Determining Fault in Multi-Vehicle Car Accidents in Atlanta
If you've ever been in a car accident, you are aware of how upsetting and perplexing it can be. Along with dealing with the accident's bodily and psychological effects, you also have to cope with its financial repercussions. The costs of an accident can build up rapidly, from fixing your automobile to covering medical expenses and lost wages. You might be asking how to make the other driver pay for the damages if you weren't at blame for the collision. Unfortunately, figuring out who is at responsibility in car accidents involving multiple vehicles is not always easy.
In fact, because so many elements need to be taken into account, it can frequently be rather difficult. Our Atlanta car accident attorneys put together this helpful information to assist you to understand how fault is established in multi-vehicle car accidents. Everything from the fundamentals of carelessness to the many kinds of multi-vehicle accidents and how fault is normally assigned in each will be covered.
Reasons Why Multi-Vehicle Accidents Happen
1) Obstructed Line of Sight
What most frequently causes accidents involving multiple vehicles? You might be surprised to learn that bad driving isn't the most common reason. Actually, obstructions on the road are the primary cause of multi-vehicle accidents. When drivers veer into other lanes of traffic or suddenly stop without signaling other drivers that they are there, obstructions like garbage cans, parked automobiles, or even roadkill can result in many vehicles colliding with one another.
You know how dangerous these scenarios may be if you've ever been driving through an intersection and seen a car coming straight at you, only to slam on your brakes as a result of someone choosing not to stop at a red light or making a left turn without looking.
What then should you do if you find yourself in such a situation? Keep calm first and foremost! Pull over if you can, in a safe area, to prevent any further accidents (or before someone else gets hurt). So that emergency personnel can arrive as soon as possible, dial 911.
2) Speeding
One of the main causes of multi-vehicle accidents in Atlanta is speeding. Speeding is defined as exceeding the posted speed limit, but it can also refer to exceeding a speed that is appropriate and safe given the circumstances and the state of the road.
Drivers who are speeding have a harder time maintaining control of their cars and have a slower reaction time when traffic conditions suddenly change. If a car suddenly pulls out in front of them or if there is an unfamiliar object on the road, drivers who are speeding are less likely to be able to stop quickly.
Speeding drivers also have less time to react if they see something hazardous on the road ahead of them, including another vehicle or a pedestrian who might require assistance. This means that even if they tried really hard to avoid getting into an accident, there might not have been enough time for them to do so.
Speeding is harmful because it raises the possibility that someone will sustain injuries in an accident if their car is hit by another car while moving quickly (i.e., over 50 miles per hour).
3) Distracted Driving
One of the main causes of multi-vehicle accidents in Atlanta is distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that distracted driving is a factor in 10% of all collisions.
Texting while driving is one of the most prevalent distractions, but there are other types as well. Texting can be just as distracting as talking on the phone or to other passengers. Other typical reasons include:
Eating or drinking
Adjusting the radio
Looking at GPS directions
Adjusting the temperature
Fixing your hair or putting on makeup
4) Driving Under the Influence
One of Atlanta's most frequent causes of multi-vehicle accidents is drunk driving. Your judgment may be impacted if you drive after having a few drinks or even just one. It's possible that you won't be able to see well or act quickly enough to prevent a collision. You might be more likely to commit errors like running a red light or colliding with another vehicle.
Other motorists, passengers, pedestrians, and you personally could sustain significant injuries, as well as property damage. Contact our Atlanta personal injury lawyers right now for assistance with filing your claim against the at-fault party if you were hurt in an accident brought on by a drunk driver!
5) Following Too Closely
In Atlanta, following too closely is a frequent reason for multi-vehicle collisions. It's critical to comprehend what this signifies and how to prevent it.
Too close of a following distance indicates that you are traveling in the same lane as the automobile in front of you. This is hazardous not only for you but also for other motorists on the road.
The main cause of multi-vehicle accidents caused by following too closely is that a driver may suddenly brake or change lanes without signaling. If you are following too closely, you risk hitting the car in front of you in the rear with this rapid halt or lane change.
Following too closely can also result in multi-vehicle collisions because other drivers may mistakenly believe that they have adequate room to pass the car in front of them. If another driver attempts to move into that lane because they believe there is enough gap between them and the vehicle in front of them, yet there isn't, it could cause an accident.
The easiest strategy to prevent getting into an accident with a vehicle who was following too closely is to increase your own speed as you approach a curve or intersection so that there is more space between your car and theirs. Make sure to leave yourself enough distance from the car in front of you so that you have the flexibility to modify your speed as necessary.
Determining Liability in a Multi-Vehicle Accident
There are a few things you may do to help you decide how to proceed if you have been in a multi-vehicle collision and are trying to determine fault. The first step is to acquire as much information as you can regarding the accident. Ask any witnesses for any information they may recall about the accident, and if there were any, acquire their names and contact information.
It would also be beneficial to know whether any pictures were taken at the accident scene or if you took one yourself. You'll be more able to pinpoint who caused your accident's events the more information you have at your disposal.
Having a conversation with a lawyer who focuses on auto accidents is another option you have when determining who is at fault in a collision involving many vehicles. T hey will be able to offer you an indication of who might be at fault because they will have access to specialists who can help evaluate responsibility based on all of this information.
Injuries From Multi-Vehicle Accidents
There are numerous injuries that might happen when you're in a multi-vehicle accident. Following a collision involving multiple vehicles, you could have the following three typical injuries:
Neck injury: Your spine shields your neck, but if it is injured, you may feel discomfort or weakness in your shoulders and arms. Additionally, your coordination and balance may be problematic. When the impact suddenly pulls your head forward, the vertebrae in your neck may be damaged, resulting in this injury.
Brain injury: Even if you don't immediately experience any symptoms, you could still have a brain injury in a multi-vehicle collision. Dizziness, migraines, trouble focusing or remembering things, impaired vision, and hearing loss are all symptoms of a brain injury. Due to the fact that this sort of damage is frequently difficult to spot at first glance, these symptoms could not appear for several hours or even days after the accident.
Spinal cord injury: A spinal cord injury can have serious consequences for anyone who sustains one after being involved in a car accident involving many automobiles traveling at high speeds because the spinal cord regulates all of the body's mobility. Paralysis, discomfort, numbness, loss of bowel and bladder control, breathing difficulties, and even death can be brought on by spinal cord injury.
Contact The Mabra Law Firm If You Were in a Multi-Vehicle Accident in Atlanta
If you were hurt or suffered property damage as a result of a multi-vehicle accident in Atlanta, it's critical to understand who is responsible for those losses. In many instances, this can be decided by examining the case's facts. There are, however, several circumstances in which it could be challenging to identify responsibility. Get in touch with The Mabra Law Firm right now if this applies to you or someone you care about.
The Mabra Law Firm has years of expertise assisting clients in obtaining the compensation they are entitled to after suffering injuries as a result of another party's negligence. When you are hurt and feel that no one is as concerned about your condition as you are, it may be very irritating, as we are aware. Because of this, we place a high value on client satisfaction. We want to assist you in obtaining the justice you require so that you can move on with your life and resume normalcy as soon as feasible.
The Mabra Firm offers a group of lawyers with years of expertise representing clients who have been hurt by someone else's negligent maintenance or reckless driving in Atlanta. We will do all it takes to make sure that you are taken care of, and we know how to help you obtain the maximum compensation you deserve. Contact us right away if you've been hurt in an accident...we're here to help.