Can Multiple People Be Held Liable For A Car Accident In Florida?
No two car accidents are the same. One car accident, for instance, could involve only a single driver, who crashed due to mechanical failure, while another crash could involve two vehicles and be the result of one driver’s decision to speed through a red light. Some of the most devastating accidents, however, involve more than two vehicles, which force the parties involved to suffer multiple impacts. Determining fault in these kinds of crashes also tends to be less straightforward than when a crash involves only one or two vehicles, as it is much more likely that more than one person contributed to the crash.
Causes of Multi-Vehicle Crashes
Florida is notorious for being one of the most dangerous places for drivers, in large part due to outdated infrastructure and ever-worsening traffic. Unfortunately, these factors make Florida a common site for multi-vehicle crashes, most of which can be attributed to one or more of the following causes:
- Disregarding traffic laws;
- Driving while distracted or fatigued;
- Speeding or driving recklessly;
- Driver intoxication;
- Hazardous weather conditions; and
- Mechanical failure.
When it comes to multi-car pile-ups, it becomes increasingly likely that more than one of these careless acts will have contributed to a crash. If, perhaps, a driver was looking at his or her phone and rear-ended a vehicle in an intersection, fault will be relatively easy to determine. It can, however, become more complicated if it turns out that the first vehicle that was struck was following another vehicle too closely and caused a crash with the driver in front of it. In these cases, fault could be apportioned out between the parties under Florida’s legal theory of comparative negligence, where each party can be held liable for his or her own degree of fault in contributing to an accident.
Injuries Sustained in Multi-Vehicle Crashes
Besides the difficulties of determining the cause of multi-vehicle accidents, these kinds of crashes are unique in that they are much more likely to result in serious injuries. Unlike victims of single or two-vehicle crashes, those involved in multi-vehicle pile-ups must undergo multiple impacts, increasing their chances of sustaining dangerous injuries, like Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), crushed and broken bones, and internal injuries. Often these injuries are worsened because an injured party becomes trapped in his or her vehicle (by the other cars involved in the crash) and so cannot immediately receive emergency medical care. Tragically, for these reasons, the injuries sustained in multi-car accidents can end up being deadly for the parties involved, in which case, the surviving family members of the deceased could attempt to recover damages by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault drivers.
Speak with Our Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorneys Today
If you or a loved one were hurt in a multi-car pile-up, you are likely feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of filing a legal claim against multiple parties. For help, call the dedicated Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers at Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 today.
Sources:
fox13news.com/news/3-dead-in-21-vehicle-pileup-on-i-75-in-north-florida-on-new-years-day-dense-fog-could-be-to-blame
medlineplus.gov/traumaticbraininjury.html
