How to Determine Who Is Liable in a California Multi-Car Accident

Car accidents are stressful and even more so when multiple cars are involved in a collision. If you have been involved in a California multi-car accident and are left injured, you may be wondering how liability is determined in these cases. Car collisions can occur pretty quickly for different reasons such as distractions, drunk driving, reckless driving, and other circumstances. With an experienced Newport Beach car accident lawyer on your case, our legal team will determine liability for the car accident and help you recover any compensation owed to you for the injuries and damages you have endured.

Common Reasons That Multi-Car Collisions Occur

When three or more cars collide together, there are different reasons why this may have happened. Car crashes can occur because of drunk driving, distracted driving, reckless driving, and other negligent driving cases. In addition, bad weather conditions, car malfunctions, and other circumstances may contribute to many collisions on roadways every day. For multi-car crashes, negligent acts behind the wheel on the part of the liable drivers and different situations can contribute to causing these types of collisions.

Some reasons multi-car collisions occur include:

Bad weather
Speeding
Reckless driving
Driving under the influence
Vehicle malfunctions
Driver fatigue

Sometimes, a multi-car crash or pile-up collisions occur for multiple reasons. In a chain reaction, a driver can cause an accident by rear-ending a car and causing that vehicle to collide with the car in front, and so on. An initial crash initiates the subsequent impact, typically because the other drivers have no time to react and no ability to stop before crashing. When accidents like these occur, it is common to have many questions about liability and how the responsible parties can be held accountable for causing the crash.

Who Is Liable in a Multi-Car Accident?

Anyone held liable in a car accident case is known as a tortfeasor. They are responsible for covering the compensation for physical damages and injuries for the injured person or plaintiff in a civil case. Proving liability may be tricky in some cases because each driver involved may have a specific percentage of fault in the accident. A skilled car accident attorney can evaluate your case, reconstruct the scene, and prove liability on the part of the liable parties.

In a California multi-car accident, multiple drivers may be held liable. Two or more drivers may share liability for negligent acts such as violating traffic laws or playing a role in the collision. According to the joint and several liability laws in California, parties are jointly responsible for covering the costs of economic damages and partially liable for non-economic damages according to their percentage of fault in an accident.

If you are proven to share fault in an accident, you may still recover some compensation concerning damages and injuries you have endured. Under California’s comparative negligence, you can seek to recover the amount of valued damages and injuries respective to the amount deducted for your percent of fault.

Recovering Compensation After an Auto Accident

After a car accident, different forms of compensation are typically awarded to an injured individual. The damages are divided into economic and non-economic damages. Depending on the circumstances, your attorney may also determine that your case is eligible to recover punitive damages after an auto accident.

Non-economic damages in compensation recovery may include:

Pain and suffering
Grief
Loss of consortium
Loss of enjoyment of life
Emotional distress and anxiety

Economic damages in compensation recovery may include:

Loss of wages and earning capacity
Past and future medical expenses
Disability
Loss of property

Whether you are determined to share fault in an accident or have no fault in a collision, our attorneys can protect your rights and represent you when you file a claim against negligent parties. You will feel at ease with a skilled attorney on your side, knowing that case is handled promptly.

An Experienced Attorney Can Help You File a California Personal Injury Claim

Multi-car accidents are stressful and complicated events. If you have suffered injuries and losses in a multi-car collision, filing an injury claim and hiring an attorney can help you recover the compensation owed to you. Determining who is liable in a collision with multiple vehicles may bring challenges. Still, the experienced attorneys at Younglove Law Group have years of experience in successfully defending clients after a car accident.

Experienced legal professionals handle every case, and our team is dedicated to helping clients receive the maximum compensation they are owed. Contact us by filling out our contact form or by calling (949) 691-3660 to schedule a free consultation.