Have You Been in a Multi-Car Pile-Up?

A car accident on your way to work is already terrible. You can already see all of the hoops you will have to jump through just to get your car fixed and medical bills covered. The process is so much more complicated in multi-car crashes. Instead of one insurance company, you may have to deal with multiple insurance companies. You will have to ensure you are not falsely blamed for the accident. Then there’s the issue of finding out who you should be directing your attention to for causing the accident.

Hiring a personal injury attorney who understands the ins and outs of mult-car pile-ups can make the process so much easier for you. Let The Law Office of Deidra Haynes take some of the stress off your shoulders so you can worry about rest and recovery.

Who is Liable?

When you are in an accident with one other person, it is pretty easy to discover who is liable for the damages it caused. If you did nothing wrong, it was the other driver. If you contributed to the accident, you may still be able to file a claim, but you will likely receive less compensation.

Multi-car pile-ups, also known as chain-reaction crashes or multi-vehicle collisions, involve more than two parties, making determining liability much harder. In these types of accidents, there can be multiple layers of fault. 

For the most part, the person who caused the initial impact is liable, especially if they were speeding, distracted, or driving under the influence. However, other drivers who make unsafe, sudden lane changes, drive while under the influence, and reckless drivers can also be held liable.

Indiana’s modified comparative negligence rules play a huge role in determining liability and final settlement amounts in any car accident, but especially in multi-car pile-ups.

What is Modified Comparative Negligence?

Indiana uses modified comparative negligence rules when looking at any personal injury cases. They state that you can pursue damages, even if you contributed to the accident, as long as you are less than 51% at fault for the accident.

However, your compensation is also affected by comparative negligence. Your percentage of accountability will reduce your final settlement amount. For example, let’s say your compensation was worth $40,000, but you were 20% responsible for the accident. Your final settlement would be reduced by 20%, so instead of $40,000, you would receive $32,000.

While receiving less compensation is not ideal, modified comparative negligence means you can still pursue compensation to cover your expenses, even when you are partly responsible.

How Does a Personal Injury Attorney Prove Liability In Multi-Car Accidents?

One of the most important aspects of a personal injury claim is proving who is liable for your damages. This is difficult enough in two-party car accidents, but attempting to do this by yourself after a multi-car accident can result in a far smaller settlement, or even losing your claim and receiving nothing for your damages.

When you work with The Law Office of Deidra Haynes, you can rest assured knowing we will do everything we can to prove who was liable for your damages. We do this by:

  • Reviewing police reports
  • Interviewing witnesses
  • Collecting video evidence, such as dashcam footage or video surveillance
  • Hiring an accident reconstruction expert
  • Examine the physical evidence from the scene of the crash, like skid marks, debris, and so on
  • Review the driver statements made at the scene of the accident or to their insurance companies
  • Checking for speeding, distracted driving, or reckless driving
  • Assess weather and road conditions

How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Claim?

You have a limited amount of time to file your claim, and failing to meet the deadline will result in you losing the ability to recover damages. In Indiana personal injury cases, including car accident claims, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim.

Two years may seem like more than enough time, but your personal injury attorney will need time to investigate your case and build a strong claim. Insurance companies sometimes use shady tactics to avoid paying car accident victims. They may drag their feet, delay communication, place blame on the other drivers or even you, deny fair settlements, and anything else that could cause your claim to fall outside of the statute of limitations.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney Help With Insurance Companies?

Insurance companies’ primary concerns lie with their shareholder, not the people who need to be compensated. Because of this, they will do everything they can to stifle a fair settlement.

Besides pursuing compensation, dealing with insurance companies is one of the biggest benefits of hiring an attorney. We will take over communication with the insurance company so that you no longer have to worry about their aggressive strategies. We will also negotiate a fair settlement and ensure the liable parties are held accountable.

When Should You Call a Personal Injury Attorney?

Sometime after seeking medical attention, but before filing an insurance claim, you should call 317-785-1832 to find out how The Law Office of Deidra Haynes can help you.

Hiring an attorney as early as possible in the car accident claim process significantly increases not only your odds of winning a fair settlement, but also helps you get a larger settlement than if you take this on alone. We will do everything we can to ensure you are able to rest and recover from your injuries. Let us take over investigating the facts of your case to ensure the responsible parties are held accountable and their insurance companies pay what is owed.