Liability and Compensation for Multiple Car Accident Claims in California

Multi-Car Crashes Are More Dangerous

As more vehicles are involved in accidents, there is an increased chance that someone will suffer serious injuries or death. California highways, especially those in large cities such as Los Angeles, are congested with bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at varying speeds. All it takes is one person to make a mistake, setting in motion a chain reaction of cars, trucks, and motorcycles spinning out of control. The resulting crashes can lead to property damage, serious injuries, and death.

But multi-car accidents don’t just happen on congested freeways; they often occur near congested intersections. Take, for example, a car waiting at a stop sign or red light. If a car plows into the back of a car and pushes it into a busy intersection where other motorists are traveling, it’s a recipe for disaster. One car moves another into an intersection where it is hit by a third car that crashes into a fourth or maybe a fifth. All it takes is one person’s misjudgment or negligence to change the lives of many people dramatically. A Los Angeles car accident lawyer can help make your life easier after an accident.

Determining Fault In A Multi-Car Accident

From a liability standpoint, multi-vehicle accidents pose problems for insurance companies and lawyers. Determining the cause of an accident and the number of negligent drivers is never simple. Insurance companies blame each other, and careless drivers generally do the same.

After the police have ensured that everyone has received medical attention, their job is to gather statements from drivers and witnesses and decide who will receive tickets for violating the traffic laws. During their investigation, they look at traffic cam footage, vehicle damage, and location, accident reconstruction, among others, to determine how the accident happened and who they believe was at fault. Deciding fault in a multi-car accident is problematic, so victims should consider talking with an experienced car accident lawyer Los Angeles California.

Detailed Accident Investigations May Be Necessary

Accidents that involve three or more vehicles require a considerably detailed investigation. Investigators will typically scrutinize police reports and accident scene evidence to get a better understanding of what happened. Were alcohol or drugs involved? Were the drivers licensed and insured, was anyone ticketed, and if so, why? Sometimes, lawyers hire private investigators to test and verify driver and witness testimony. They visit and take pictures and video of the accident scene, recreate the accident scene using photos of the skid marks and accident scene, road conditions, the time of day, etc.

California’s Pure Comparative Negligence Law Limits Compensation

California has adopted a pure comparative negligence law that states any awarded compensation is lessened by the amount the victims are liable. For instance, if you are awarded $200,000 in damages but are 25% responsible for the accident, you will receive 25% less compensation. In that case, you will receive $150,000 in damages. An experienced and knowledgeable Los Angeles car accident lawyer can dramatically improve your chances of being awarded a higher settlement by representing you inside and outside of court.

When Damages Exceed Insurance Policy Limits

California’s resident drivers must carry minimum insurance equal to (15/30/5) $15,000 of bodily injury per person, $30,000 of bodily injury per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage. Unfortunately, California’s minimum car insurance requirement is insufficient to protect you in a severe accident. In multi-car accidents where several people are injured, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages can easily exceed California’s minimum liability limits. In fact, multi-car accidents often result in severe and debilitating injuries.

Although insurance companies often recommend higher insurance policy limits to their policyholders, many people don’t pay for the higher limits due to budgetary constraints or a false sense of security. They don’t believe they will get in a severe accident, and therefore do not need more coverage. But higher liability limits can be beneficial when injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, the negligent driver had little or no liability coverage, and you carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Uninsured/underinsured liability coverage protects you when an uninsured or underinsured driver is responsible for your injuries. Let’s assume you purchased $500,000 of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. If an uninsured driver injures you in an accident and you are awarded $250,000 in damages, your uninsured motorist coverage will pay you $250,000. Let’s also assume that a negligent driver had minimum liability limits of 15/30/5, and you had $500,000 of uninsured/underinsured coverage. If awarded $350,000 in damages, you would receive $350,000 from your insurance company.

Hiring A Car Accident Attorney Los Angeles To Represent You.

Auto insurance companies do not freely offer to pay lost wages, pain and suffering, or other damage claims. It is especially true in multi-car accidents where each driver’s insurance company claims that the other drivers are responsible for the accident. Without an experienced personal injury car accident attorney Los Angeles to represent you, any settlement you receive will likely be pennies on the dollar.