully representing clients in complex personal injury lawsuits. Our firm takes an individualized approach to each client to maximize the chance of obtaining a favorable result on their behalf. Compensation in these cases typically includes payments for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of companionship, and pain and suffering. Contact our office at 877-499-4878 to schedule a free initial consultation with a dedicated accident attorney on our team.