In most car accident situations, the legal ramifications in terms of fault and damages are fairly simple. One of the two drivers is usually at fault, and may bear liability to the other in terms of physical or emotional damages.
At the offices of William Rawlings & Associates, our personal injury attorneys are here to help with these kinds of basic car accidents for clients in Draper, Salt Lake City, Provo and nearby parts of Utah, but also with a more complex type: The multi-car accident. Liability may not be so simple in these cases, and determining responsibility may take a bit more work. Here's a look at some of the key factors that tend to influence these cases, plus what to be thinking about if you're involved in one.
For starters, it’s important to note that there’s no set method for listing fault in these kinds of accidents. In some cases a single driver will have 100 percent of the fault placed on him or her, while in others multiple drivers may have some responsibility.
As an example, let’s say a driver rear-ends another, pushing the front car into yet another vehicle that’s in front of it. In this case, the driver of the first vehicle to make contact will be responsible for damages to both other vehicles, as they caused the damage. In other situations, though, multiple drivers can contribute to an accident taking place – think of a driver who goes through a red light at far too high a speed, but is then hit by someone who ran the opposing red light at the same intersection in an accident that also impacts a third vehicle. In this case, both the speeder and the driver who ran the red light could be at some degree of fault.
When a multi-car accident takes place in Utah, the first consideration for all drivers involved, even those who may not have been at fault, is their insurance. Utah is a no-fault auto insurance state, meaning that you’ll first use your PIP (Personal Injury Protection) insurance to pay for basic medical expenses or lost work time. Once this policy limit has been reached, which usually happens fairly quickly, drivers are able to use fault and liability to request damages from others involved in the accident.
Some other areas that may play a role in liability for multi-car accidents:
Like with any vehicle accident, multi-car collisions may involve mental trauma in addition to any physical injuries suffered. All car accidents are highly stressful in this manner, but those involving multiple cars – and potentially multiple successive dangerous scenarios – might make trauma symptoms even more severe. These symptoms may include the following areas:
It’s important to note that anyone involved in an accident can experience this sort of trauma, even passengers who were not driving. It’s important to seek help for any of these concerns, and to document such help in detail – you may be eligible for damages in this area.
In Utah, the first bit of coverage for your various accident-related expenses will come from your personal injury protection insurance, which is required under the state’s no-fault insurance laws. For this amount, it does not matter who was responsible.
However, once you exceed this limit, you may be due additional compensation in several areas:
And throughout this process, a personal injury attorney can prove invaluable in helping you to navigate the process. Multi-car accidents may have a variety of factors at play, but they are still very much subject to Utah’s laws and regulations when it comes to determining fault and collecting damages. An experienced attorney will know how to make sure you get the compensation that is due after an accident.
For more here, or to learn about any of our attorney services for clients around SLC, Draper, Provo and other parts of Utah, contact our team at the offices of William Rawlings & Associates today.