Houston Lawyers for Accidents Involving Multiple Cars
Car accidents in Houston often involve many vehicles and drivers. Following a multi-vehicle accident, victims will want to know which drivers should be held responsible for their injuries. In some cases, only one party will be at fault. However, in many situations, multiple drivers may be liable for the crash and injuries. If you recently were hurt in a crash involving multiple vehicles, you should turn to an experienced car wreck lawyer to help you to sort through these issues of liability and seek all compensation that you are due.
At Fleming Law, our civil litigation experience goes back more than three decades. We know how to sort through complex liability issues in multi-vehicle accidents and pursue the compensation that our clients deserve. To discuss how we can put our experience and resources to work for you, call or reach us online today and receive a free consultation about your case.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Multi-Vehicle Accident in Houston?
Legal responsibility for your multi-vehicle accident, or liability, will depend on the specific facts and circumstances in your case. For instance, consider how liability could attach to one or more drivers in the following possible scenarios:
When One Driver Causes a Multi-Vehicle Accident
Imagine somebody is traveling down I-10 in Houston while engaging in some form of careless or reckless conduct such as texting or talking on a phone while driving. Because the driver is not paying attention to the road, the driver cuts off another car. The driver in the cut-off car may, in turn, spin out of control and hit other cars in adjoining or opposite traffic lanes.
If the initial impact caused the second and subsequent collisions, and those collisions were unavoidable, then the only liable party would be the driver of the first car. All the injured parties would have to look to that driver for compensation. They would file a claim through that driver’s auto insurance liability policy.
Because the first driver’s insurance may fall short of covering all of the damages which that driver has caused, the injured parties may need to turn to their own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage as well. UIM can make up the difference between what the at-fault driver’s insurance covers and the total amount of your damages (up to the UIM policy limit).
When More Than One Driver Causes a Multi-Vehicle Accident
In many other situations, multiple drivers are at fault for an accident that results in injuries to many different victims. This is typically the case when pile-ups occur on the freeway. Here is an example:
Driver No. 1 is driving down I-45 in Houston when traffic comes to a halt. Driver No. 1 stops the car and is then rear-ended by Driver No. 2, who is turn rear-ended by Driver No. 3, who is in turn immediately hit by Diver No. 4. In this situation: Driver No. 1 may have claims against Drivers Nos. 2, 3 and 4 – if each impact causes injuries to Driver No. 1. Driver No. 2 might have claims against Driver Nos. 3 and 4, and Driver No. 3 might have a claim against Driver No. 4.
When you work with Fleming Law we will carefully examine all of the facts and circumstances in your case. To ensure that we pursue maximum compensation for you, we will work tirelessly to identify all parties who should be held liable for your accident and injuries as well as all available sources of insurance coverage. This coverage could include your own uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance.
How Do You Establish Liability in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
Because of our deep background in car accident investigations, we will know how to get to the heart of what happened in your multiple-vehicle crash. As part of our investigation, we may gather and study evidence such as:
- Photos of the accident scene and of all vehicles involved in the accident
- Dash-cam footage and other types of video evidence
- Eyewitness accounts of how the accident occurred
- Black box data, including drivers’ speeds and brake usage prior to the crash
- Breath, blood, or urine tests (showing whether one or the driver was impaired)
- Cell phone records (indicating whether one or more drivers were distracted).
Depending on the complexity of your accident, we may also turn to an accident reconstruction expert. This is a trained professional who will know how to use the evidence to reach a scientific conclusion on why the crash occurred. The expert can prepare a report and may even testify at a trial.
Do You Need a Lawyer If You Are in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
In addition to investigating your multiple-vehicle crash, our team at Fleming Law can take many other steps that will be aimed at seeking maximum recovery for you, including:
- Collecting and analyzing all of your medical records and consulting with medical professionals in order to establish all of your past and future medical expenses
- Listening closely to you, your family and friends, and others who can help us to determine the pain, suffering, emotional distress, and other non-economic harm that the accident has caused you to suffer
- Identifying all responsible parties and available insurance coverage, which could involve multiple parties’ insurance policies (including your own)
- Making a demand for full and fair compensation for you, meeting with insurance companies to negotiate one or more settlements on your behalf, and helping you to assess each settlement offer that you receive
- Going to trial if that’s what it takes to pursue the compensation that you deserve.
Additionally, we can negotiate with your medical providers and hospitals who provided care for you. These healthcare providers are often open to reducing their bills. When they do, it can result in more money in your pocket after your claim is settled.
Get Help from a Houston Multi-Vehicle Accident Attorney
If you or a family member was seriously injured in an auto accident in Houston involving multiple vehicles, our skilled and experienced Houston car accident lawyers at Fleming Law can provide the guidance and representation you need. Contact our office today to get started with a free consultation.