Multi-car pile-ups are a common occurrence on the road. In fact, statistics show that nearly one percent of all car accident related deaths every year involve at least two vehicles. When there is more than one car involved in an accident, it becomes very difficult to stop the accident, much less prevent further injuries and damages. If you or someone you know is involved in such an accident, you need to contact a car accident lawyer immediately. There are legal counsels who specialize in representing clients who are accused of involvement in car pile-ups due to negligence of the drivers in their car.
When a car accident involves multiple vehicles, it is much more dangerous than a simple vehicle collision or traffic violation. Because of the severity of the situation, the victim is subjected to severe personal injuries, such as broken bones, whiplash, head trauma, and other serious medical conditions. Aside from this, the victim may also sustain life-threatening internal bleeding due to the severe impact of the collision. In many cases, victims are rendered immobile for weeks, months or even years due to the severity of injuries sustained during a car accident. There are also times when victims have to live in the hospital for the duration of their recovery due to the extent of internal bleeding caused by the collision.
As much as possible, victims must avoid entrusting their safety and well being to another driver. Although most states have strict laws that govern the way a person should drive when involved in multi-car pile-up accidents, there are still some loopholes that most drivers fail to observe. For example, it is not advisable for the victim to drive the car he or she is in an accident with when at the scene of the accident. This is because doing so may put the driver at risk of being hit by other motorists who may not necessarily have caused the accident. It is also not advisable to drive the car of the suspect when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Another mistake that most drivers commit when involved in multi-car pile-up accidents is that they tend to look at the vehicles behind them rather than the vehicle in front. This is an act of neglect that most drivers must avoid in order to save their own lives. By looking at the vehicles behind them, drivers may cause other drivers to rear-end or swerve into their path because they failed to notice the cars in front of them. Also, it is important for drivers to pay attention to traffic signals in order to avoid getting into a pileup. Not only will this act prevent unnecessary pileups, but it will also save other drivers’ lives.
One of the most common injuries resulting from multi-car pile-up accidents is whiplash. Whiplash can result from sudden and heavy acceleration as well as sudden deceleration. This condition may require immediate medical attention because it can be potentially life threatening. Common signs of whiplash include pain and numbness in the back, neck, arms, legs, head, or shoulders. These symptoms may be present for weeks or even months, so drivers are encouraged to immediately get medical attention if they experience any of them.
The other most common mistake that many drivers make regarding determining fault regarding multi-car pile-up accidents is that they fail to contact their insurance company. If the accident was caused by someone else’s fault, then it is crucial that drivers first contact their insurance company to find out who is at fault. In order to determine who is at fault, drivers are advised to take down the details of the accident from their car’s crash report. This is especially important if the accident is on the freeway because it could require a thorough review of all possible sources of blame. Furthermore, having all the information regarding an accident on the road will allow drivers to determine what steps they should take following the accident in order to avoid future accidents.