The most effective way to challenge fault in a 3-way car accident is to do so through the legal system.
Auto accidents involving two drivers can be difficult enough. When multiple cars are involved, the situation is typically more complex. Establishing liability in these situations is more difficult because there are more factors to consider.
It is possible that fault in a 3-way accident could fall on all three drivers. However, the driver who primarily caused the accident would bear a larger share of the fault. The other drivers may have also contributed to the wreck in some way and the court may assign each driver some portion of the fault.
If you have been involved in a 3-way car accident, you likely have many questions about your case. If your injuries are serious, you’ll have medical bills and a number of other expenses to pay for. Collecting a fair financial settlement can be challenging.
Chain-Reaction Traffic Accidents
A chain reaction accident takes place when one vehicle hits another vehicle from behind which causes that vehicle to hit the one in front. These accidents can involve three or more vehicles and typically occur because someone is following too closely and not paying attention to traffic conditions.
Generally, the rule in chain reaction accidents is that the first car to rear-end the other and set off the “domino effect” is the at-fault party. The rear-ending car is not always at fault but it is often the case.
Multi-Vehicle Pileup Accidents
Pileup accidents occur when one collision takes place and then several other vehicles hit the original collision. A number of factors can contribute to multi-vehicle pileup accidents:
- poor visibility due to a sharp curve or other objects obscuring the view
- poor lighting conditions
- bad weather conditions obscuring the view
- vehicles traveling at high speeds, unable to stop in time
It’s common that in car accidents like this that every driver will have a different viewpoint as to who hit the other first.
How Can You Challenge Fault in a 3-Way Auto Accident?
An insurance company or a court will portion out liability depending on who caused or contributed to the accident. There are some cases where one driver will be 100% responsible for the crash and therefore liable to pay for the other drivers’ injuries and damages. A car turning into oncoming traffic due to the driver being intoxicated may be an example of this.
However, in other less-clear situations it may be much harder to prove fault and you may find yourself being charged with a portion of the accident. In this case, you can challenge fault by explaining your side to your insurance company. The most effective way to do this is through the legal system. This involves hiring a car accident lawyer to argue on your behalf. An attorney has the ability to prove negligence by showing that one or both of the other drivers caused the accident.
St. Louis Auto Accident Attorney
With 25 years of experience and thousands of successful cases to his credit, accident lawyer Christopher Hoffmann focuses his practice exclusively on handling injury claims arising out of car accidents in St. Louis, Missouri.
When you hire our firm, you can be confident that everything will be done to protect your rights and recover the compensation you need. Call us today for a free consultation at (314) 361-4242 or fill out our online case evaluation form.