Multi-vehicle accidents often occur on highways where vehicles are traveling at high rates of speed. These chain reactions typically result in serious injuries and substantial property damage. Pursuing a legally responsible party may be complicated in these situations and require the guidance of a knowledgeable attorney. The firm can advocate aggressively for you and your loved ones as you pursue compensation.

For a complimentary initial consultation, call the firm at 718-441-5050 or complete the online contact form.

The damage caused by multi-vehicle or chain reaction collisions is typically more severe than damage resulting from other accidents. Often, these accidents inhibit traffic on the roadway, and emergency vehicles may face challenges reaching injured individuals.

Determining who is at fault in a chain reaction or multi-vehicle accident can be challenging because each driver has a degree of responsibility toward other people around them. Negligence is often at the center of a multi-vehicle collision. One careless or reckless driver can set in motion a chain reaction that leads to a massive crash. In some situations, an accident victim may bring a personal injury lawsuit against more than one driver, alleging that their negligence was the direct cause of the victim’s harm.

A variety of factors may be responsible for a multi-vehicle collision, including distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, fatigued driving, and other violations of traffic laws. To show that a driver was negligent and therefore legally responsible for the accident, an injured plaintiff would try to prove that the driver owed a duty of care to the plaintiff, failed to meet that duty of care, and caused an accident from which quantifiable damages arose.

The first negligence element, duty, is expected of all drivers on the road. Operating a vehicle requires that people avoid posing foreseeable risks of harm to others around them, and they must drive as a reasonable person would drive under similar circumstances.

After showing duty and breach, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant’s negligence directly resulted in their injuries. In a chain reaction car crash, the driver’s negligence will be deemed to have contributed to the injuries if the plaintiff likely would not have been hurt but for the negligence of the driver. The circumstances of a multi-vehicle collision may present more of a challenge about causation than a two-vehicle accident. A skilled attorney will understand the importance of relying on evidence to determine not only the speed of the vehicles involved in a chain reaction crash but also any other factors that may have contributed to the collision.

As the final prong of a negligence claim, the injured plaintiff must show the damages incurred due to the accident. In a multi-vehicle collision, there may be serious injuries and severe property damage to vehicles. Economic damages may include the costs of hospital and medical bills, future treatment, lost income, and vehicle repairs. Plaintiffs may also pursue non-economic costs, such as pain and suffering and scarring and disfigurement. In the event of a fatal multi-vehicle collision, the family members of the victim may be able to pursue damages in a wrongful death action.

New York requires that plaintiffs in a personal injury lawsuit bring their claims within three years of the date of the accident in which they were hurt. Courts will not hear lawsuits brought after this period of time. This makes it critical to seek legal representation without delay if you have been struck by a careless driver.

Following a chain reaction car crash, you, or someone you love may have suffered serious injuries. At The Cassisi Law Firm, the Queens multi-vehicle accident attorney can evaluate the details of your case and provide guidance on the potential damages you may be able to recover.

The Cassisi Law Firm provides a free consultation and can be reached through this online form or by calling 718-441-5050.