Who is at Fault in a Chain Reaction Accident?

Who is at Fault in a Chain Reaction Accident? South Florida Car Accident Attorney

It’s long been (mostly) true that if you are struck by a car coming up behind you, it’s their fault. But what happens when there is a chain-reaction accident and you’re somewhere in the middle?

South Florida is known for its afternoon rain storms, and after a long, hot, sunny day when the rain hits the pavement it’s a slippery situation. Chain reaction accidents are common, and usually they’re just dented fenders and some scratches. Each driver will likely be able to have their own insurance company take care of the damage, and there is not a federal investigation.

But in the case of a serious multi-car accident where people are injured, looking into who is at fault may become necessary in order to properly compensate those with significant damage and injuries.

As a driver, you are not prepared or qualified to get the facts necessary, and it’s not something you want to get involved with. As qualified Florida accident and personal injury attorneys, this is what we do every day.

It’s not always the car who hit another car first that is at fault, and there are often extenuating circumstances. For example, there may be:

• A driver who failed to use their brake lights or other signals.
• A driver who was following too closely.
• A driver who was speeding.
• A driver who was texting or distracted behind the wheel, unable to react properly to the first crash.
• The public agency that failed to install or maintain proper traffic signs.
• The public agency that failed to clear the road of obstacles that caused drivers to abruptly stop.

All that said, there are also cases where no one can actually be blamed for the crash. An example is when the accident occurred because of bad weather or natural hazards on the road such as an ice patch. Another is when a driver inadvertently instigated the accident because they were losing consciousness at the wheel due to a medical condition. In cases like these, the liability may be reduced or eliminated altogether. Our job is to persist until we find the facts.

South Florida Car Accident Attorney

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been investigating very complex crashes for over 20 years. We understand the dynamics of crashes and we have expert accident investigators we work with who are capable of getting the facts.

Often a case may require an expert witness to testify as to how an accident occurred and who was at fault. We handle these details.

Call us at 954-356-0006 if you have any questions about an accident and we’ll be happy to advise you on the best course of action.