Whether you were hit in a pile-up or caught in a highway chain reaction, working with an experienced car accident attorney is critical. At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our Westchester County car accident lawyers can help investigate the facts, assign fault fairly, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Get Legal Help After a Multi-Vehicle Accident
Table of Contents
- How Do Multi-Vehicle Crashes Differ From Two-Car Accidents?
- Common Causes of Multi-Vehicle Accidents in Westchester County
- How is Liability Shared Among Drivers in a Westchester Multi-Vehicle Accident?
- What Are the Potential Damages Available in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
- New York’s Comparative Negligence Law
- How Does Fault Affect Insurance Claims?
- What Should You Do After a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
- Contact Lever & Ecker’s Westchester Car Accident Lawyers
How Do Multi-Vehicle Crashes Differ From Two-Car Accidents?
Unlike a standard two-vehicle crash, multi-vehicle accidents typically involve a chain of collisions between numerous vehicles, and liability is rarely straightforward. Multiple drivers’ actions and road conditions may all trigger or escalate the accident. Because so many vehicles are involved, these accidents can be disastrous for victims, as there are more opportunities for them to become injured as the pile-up grows.
In areas like Westchester County, multi-car pile-ups often occur on high-speed, multi-lane roadways like highways and state routes. When vehicles are traveling at high speeds, they have less time to react to a crash in front of them by slowing down or swerving out of the way. These cases require a thorough investigation of the events, drivers, and road conditions that may have contributed to the accident.
Common Causes of Multi-Vehicle Accidents in Westchester County
Countless circumstances can cause multi-vehicle accidents and pile-ups in Westchester County, though some are more common than others. Some of the most common causes of multi-vehicle accidents include:
- Rear-end collisions
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Sudden braking or lane changes
- Road hazards
- Defective car parts or mechanical failures
- Weather conditions that cause poor visibility or hydroplaning
- Impaired driving due to alcohol or drugs
- Tailgating
How is Liability Shared Among Drivers in a Westchester Multi-Vehicle Accident?
In a multi-vehicle crash, fault is rarely clear-cut. Multiple drivers may have contributed to the collision, and each insurance company involved will often attempt to shift blame to others in order to minimize the compensation they must pay.
At Lever & Ecker, our skilled Westchester County car accident lawyers will thoroughly investigate your accident to determine exactly how it happened and what factors contributed to your injuries. We will identify all responsible parties, protecting you from undeserved blame. We analyze evidence such as:
- Police and accident reports
- Dashcam and surveillance footage
- Physical evidence from the accident scene
- Eyewitness testimony
- Accident reconstruction reports
- Communicating with all involved insurance companies
Get Legal Help After a Multi-Vehicle Accident
What Are the Potential Damages Available in a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
If you are seriously injured in a multi-vehicle accident in Westchester County, you may be able to recover multiple types of compensation. The amount you can recover depends on the circumstances of the accident, the severity of your injuries and other damages, and your percentage of fault. You may be able to recover compensation for:
- Pain and suffering, both past and future
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages, both past and future
- Loss of quality of life
- Property damage
- Funeral and burial expenses if your loved one died in the crash
New York’s Comparative Negligence Law
New York operates under a legal system of pure comparative negligence, meaning you can recover damages after an accident even if you were partially or mostly at fault. However, your damages will be reduced in proportion to your share of responsibility.
For example, if you were determined to be 30% at fault for an accident and you were awarded $100,000 in compensation, your compensation would be reduced by 30%, and you would receive $70,000.
This rule is especially important in multi-vehicle accidents, where it is likely that more than one person shares liability for causing the crash. In these cases, fault will be split into percentages among the involved parties. Then, each involved person who seeks compensation via a lawsuit would have their compensation reduced by their percentage of fault.
How Does Fault Affect Insurance Claims?
New York is a no-fault insurance state, so all drivers must have personal injury protection (PIP) insurance coverage to reimburse medical expenses and lost wages after an accident, regardless of who was at fault.
However, there are times when injured victims of car accidents can file a personal injury lawsuit in addition to their no-fault insurance claim. Under New York law, you can file a case against an at-fault driver if you or a loved one suffered injuries that qualify under the law as “serious,” including death, dismemberment, broken bones, loss of a fetus, significant disfigurement, permanent disability, and more.
Though fault will not affect your personal injury protection insurance claim in New York, it will affect how much you can recover in a car accident lawsuit. This is particularly important in multi-vehicle accidents when you are likely dealing with several parties’ insurance companies.
What Should You Do After a Multi-Vehicle Accident?
After a multi-vehicle accident, victims should take the following steps to protect themselves and gather information.
- Seek medical attention, even if you do not believe your injuries are severe.
- Document the accident with photos and videos, including photos of vehicle damage, license plates, debris, and traffic signs.
- Exchange details with other drivers and witnesses who saw the crash.
- File a police report.
- Contact an experienced Westchester County car accident lawyer to protect your rights.
Contact Lever & Ecker’s Westchester Car Accident Lawyers
Multi-vehicle accidents raise complex questions about liability and compensation. If you or a loved one were involved in a multi-vehicle car accident in Westchester County, Lever & Ecker’s skilled car accident lawyers can help. Our attorneys will determine who was liable in the accident and identify all your potential avenues for pursuing compensation. With over 70 years of combined experience, our award-winning Westchester County car accident attorneys provide top-tier legal representation with open communication to every client, and you will not pay us anything unless we win your case.
With our office in White Plains, Lever & Ecker serves injured people throughout all of Westchester County, and the surrounding counties. We make home and hospital visits, so if you cannot come to us, we will come to you. To get started on your case today with a free consultation, contact Lever & Ecker online or by calling one of our Westchester County office:
- White Plains: (914) 288-9191
