Things To Know When Pursuing Compensation Due to Multi-Car Pile-up

A road accident as severe as a multiple car pile-up can have disastrous effects. In Fort Worth, Texas a multiple car pile-up crash on February 11, 2021 caused many people to suffer from injuries. The accident also led to the death of five people.

People who have sustained injuries because of a multiple car pile-up must can receive compensation by filing an injury claim. A multiple car pile-up accident can have more than one negligent driver. And, in such accident the order of impact is investigated to know who is and who is not at fault.

Injury Claim in Multiple Car Pile-up

An article on CrosleyLaw.com offers an explanation of the rules that are applied in multiple-car pile-up crashes.

Determining Who is at Fault

Knowing who is at fault determines whose insurance will pay for the damages. Police reports contain eyewitness accounts of the accident. Experienced attorneys  may work with professional accident reconstructionists to get an accurate account of what transpired during the accident.

Contributory Negligence and Comparative Fault

Texas applies the rule contributory negligence in car accidents with more than one negligent driver. In the rule, a percentage of the fault is assigned to each negligent driver. Compensation depends on the  percentage of fault, and the law uses an inverse compensation.  

One example of inverse compensation is  a driver who is 25 percent at fault is deducted by 25 percent in compensation. In effect, the driver only gets 75 percent compensation. And, in the comparative fault rule, a negligent driver who is 51 percent at fault will not get compensation.

There is also a rule for negligence called joint and several liability in Texas. The rule is applicable to a case that has more than one negligent driver.  The rule states that a driver who is 51 percent at fault is 100 percent responsible for the damages.

Uninsured or Underinsured Drivers

Problems can arise when a driver involved in a multiple car pile-up crash is uninsured or underinsured. So, there are insurance companies that offer (UI/UIM) coverage that is used to supplement regular auto insurance.

An expert attorney can help someone who has suffered from injuries due to a multiple car pile-up crash. Just compensation should be given to a victim of such accident, and a law expert can help a great deal in pursuing just compensation.