While multi-vehicle collisions involve unique challenges, the general rule of thumb in a chain-reaction is that the first car to rear-end the other is the at-fault party. However, there may be other liable parties depending upon the findings after an analysis. There are also complicated insurance issues that injured parties may face, which means that hiring a car accident lawyer is a practical step toward getting answers about your accident.
In This Post
In this blog post, I will help you understand the causes of car accidents, New Mexico laws that apply to them, how you prove fault in a multi-vehicle accident, and where you can find legal help. All cases are different, which means that you should seek legal advice from an attorney as soon as possible if you have questions or want someone to protect your rights.
What Are the Causes of Multi-Vehicle Collisions?
Although a multi-vehicle car crash can stem from an infinite number of reasons, they are rarely caused by “acts of God,” or circumstances outside of anyone’s control. In general, a car accident should rarely happen since they mostly stem from negligence. Claimants should hire a car accident injury attorney to help them establish where and how negligence occurred.
Examples of causes of multi-vehicle collisions includes:
- Lane changes without checking blind spots
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Reckless or careless driving
- Neglected roadways and highways
- And more
In many instances, an initial accident can be established as the event that triggered the accident. However, the at-fault driver and incidental drivers involved will have their version of events regarding their role. Ensure that you do not speculate around your case if asked to make a formal statement by insurance companies.
What Laws Apply to Multiple Car Accidents in New Mexico?
Since New Mexico is a comparative negligence state, our laws will affect the outcome of your car accident injury or wrongful death case. Comparative negligence means that you can receive compensation for your damages even if you are partially at fault for the accident. You can still obtain an award by a percentage of fault exhibited by the plaintiff.
This information matters within the context of a multi-car crash since your role will be analyzed. A common defensive tactic is to prove that the at-fault driver was less liable, by a percentage, which reduces the amount of money that an insurance company has to pay out to injury victims.
How Do You Prove Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Car Accident?
Winning a personal injury claim requires you to establish liability and proving fault. Whoever is ultimately at fault will be legally responsible for compensating injured parties for their financial, physical, and emotional losses.
Triggering a Chain Reaction
Keep in mind that the insurer will defend their client to pay as little as possible for your injuries or family member’s death. However, the person who triggered a chain reaction is the at-fault party, unless there are other circumstances involved.
Let’s take a look at an example:
Driver 1 hits Driver 2 due to tailgating. Driver 1 is responsible for the accident. Distracted Driver 3 comes along and does not notice the accident and results in him hitting Driver 1. During the second accident, Driver 3 is at fault.
Preserving Evidence Is Critical
As you can see, the case’s details and nuances are not always evident until an investigation uncovers the truth. Assigning fault in a multi-car or chain reaction accident is challenging to face alone. Gathering the requisite evidence to prove your allegations can be difficult to handle without the help of an attorney.
Types of evidence that you may need to obtain includes:
- Police and accident reports
- Eyewitness statements
- Expert testimony and accident reconstruction results
- Black box and CPU results
- Accident scene photos
- Medical evidence
- And more
If you or your family members were injured in a multi-car crash, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Since there are numerous parties involved in the claims process, it is challenging to determine where your compensation is coming from. Get a legal professional on your side to help you handle the negotiations while focusing on your recovery.
Speak With a New Mexico Car Accident Attorney Today
As you can observe from the post above, multi-vehicle collisions can result in a tangled web of finger-pointing and blaming. Instead of leaving your case to chance, speak with Grano Law Offices, P.C. to help. Contact us for a Free Case Evaluation by calling (505) 426-8711 or messaging us at the form below.
