Car crashes are almost always the fault of one or the other driver. Determining who is accountable is rarely easy, though, and this especially holds for multi-vehicle crashes. The following information may help California residents file an insurance claim in a smooth and timely manner after being involved in a multi-car crash.
First, negligence can be attributed to more than one driver. If Driver A is rear-ended by Driver B, who was speeding or did not maintain a safe following distance, then Driver B is responsible. But Driver B may be rear-ended by a negligent Driver C, and the impact of C into B increases the impact of B into A. Driver A can then pursue a claim against both B and C. B may file against C as well, provided B’s degree of fault is less than C’s.
Sometimes, only one driver is at fault, and it’s not the one who actually collides into the plaintiff. For instance, Driver B may blamelessly be sent into the rear of Driver A’s vehicle after being rear-ended by Driver C. Driver C would be held liable.
Victims can usually rely on police reports and eyewitness testimony to prove negligence. Lawyers and crash investigators may help in obtaining other evidence, such as phone records and physical findings at the scene of the crash.
When motor vehicle crashes result in serious injuries, those who were not to blame may pursue a claim against the guilty driver’s auto insurance company. They may want a lawyer to assist them. There are various forms of negligence, such as distracted driving, speeding, tailgating, and driving too fast for road or weather conditions, and some factors are harder to prove than others. A personal injury lawyer may work to build up the case and then begin negotiations for a reasonable settlement, litigating if one cannot be agreed upon.
