After a car accident, getting your life back together can be challenging. Your road to recovery may involve dealing with insurance companies, medical bills, missed work and car repairs.
Things only get more complicated when there is more than one vehicle involved. In a multi-vehicle accident, who is responsible for the damage done? Our experienced attorneys can explain how the law works in these complex car accident cases.
In Multi-Vehicle Accidents, Evidence Is Key
Determining who’s at fault can be complex in multi-vehicle crashes. It’s not as simple as assessing who hit whom. Factors like distracted driving, speeding, failure to yield and even vehicle mechanical problems all come into play.
Evidence is crucial in sorting everything out. Your lawyer will work diligently to gather as much evidence as possible, including:
- Witness statements
- Dashcam videos
- Police reports
- Photographs of the scene
- Medical records
- Cell phone records
In reviewing the evidence, your lawyer may discover that details that initially seemed minor might actually have had a significant impact on the crash. For example, a driver who failed to swerve may have actually been falling asleep at the wheel.
Texas Is a Modified Comparative Negligence State
Evidence will help demonstrate how much each driver was at fault in your multi-vehicle accident.
Using a legal principle called “comparative negligence,” the court will assign a percentage of fault to each of the parties. For example, the driver who hit you may be found to be 60% at fault. Another driver involved could be 30% at fault, and you could be 10% at fault.
These percentages are then used to determine the amount of compensation to be paid. If a plaintiff is found to be partially at fault for their own injuries, their damages will be reduced by the percentage they were found to be at fault.
In Texas, you can sue for damages even if you’re partially at fault for the accident. However, you cannot recover any damages if you’re found to be more than 50% at fault. That is what makes our state a “modified comparative negligence” state.
Multi-Car Personal Injury Cases Are Complex
This determination is complex and is not something you should try to achieve on your own. So, what’s the best way to move forward after an injury in a multi-car accident? Talk with a lawyer as soon as possible.
You have nothing to lose by scheduling a free and confidential consultation. You can then assess whether the law firm would be a good fit for you and your case.
Don’t put off talking with the lawyers at our Richardson, Texas, law office. Call us at 972-450-1418 or contact us online.
