Each accident creates its own factual and legal issues. But when multiple cars are involved, things can get complicated. For example, in a two-car accident, deciding who caused the accident is one of the most complex issues. When three or more cars are involved, the question, “Who was at fault?” becomes even more difficult.
This article explains the factual and legal issues caused by multi-vehicle crashes. Specifically, it discusses how Alabama law determines fault in these cases. Finally, it explains how an Alabama car accident attorney can help.
What Is a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
Some public health agencies, like the Centers for Disease Control, define a multiple vehicle crash as one with two or more vehicles. Others, like the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, define it as an accident involving three or more cars. This article will be using the second definition – three or more cars. You may have also heard these referred to as pileups or chain-reaction collisions.
Multi-vehicle accidents have many causes. A common one is following too closely, or tailgating. For example, Cars A, B, and C are driving along a road in that order. Car A stops suddenly to avoid a tree in the road. However, Car B has been tailgating Car A, so it can’t stop in time. It crashes into Car A. Car C, which was also tailgating, fails to brake in time and slams into Car B. Other common scenarios that can lead to multiple cars crashing include:
- A driver making an unsafe lane change cuts off another vehicle, causing vehicles behind them to brake abruptly
- A car turning left enters an intersection against traffic, causing a crash that blocks traffic and leads to secondary crashes
- A vehicle loses control and hits multiple cars
- Vehicle 3 strikes Vehicle 2, which pushes Vehicle 2 forward into Vehicle 1 (the “domino” effect)
- A disabled or stopped vehicle in traffic is struck by multiple vehicles
Why Multi-Car Accidents Are Dangerous
Multi-vehicle crashes are roughly 25% of all crashes. However, these crashes account for 42% of all life-threatening car accident injuries.
There is a reason why multi-vehicle crashes cause serious injuries. Every impact from a car is a jolt to the body. If one car equals one jolt, multi-car crashes involve multiple jolts. Each impact causes its own separate damage. Worse, when these impacts come from multiple directions, the body is thrown in various directions all at once.
Why Proving Fault Is Difficult in Alabama Multi-Vehicle Accidents
To win an Alabama personal injury case, the injured person (the plaintiff) will have to prove that the other person was negligent. To prove negligence, the plaintiff will have to prove that they were injured. Then they will have to prove that the other driver was supposed to act in a certain way, that they failed to act in that way, and that their failure caused the plaintiff’s injuries. If the plaintiff can prove negligence, they may be entitled to financial compensation – also called damages – for any accident-related injuries and expenses.
Multi-car accidents complicate each part of this analysis. First, proving fault – or who didn’t act appropriately – in multi-car accidents can be difficult. Three drivers will likely have three different stories about why the accident happened. Your Birmingham accident attorney will have to investigate carefully to uncover the true story.
Once the facts are established, your lawyer will have to argue why a particular driver was at fault. Alabama law does not have any automatic rules about fault in multi-car accidents. For example, you may have heard that in a multi-car accident, the at-fault driver is the one who hit another car first or who hit the rear of another car. In reality, fault is a very fact-specific question. The court and the insurance companies will take a close look at what each driver did (or failed to do) before the crash and why. Who hit first is an important question, but it may not be the end of the story. Similarly, the police report is not the final word. It is just one piece of the fault puzzle.
Where multiple cars are involved, Alabama law allows a plaintiff to split the fault. Going back to our example with Cars A, B, and C, if the driver of Car A sues and it’s determined that Drivers B and C were both 50% responsible for the crash, they will each have to pay for Driver A’s injuries. However, Alabama follows a strict rule called contributory negligence. Under this rule, a person who is even one percent responsible for causing the accident that injured them cannot get compensation. So, in Alabama, if Drivers B and C were both 45% at fault and Driver A was just 10% responsible, the law will still prevent Driver A from getting any compensation. The rule is harsh, but an experienced Birmingham accident attorney knows the rule’s details and exceptions.
What If I Was Pushed into Another Car?
Experts call this the “middle car problem.”
If you were hit from behind and that impact pushed you into the car in front of you, the good news is that the law won’t automatically assume that you were at fault. Instead, investigators and insurance companies will take a close look at the accident and consider factors such as your following distance. Ultimately, they will use these facts to determine whether you played a role in the accident or were forced into it.
Get Help After a Multi-Vehicle Accident in Alabama
Multi-vehicle crashes are legally and factually complex. Fortunately, you don’t have to handle this alone.
If you need legal guidance after a multi-car accident or any other type of accident, contact Collins Law, LLC. We can help you understand your legal options, investigate your accident, talk to insurance companies on your behalf, and much more. Call 205-588-1411 or use our contact form to schedule your free consultation today.
