Filing a Claim for a Multi-Vehicle Accident in Arizona
When a car accident involves more than two vehicles, determining fault can be difficult. In these instances, one or more drivers may be liable for any injuries.
Causes of Multi-Vehicle Collisions
There are many factors that can take part to create a multi-vehicle accident, including human error and roadway risks. These collisions are often in roadways with severe traffic when one driver is negligent and makes a mistake and other drivers are not enough to get out of the way and stop the accident from occurring.
Frequent causes of multi-vehicle collisions are:
- The Weather: Drivers need to adjust speed when the weather is difficult. In the rain, tires can lose traction, causing a loss of control in your vehicle. As well, reduced visibility can happen because of weather conditions, and make it difficult to view other vehicles on the road.
- Speeding: Speeding can severely cut into a driver’s response time. This can cause drivers to go out of control and then collide into another vehicle.
- Distracted Driving: Talking on the phone, fiddling with the radio, looking at your GPS, and even talking to passengers in the car with you are all factors that can take your attention away from the road. Even if this just happens for a few seconds, it can contribute to a serious accident, such as a multi-vehicle collision.
- Driving Under The Influence: Impaired driving affects a driver’s performance behind the wheel, their behavior, and their decision making.
- Falling Asleep While Driving: Falling asleep at the wheel can cause your car to drift into other lanes, move off the road, sideswipe another car, or even rear-end the car ahead of yours.
How Do You Determine Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
A personal injury attorney can help you figure out the fault in a multi-vehicle accident. They will take into account several factors. They will collect many forms of evidence, including:
- Testimony and/or statements from all drivers involved in the accident
- Photos of the accident
- Reconstructions of the accident
- Interviews with witnesses
- Police reports
- Traffic or camera footage
- Vehicle damage
Comparative Negligence
Arizona also has a comparative negligence law. This means that if a jury finds you at fault for a part of the incident, it will then reduce any compensation awarded in proportion to what your percentage of fault is.
If this happens, an attorney will defend your claim so that you don’t receive more than your share of the blame. Your attorney can negotiate with an insurance company to get you a fair amount.
Contact an Arizona Lawyer for Help
Have you been involved in a multi-vehicle collision? If you or a loved one sustained an injury in a multi-vehicle collision, contact the expert personal injury attorneys at ELG Law Group. Contacting ELG Law will help you in the case of your car accident claim as soon as possible. Each accident is unique and damages vary from case to case. It is important to retain the services of an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you within the boundaries of your accident. Contact us to discuss the details of your accident and how we can assist you to regain the compensation you fully deserve.
