What Is A Chain-Reaction Car Accident?
A chain-reaction car accident is an accident that involves three or more vehicles in one incident. These accidents may have more than one at-fault driver, making them a little more complicated than typical two-car accidents. Vehicles involved in chain-reaction car accidents often are hit in more than one area, causing multiple impacts. These multiple impacts can lead to more severe injuries for drivers, as well as more complex circumstances surrounding the accidents. If you or someone you love has been involved in a multiple car pile-up and are in need of legal help, the team at the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers in Houston can help you.
Attorney Caruthers is a licensed car accident lawyer in Houston that for no-cost will review your case to determine if you are eligible for compensation. Our car accident legal team has extensive experience working with many different types of accident claims and a proven record of recovering compensation for our car accident and personal injury clients.
Contact the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers today to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with our team!
What are the most common causes for multiple car pile-ups in Houston?
We have seen a steady increase in the number of people moving to Texas for quite some time but especially lately. As more people make the choice to call Texas home, we are experiencing more crowding on the roads. With more cars on the road, there is an increased risk of accidents happening on our roads. Listed below are some of the most common causes for multiple car pile-ups in the Greater Houston area:
-Poor weather conditions
-Speeding, running red lights, and other traffic violations
-Drunk driving
-Slick roads
-Icy roads
-Fatigued driving and more
How To Determine Fault in a Multiple Car Pile-Up
Not all chain-reaction car accident cases are simple to determine fault in. If one car rear-ends another driver, that then in-turn rear-ends another driver, the original driver that initiated the collision may be the driver that holds the most fault in your accident. However, some circumstances can complicate this and make it difficult to blame a sole driver for the accident.
What Happens When Multiple Drivers Are At-Fault?
There are many scenarios in which multiple drivers will be at-fault in these chain-reaction car accidents. When you are driving and a car runs through a red light and you crash into the vehicle, but the car behind you was tailgating and then also smashes into your vehicle, which causes multiple other cars to collide behind, this is an accident that can lead to more than one at-fault driver. At the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers, our team works with you to evaluate your car accident case and determine who is at-fault in your case. We want to do everything we can to help you get fair compensation for your injuries.
Listed below are some resources that can help you to determine the fault in your accident:
Police Reports
After a car accident, a police officer or some other member of local law enforcement may come to the scene, particularly if they know that someone was injured. If an officer came to the scene, they probably made a written accident report. Ask the traffic division of your local law enforcement agency how to get a copy.
Sometimes a police report plainly states an officer’s opinion that someone violated a specific traffic law and that the violation caused the accident. It may even state that the officer issued a citation. Other times, the report merely mentions negligent driving, without plainly stating that the violation caused the accident.
Regardless of how specific it is, any mention in a police report of a traffic law violation or careless driving by another person can serve as great support in showing that the other person was at fault.
State Traffic Laws
Another place to look for support for your argument that the other driver was at fault is in the state laws that govern driving. These rules of the road are contained in each state’s statutes and are usually known as the “Vehicle Code.”
An official, simplified version of these laws (sometimes called “The Rules of the Road”) is often available from your state’s department of motor vehicles (often online, and usually at a local office). The complete vehicle code is also usually accessible online, or at many public libraries (and all law libraries).
In the index to the vehicle code, look for listings that may apply to your accident. For example, there may be listings for “speed limits,” “right of way,” or “roadway markings.” If you visit a law library, the librarian may be willing to help you with your search, so don’t be afraid to ask. If you find a rule that might apply to your accident, copy not only its exact wording but also the statute number, so that you can refer to it accurately when you discuss your claim with the insurance adjuster.
If you’re involved in certain kinds of vehicle accidents, the other driver is at fault 99% of the time, and insurance companies hardly bother to argue about it.
Rear-End Collisions
If someone hits you from behind, it is virtually never your fault, regardless of why you stopped. A basic rule of the road requires a driver to be able to stop his or her vehicle safely if traffic is stopped ahead. A driver who cannot stop safely is not driving as safely as the person in front.
The other sure-fire part of the rear-end accident claim is that the vehicle damage often proves how it happened: If one car’s front end is damaged and the other’s rear end is also damaged, there can’t be much argument about who struck whom. Of course, the driver of the car that hit you may have a claim against someone who caused you to stop suddenly, or against a third car that pushed his car into yours, but that doesn’t change his or her responsibility for injuries to you and damage to your car.
Keep in mind, however, that even if you have been rear-ended, in a few circumstances your own carelessness may reduce your compensation under the rule of “comparative negligence.” A common example is when one or both of your brake or tail lights were out, especially if the accident happened at night. Another example is if you had mechanical problems but failed to do all you could to move the vehicle off the road.
Left-Turn Accidents
A car making a left turn is almost always liable for a collision with a car coming straight in the other direction. Exceptions to this near-automatic rule are rare and difficult to prove, but they can occur if:
-The car going straight was going well over the speed limit.
