If you’re injured in an accident with several vehicles, you’ll want to know who’s to blame. Driver error causes most accidents, and more than one driver may be at fault. If you’ve been in a highway pile-up, get the legal help you need because these cases can be factually and legally complicated.
You may believe others are at fault, but we must show who’s responsible by laying out the facts and arguing the law. If we can’t prove another party’s liability for the accident, we can’t hold them accountable.
To speak with an experienced Houston car accident lawyer, call The Krist Law Firm, P.C., as soon as possible at (281) 283-8500 to schedule a free consultation.
How Do Highway Pile-Ups Happen?
Distracted, tired, and speeding drivers cause a lot of highway accidents. The significant difference between an accident on a side road and one on an interstate is higher speeds, so it takes far longer to stop, and the damage and injuries can be much worse. A few instances that explain how a highway pile-up might occur can be one or more of the following:
- A disabled vehicle may be in a travel lane, which is rear-ended by another car. It ends up in another travel lane, where a third driver hits it.
- Traffic backed up at a construction or accident site can result in vehicles being rear-ended.
- Accidents can happen when one driver cuts off another, who hits the brakes to avoid it. Another vehicle rear-ends the car resulting in a chain reaction of accidents.
Who’s at Fault in Pile-Up Accidents?
Typically, fault is attributed to drivers who rear-end other vehicles or violate laws against speeding, driving while impaired, or who aren’t sufficiently in control of their cars, which could be due to distraction or fatigue. Determining who’s at fault boils down to accident reconstruction.
The situation is broken down into one accident at a time. The person causing the first accident may share blame for the subsequent ones.
Many parties may be at fault:
- A speeding driver may cause the first accident, which results in a second accident involving a distracted driver who’s hit by someone too tired to drive safely
- A commercial vehicle with bad brakes may hit multiple vehicles because its brakes aren’t maintained regularly or adequately repaired. A rear-end accident would be the trucking company’s fault, and any outside contractor hired to fix the truck could be liable too
How We Help Determine Fault in a Pile-Up
One reason to call us right after an accident is so we can start working on your case. Insurance and legal claims are built on facts. The longer our investigation is delayed, the harder it may be to find the facts. We will:
- Talk to you and other witnesses
- Review the police report
- Look at any photos or videos of the accident or its aftermath
- Consider the damage done to the vehicles
- Visit the scene to get an idea of your perspective and how the accident started
If the crash is complex, we may hire an engineer who’s an accident reconstruction expert. They will do their own investigation to develop an opinion about the accident’s cause and who’s at fault.
Krist Law Firm Will Explain Your Rights
Showing who’s at fault comes down to the facts of how, why, and when each vehicle was struck by whom. Though it may be difficult, it’s something that our Houston car accident lawyers regularly do with the help of outside experts. There’s no collision too complex for us to handle.
Our experienced Houston car accident lawyers provide the practical advice you need and clear guidance at every step along the way. Let us recover the compensation you deserve.
Contact The Krist Law Firm, P.C, to learn about your rights and how to show the other driver caused you harm. Call (281) 283-8500 to schedule a free consultation. We’re only paid when you recover compensation.