Have You Been Injured in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
Traffic accidents happen every day in Arizona, but when more than two vehicles are involved, the legal questions about injuries, fault, and damages are usually more complicated. If you are injured in a multi-vehicle accident, you should discuss your rights at once with a Phoenix traffic accident attorney.
Multi-vehicle crashes can be calamitous for all of those who are involved. These collisions can result in catastrophic and/or permanent injuries, complicated injury claims, costly property damage, and in the worst scenario, wrongful death of one of the vehicle occupants or operators.
What happens after a traffic accident with multiple vehicles? Will there be sufficient insurance coverage for those who were injured? If you are one of the injured, how will your Phoenix auto accident lawyer handle a case with so much to be considered?
What Are “Multi-Vehicle” Accidents?
The one thing that isn’t complicated about a multi-vehicle collision is the definition. A multi-vehicle accident is a crash that involves three or more vehicles, three or more drivers, and typically three or more car insurance companies.
If there are passengers in those vehicles, there are more complications, and if one or more of the vehicles involved is a commercial vehicle, the complications increase.
Multi-vehicle accidents can be what are known as “chain-reaction accidents” – a series of rear-end crashes in conditions with poor visibility. On the other hand, every multi-vehicle collision is unique, so the details must be investigated thoroughly to learn what happened and who should be held liable.
What Questions Must Be Answered About Multi-Vehicle Accidents?
To learn what happened and who was responsible, accident reconstruction experts or law enforcement representatives may use physics, math, and computers to recreate a moment-by-moment account of what transpired immediately before a multiple-vehicle crash – an account that, in some cases, proves which driver was at fault and to what degree.
After any traffic collision, but especially after a multi-vehicle accident, these questions must be answered:
- Were any of the drivers unlicensed or intoxicated while driving?
- Did poor road conditions or bad weather play any part in causing the accident?
- Was a defective vehicle or a defective vehicle part the cause of the accident?
If a Multi-Vehicle Accident Happens, What Steps Should You Take?
If you’re injured in an accident that involves multiple vehicles in Arizona, no personal injury lawyer will be there to advise you, but taking these measures will put you in the best possible position to prevail with a personal injury claim:
- If anyone is injured, summon medical assistance. This is the paramount priority.
- Call the police so that an accident investigation will be conducted.
- When the officers arrive, ask them how you can acquire a printout of the accident report.
- Exchange personal contact and auto insurance information with the other motorists.
- Take photographs, and try to get the names and contact details of any witnesses.
- If you are injured, have a medical exam – within twenty-four hours if possible.
A Phoenix traffic accident attorney will provide you with legal help – later – but in those first minutes after a multi-vehicle accident, you must focus on compiling the evidence you will need to file and prevail with a personal injury claim.
How Are Injury Claims Settled After Multi-Vehicle Accidents?
Arizona is an “at fault” auto insurance state. The motorist who causes a collision is legally responsible for paying the damages. After investigators determine who was at fault, your lawyer may negotiate a the settlement that you’re entitled to as the victim of someone else’s negligence.
Personal injury claims based on car accidents in Arizona are usually settled when lawyers for the plaintiff and insurance representatives or lawyers for the defendant negotiate an out-of-court settlement, but cases with multiple defendants may take more time and effort to resolve.
For example, if a commercial truck is involved in a multiple-vehicle crash, more may be at stake, the case will be more complicated, and a trucking company, a freight company, or a leasing company could be named as a defendant in the case. If liability for the accident is disputed, or if you are not offered a reasonable settlement, your attorney may take your case before a jury who will determine the damages.
How Will Your Lawyer Handle Your Injury Claim?
To achieve the best outcome possible, your lawyer should be an experienced negotiator. If you’re injured in a multi-vehicle accident in Arizona, you should be represented and advised by a Phoenix auto accident lawyer who successfully handles the most complicated personal injury claims and negotiations.
Immediately after you’ve been treated for your injury or injuries, arrange to speak with a Phoenix personal injury lawyer. That lawyer will likely explain your options and rights and recommend the best way to proceed, which may include bringing a personal injury claim.
Your first consultation with an Arizona injury attorney at Moore Injury Law is free, and there is no obligation. If you move ahead with an injury claim, you’ll pay no lawyer’s fee unless and until your lawyer recovers your compensation with an out-of-court settlement or a trial verdict.
When Should You Contact an Attorney?
Under Arizona’s statute of limitations for negligence actions, you typically have two years from the date of a multi-vehicle accident to bring a lawsuit against the negligent driver and any other liable parties. However, beware that there are certain situations where a lawsuit must be filed sooner. You should consult an attorney to determine the applicable statute of limitation. If a government employee or entity is involved, you will also need to file a notice of claim with the appropriate government agency within 180 days from the date the claim accrues. When you are injured by a negligent driver, you have the right under Arizona law to compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, personal pain, suffering, and related losses and damages.
Do not wait two years to speak with a personal injury attorney. Evidence deteriorates and disappears over time. Witnesses become forgetful. Your lawyer needs to see the evidence while it’s fresh and meet with any witnesses before their recollections fade.
Furthermore, if you are injured and you can’t work, your bills are probably piling up fast. If you are injured in a multi-vehicle accident, you should immediately seek the counsel of an Arizona personal injury lawyer.
Moore Injury Law Fights for the Injured Victims of Negligence
The personal injury lawyers at Moore Injury Law have decades of legal experience. We’ve built a reputation for legal excellence and superlative client service, and we routinely prevail for the injured victims of negligence in and near the Phoenix area and throughout the State of Arizona.
Injury victims pay no attorney’s fee to Moore Injury Law upfront, and you’ll owe us no attorney’s fee unless and until we recover the compensation you need.
If you’ve been injured in the Phoenix area because another person was negligent or reckless, or if you simply need to learn more about your rights after a traffic accident, call Moore Injury Law promptly at 602-780-1616. Our legal team knows how to put the law on your side.
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