When it comes to a standard car accident in Birmingham, dealing with only two cars can be much simpler when determining fault in an accident. Multi-vehicle accidents, on the other hand, can be a bit different. A multi-vehicle accident occurs when three or more cars are involved in an accident. It may be tempting to dismiss the car at the back of the accident as the one causing the accident, but either car could really have fault. In a three-vehicle accident, the fault can be determined in one of three positions: front, middle, and rear.
Front Car
Front car liability occurs when the first car in line shows evidence of having caused the accident. Front car liability is uncommon, but not unheard of. If the car in the front were to have suddenly braked, slowed down, or turned without warning, the front car could cause the second car to crash into the front car. By way of basic chain reaction, the third car in line could follow suit, resulting in a multi-vehicle accident.
Middle Car
The middle car often has a higher chance of causing a multi-vehicle accident than the front car. A middle car may suddenly try to change lanes without warning, but in the process slow down, thus the car in the rear can crash into the middle car and in turn crash into the front car. The middle car could be held liable for damages done to the front and rear car in some cases.
Last Car
The last car in any multi-vehicle accident is often the first car to blame. And in many cases, the assumption that the last car caused the accident is correct. The last car would have been driving too quickly and/or too closely and a sudden stop could cause the last car to crash into the one in front of it, setting off a chain reaction.
A facet that often comes up in multi-vehicle accidents is contributory negligence. Contributory negligence is a defense asserts that while one driver may have been negligent in observing the laws of the road, thus causing an accident, the other driver in the multi-vehicle accident was also negligent in not avoiding the oncoming collision.
Multi-vehicle accidents can often lead to devastating injuries and high medical and car repair costs. Beyond that, a multi-vehicle accident could result in lost wages from time missed at work. Even the most basic multi-vehicle accident is enough to be a major inconvenience.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a multi-vehicle accident, regardless of your position in the accident, it is imperative to act quickly. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney at the law office of Salter Ferguson, LLC today to schedule your case evaluation.