Multi-car accidents can happen anywhere and anytime. Multi-car pile-ups are common on the expressways and major roads in and around Schaumburg, Elgin, and the greater Chicagoland area. Due to the number of people and cars involved, they can cause significant physical injuries. They also tend to be very complex legally. Blame shifting is a frequent problem when more than two cars (and insurance carriers) get involved. Lawyers can help you solve the hassle of dealing with multiple insurance companies and holding the correct people responsible for your injuries.
What is a Multi Car Accident?
A multi-car accident is a crash that involves more than two cars. Multi-car accidents can involve as few as three cars or involve a large number of vehicles. Typical scenarios for these types of accidents are:
- Rear-end accidents, where one car hits another from behind. The car that was hit may be pushed into the car in front of it, which may then hit the car in front of that one, causing a chain reaction of cars all hitting the one in front of it.
- Intersection accidents are where someone may run a red light or turn in front of another car, causing an accident. Because of the number of cars in an intersection at any given time, the surrounding cars might not have time to react, causing cars from all directions to pile up around each other.
- Lane change accidents, where an unsafe lane change causes an accident. This might cause another car to then try to swerve into another lane or into oncoming traffic, causing surrounding cars to get hit. Those cars might then be pushed into other vehicles on the roadway.
Chicago and Multi-Car Accidents
The Kennedy Expressway has been known to be one of the most dangerous expressways in the Chicago area. Many cars go too fast and cannot stop or maneuver when needed so they collide with others which leads to multi-car pile-ups. Chicago expressways are often either so congested or allow for such high rates of speed, that multi-car crashes are not at all uncommon.
Other Illinois cities like Elgin and Schaumburg also have very crowded roads, where car accidents are frequent. The roads near the Fox River in Elgin confuse drivers and lead to more accidents than in some other parts of town. In Schaumburg, the area near Woodfield Mall is always crowded, with cars coming and going in all directions. Sadly, many cars are often involved in a single accident around these areas.
When one expressway merges into another, drivers who are not paying close attention run the risk of causing an accident or being hit. This is very common around the Chicago area, as there are so many expressways, highways, and tollways connecting different parts of such a large city and its suburbs.
Finding Fault in Multi-Car Accidents
Because of the number of cars involved, determining fault can be difficult. Often, no two people will tell the same story in terms of what they remember. With conflicting versions as to how the accident happened, the lines of fault become blurred. Car accidents usually happen in just a matter of seconds, making it harder for people to digest how they experienced the event. Car insurance companies will also put their own spin on what happened. It is no wonder that assigning fault to a particular driver in a multi-car accident becomes so difficult.
Sometimes, multi-car crashes can be the fault of more than one driver. In a rear-end crash, often the car who is at the end of the chain- the driver who started the accident, is blamed. But the car in front of the end car might have been distracted and didn’t react fast enough as a result. This means that both cars could be responsible for the injuries of the people in the car in front of the second one.
Factors such as the roadway, weather, speed, maneuvers such as swerving or braking, distances and the relative location of each car will be carefully examined to help determine what really happened. The evidence becomes very important in determining the fault for accidents involving more than one car.
As you can imagine, people will try to blame everyone else when they are only one of several drivers. The confusion surrounding the accident makes it more probable that no one will voluntarily take responsibility for what happened. Insurance companies find it very easy to shift the blame when the circumstances are less clear. It is not uncommon for the issue of fault to come into focus only after a lawsuit has been filed. Once a lawsuit is filed, lawyers have the right to take the depositions of those involved in a car accident. The extensive questioning is sometimes what is needed to make sense of conflicting versions of events. A lawsuit is not the only way to determine the question of fault after a multi-car crash, and a good personal injury lawyer is important to help with the process.
In Illinois, the issue of modified comparative negligence is often a factor in multi-car crashes. This means that according to the law, a driver who is more than 50% at fault for an accident cannot recover any money. However, if a driver was less than 50% at fault, their percentage of fault will reduce what they may have otherwise been awarded. For example, let’s say that driver #2 in a multi-car accident would have been awarded $40,000.00 if without blame. However, driver #2 is found to be 20% at fault for causing the accident. The $40,000.00 award will be reduced by 20%, down to $32,000.00. If that same driver were found to be 51% at fault, he would get zero. Illinois also has laws about who can be responsible for what when there are multiple defendants in a lawsuit. Your lawyer should be familiar with all of the laws that could apply to these situations, especially if one insurance company offers to settle and the other one does not.
What to do after a Multi-Car Collision
Individuals who find themselves in Multi-Car Collisions should know their rights and how to cope with multi-car accidents. A Multi-Car Accident is a terrible event. The resulting injuries often cause pain and suffering. Many accident victims also suffer from significant financial losses in the form of medical bills and time lost from work. The insurance companies have definite agendas, adding confusion and further stress to an already bad situation.
It is important for individuals who have been involved in Multi-Car collisions to know what to do after the accident. In the immediate aftermath, people should pull over to a safe spot and check on the people inside of their car, in case an ambulance or immediate medical aid is needed. People should also call 911 if someone appears hurt, as medical personnel will arrive faster and check up on who has been injured. On an expressway, it is often unsafe to get out. Insurance information should be exchanged, if possible, once it is determined safe to do so. The police will often assist with this.
If you were hurt after a multi-car accident, it is important to be checked out right away since injuries may be mild at first but could worsen after a few hours or days of being left untreated. It is entirely reasonable to visit the emergency room or your doctor if you don’t feel right after the accident. Be sure to let the doctor know that you were in a car accident and let them know everything that hurts.
Beyond the medical aspect, be very careful when speaking to insurance companies. Adjusters are very well-trained and will catch you off guard. There is a time and a place for everything, and this rule also applies in terms of when to talk to an insurance company. This time is usually not going to be immediately after your accident, especially if you were injured. Be aware of any insurance adjuster who tries to offer you a settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries. This is always true for any car accident, but is especially in multi-vehicle accidents when injuries could be longer lasting. Do not rush into anything, stay calm and talk to a lawyer if you are badly hurt.
Legal Help after a Multi-Car Accident
If you were hurt in an accident involving more than one car, remember that the insurance companies are not on your side. It is a good idea to speak confidentially to an attorney who can help you to better understand what avenue of recovery might be available to you. Your options will depend on all of the circumstances. Ideally, this conversation should happen before you speak to anyone else’s insurance company or sign any form. You need to understand your rights before you can decide on how to best move forward after a car accident, especially one involving multiple vehicles. Give us a call at 630 250-8813 if you were hurt in a multi-car accident. There is no obligation and all information will be kept confidential.
We have two offices, in Cook County and Kane County. Our Elgin office is located on McLean Blvd. in Elgin. Our Schaumburg office is in downtown Schaumburg, across from the library. We also offer phone consultations and meetings by Zoom, as we represent car injury victims from the entire Chicago area.