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THE HOMYAK LAW FIRM, P.C.

Protecting Accident Victims Throughout Western Pennsylvania.

How to establish fault after a multi-car crash

On Behalf of | Feb 5, 2020 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Multi-vehicle crashes can be caused by many drivers, so they pose a difficulty from a legal standpoint. Therefore, Pennsylvania residents should know a little bit of what goes into determining fault in such cases. It all starts with understanding the concept of negligence — that is, the failure to exercise reasonable care.

Speeding, tailgating and other traffic law violations are examples of negligent driver behavior. Let’s say that a tailgating Driver C rear-ends Driver B, who, in turn, rear-ends Driver A. If Driver B did nothing wrong, then Driver A may pursue a claim against Driver C. If both Drivers B and C were negligent, then they can be named as defendants in Driver A’s claim even though it was only Driver B who collided with Drive A.

Driver B could even file a claim against Driver C as long as Driver B is less at fault than Driver C. A person may contribute to his or her own injuries in certain ways, such as through inattention or the failure to wear a seat belt.

The proof needed to show that one or more drivers were negligent may be gathered with the help of a lawyer. It can include the police reports, eyewitness testimony and physical evidence found at the site of the crash itself.

Lawyers who take on cases involving car accidents usually have a network of third parties, including crash investigators and medical experts, who can help gather proof of a defendant’s negligence and determine the extent of the injuries. Therefore, victims who want to file a claim may want to consult with an attorney. A lawyer may speak on his or her client’s behalf at the negotiation table or, if a fair settlement cannot be agreed upon, in the courtroom.