Who is at Fault in a Multi-Car Pileup?

Who is at Fault in a Multi-Car Pileup?

Usually, when we see a car accident on the side of the road in Charlotte, it’s just one or two cars. They’re waiting for the cops to come to sort things out. But, every now and then, you come across a multi-car pileup. Unfortunately, you may actually be one of the cars in that wreck.

These accidents tend to be a lot more complicated to sort out than small accidents. Usually, there’s wreckage all over the road. It’s hard to figure out what happened. And, of course, everyone points the finger at someone else. Nobody wants to admit that they’re the ones who caused the collision.

Car accident lawyers in Charlotte, North Carolina handle these types of cases all the time. They know how to sort out the debris and figure out exactly what happened. And, if they can’t, they’ll hire an expert who can do it for them.

Since these accidents tend to be quite serious, it’s important that you have an experienced auto accident attorney in Charlotte by your side. Let them sort out the legal issues while you recover from your injuries.

Your Charlotte Car Accident Lawyer Will Need the Police Report

In cases like this, it’s crucial that you call the police. They’ll come out to the scene and do a thorough investigation. With so many cars involved, you need an impartial third party to sort things out.

The other thing the police will do is prepare a police report. There is going to be information in that report that your lawyer needs to prove your case. Without the report, it may be impossible to get this information.

Some of the information contained in the police report include:

  • Contact information for the drivers
  • License and insurance information for all drivers involved in the accident
  • The name and address of any eyewitnesses
  • Pictures of the accident scene
  • Description of the road conditions and accident scene
  • Information regarding whether any of the drivers were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash

It will be very difficult for your Charlotte car accident lawyer to get this information on their own. Even if they can get the information, it will be very expensive and time consuming to get it. You don’t want to make your lawyer’s job any harder than it already is.

Your Attorney May Need to Hire an Expert to Determine Fault

These crashes can be so complicated, that your lawyer may need to hire an expert to determine fault. There are people who specialize in analyzing multi-vehicle crashes and figuring out who was at fault.

Most of these accidents are actually caused by one person. They make a simple mistake and it causes a chain reaction. For example, if a car smashes into the back of the person in front of them, there’s no telling what can happen. That car will then bang into the person in front of them. By the time the accident is over, you have three or four cars sitting on the side of the road wondering what happened.

Accident reconstruction specialists can get to the heart of these types of accidents. They can look at the damage to the cars and find out how fast people were going at the time of the crash. They can also figure out what direction the cars were coming from when the accident happened.

Your Charlotte Auto Accident Attorney Will Demand Damages

Once your Charlotte car accident attorney can sort out fault, they’re going to demand damages. If any of the other drivers were at fault, you’re going to have to file a claim against their insurance.

Hopefully, your claim will be paid. If this is the case, you’ll have your check-in a week or two. However, in a multi-car pileup, there’s a greater chance that your claim will be denied. The insurance adjuster may want more time to sort out exactly what happened. Or, they figure the odds are better than someone other than their client caused the crash.

Some of the damages your attorney will demand include:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Property damage

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Charlotte Today

If you’ve been involved in a multi-car pileup, you need to call a skilled car accident lawyer in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can sit down and have a skilled attorney review your case. They can also let you know what it may be worth.

Call Ted A. Greve & Associates today and schedule your free initial consultation.