-The car going straight went through a red light.
-The left-turning car began its turn when it was safe, but something unexpected made it slow down or stop. This is an extremely difficult exception to use because a basic rule of the road says a car making a left turn must wait until it can safely complete the turn before moving in front of oncoming traffic.
Can I Trust Insurance Companies After An Accident?
When possible, you should wait to speak with your insurance company or other driver’s insurance companies until after you have spoken with a car accident attorney. This is because insurance companies are waiting for you to make a misstep or say the wrong thing, in order to discredit your account of what happened in your car accident. These companies know that following a car accident you are disoriented, emotions are high, and you may even be suffering from an injury. They will try to confuse you and get you to slip-up in any way that they can to benefit their best interest, which is paying you less money than you deserve. Once you have been involved in a car accident, you will want to ensure you and other parties involved are moved out of harm’s way. If you are in stable condition, contact the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers in Houston. Our team can help walk you through the process of what you will need to do in order to protect yourself in your Houston car accident case.
When it is time to speak with insurance companies to report the accident, you will be asked to speak with an insurance adjuster that will ask you a series of questions surrounding your accident. Many victims of car accidents make the mistake of thinking as long as they are honest when they speak with insurance companies that their needs will be met. Unfortunately, insurance companies are predatory and are on a mission to trip you up and get you to tell them inconsistent information surrounding your case. Prepping with your car accident attorney before speaking to insurance adjusters will help prepare you for the way they will speak to you, and will give you time to collect yourself and let your emotions settle before you have to speak with an insurance adjuster. Don’t let the insurance adjuster take advantage of the fact that your emotions are high and you are still processing the events that occurred. Take time to gather yourself and then contact your insurance company.
These predatory insurance adjusters will ask you the same question in many different ways, hoping to find changes or exaggerations in your account of the accident. The goal of the insurance adjuster will be to discredit you so they can get away with paying you the minimum amount of money for the injuries you have suffered. Even when you have taken time to calm down and collect yourself, navigating conversations with insurance adjusters can be tricky, one misstep can end up costing you.
The good news is, you can protect yourself from being taken advantage of from insurance companies when you work with Houston car accident attorney, Beverly R. Caruthers. Attorney Caruthers has a record that will make insurance companies take your case seriously. These companies know going up against an attorney that their typical bully tactics will not be as simple to get away with. This is because cases handled by personal injury attorneys are more difficult for them to manipulate you into answering too many questions or revealing irrelevant information that they will use against you. Never provide an insurance company with information following an accident without first contacting your personal injury attorney. The sooner you contact your personal injury attorney following your accident, the better your odds at fair compensation will be. Our team is waiting to help you!
Whether you are at fault or not, accidents happen every day. If you or someone you love has suffered the misfortune of being involved in an accident due to the reckless or negligent actions of another driver, Attorney Caruthers can help you. By working with an experienced car accident attorney you will protect your rights and protect you throughout the process by ensuring you are not blamed for the accident and that you receive the compensation you deserve. Our legal team understands how physically, emotionally, and financially devastating car accidents can be, this is why we put your need first. If our team is unable to negotiate reasonable compensation, we can help you file a personal injury lawsuit seeking additional compensation in your case. Learn more about how we can help you get the justice you deserve when you fill out this no-obligation form.
Spanish-Speaking Legal Help Following Car Accident
At the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers, our team refuses to let a language barrier affect your right to justice and compensation. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and is in need of Spanish-speaking legal advice, our team is here for you. We make it simple for those who have been injured in car accidents to navigate the legal system in order to get the results they need to continue on in their lives. Schedule your no-obligation car accident consultation with Attorney Caruthers today. Our team will work with you every step of the way to ensure your needs are being met and that you are getting the treatment you deserve in your car accident case. Don’t hesitate, the sooner you call the more we can do to help your case!
Best Car Accident Attorney in Houston TX
If you have been injured, experienced loss of income, or are unable to work because of a car accident, you can benefit from the services of a Houston car accident expert in your personal injury case. Whether you missed work due to an injury or due to not having access to a vehicle, Attorney Beverly R. Caruthers can help you! Our team works hard to bring the most efficient and practical solutions to your car accident case. Beverly R. Caruthers proudly serves and defends the Greater Houston area including but not limited to Baytown, Conroe, Crosby, Humble, Huntsville, Lake Jackson, Missouri City, Pasadena, Spring, Tomball. Our legal team is bilingual and offers Spanish speaking legal counsel for all of our clients. If you need legal representation following an incident don’t hesitate to contact Beverly R. Caruthers Law Office!
Caruthers Law Firm
Address: 4141 Southwest Fwy, Suite 400
Houston, TX 77027
(713) 526-9557
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