Accidents involving multiple drivers are particularly complicated, and fault is not always clear right away. Determining fault for a multi-car accident is crucial so that you can file a claim and get compensation, so let our lawyers help you figure out who is primarily accountable in New Jersey.
Accident reports, witness statements, photos, and videos help us determine fault for multi-vehicle crashes. Sometimes, multiple drivers might be negligent and share fault for an accident. Even plaintiffs who share fault may bring claims if they are less at fault than a defendant. Whether or not you can sue whoever is at fault for a multi-car accident likely depends on the severity of your injuries, so let our lawyers review your medical records and diagnoses today.
Call our New Jersey car accident lawyers at (201) 777-1111 for a free case review from Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C. today.
How Do You Determine Fault for a Multi-Car Accident in New Jersey?
We can assist multi-car accident victims who need to determine fault for collisions in New Jersey, so contact us right after you’re injured in a bad crash involving several drivers.
Alert the Police
Call 911 after any car accident, but especially a multi-vehicle crash. This type of collision may be more complicated, and law enforcement can process the chaotic scene. They can get the names, phone numbers, and insurance information of all involved drivers.
Law enforcement will condense all the information they gather into a police report. We can help you obtain this report from the appropriate police department in New Jersey within the next few days. The report may contain information that helps us determine fault, such as officers’ impressions.
Get Witness Statements
Witnesses give important evidence when testifying. An eyewitness may be able to identify which driver initiated a chain-reaction crash or multi-car pileup. Witnesses may also testify about a defendant’s negligent conduct, like speeding, following too closely, or veering into lanes of oncoming traffic.
The victim is also a witness and may testify during the trial. Tell our Bayonne, NJ car accident lawyers everything you can remember about the crash, including any statements the at-fault driver made at the scene, such as accepting fault and apologizing.
Review Photos and Videos
Photos and videos also let us determine fault for collisions. Multi-car crashes are generally complex, and footage can be concrete evidence of the primary reason for the accident, or the “proximate cause.” Contact our lawyers to obtain footage from any nearby homes or businesses in the area. We can review that footage to see if it’s relevant to your claim and clarifies who the liable driver is.
Photos are also strong evidence that helps us reconstruct a collision. Based on impact points, final landing positions, and other details captured in photos, we may determine each vehicle’s speed, as well as other crucial information.
Can Drivers Share Fault for Multi-Car Accidents?
Some car crashes have several contributing causes, possibly making more than one driver liable. We can determine if multiple drivers share fault for your recent crash in New Jersey, and gauge whether or not your liability will be questioned.
Suppose you were injured during a multi-car rear-end accident. If the car that hit you and was also rear-ended was also following you too closely, they may also be partially at fault.
New Jersey is a modified comparative fault state, so you may recover some compensation even if you contribute to a multi-car accident. Plaintiffs may not bring claims if they are more than 50% at fault, though that’s very unlikely in a multi-vehicle car accident.
Comparative fault arguments from the defense are not always successful, and you may still receive full compensation if we can prove you did not contribute to the wreck.
Can You Sue the at-Fault Party in a NJ Multi-Car Accident?
Whether or not you can sue the at-fault party in a multi-car accident in New Jersey likely depends on your injuries. Most New Jersey drivers carry the limitation on lawsuit option for personal injury protection insurance, and we can explain how this affects your recovery.
If you have this type of PIP rather than the no limitation on lawsuit option, you must pass the serious injury threshold to sue. N.J.S.A. § 39:6A-8(a) describes which injuries are considered serious in New Jersey, such as the following:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Displaced fractures
- Loss of a fetus
- Permanent injury
- Significant disfigurement or scarring
Medical records let us prove you pass the serious injury threshold, so get whatever care is necessary after a collision. Many multi-vehicle pileups are catastrophic, meaning many victims of these accidents pass the serious injury threshold and can sue.
The deadline to sue for a multi-car accident is two years in New Jersey. Don’t underestimate how long it takes to prepare a strong lawsuit or how quickly two years can pass, so contact us about your collision today.
Why Do You Need to Determine Fault After a Multi-Car Accident?
If your injuries are serious and you need more compensation than what personal injury protection insurance can cover, we must determine who is at fault so you can bring a case against them.
Personal injury protection insurance focuses on covering economic damages. It does not pay damages for pain and suffering or other non-economic damages. Non-economic damages from car crashes are exceptionally common, and the only way to recover them is by filing a lawsuit against the driver who injured you.
Personal injury protection insurance may not even cover all your economic damages. If that’s the case, we can seek compensation for any additional medical expenses and lost wages from the at-fault driver, which is why determining liability is so important.
Call Us About Your NJ Car Accident
Call our Bloomfield, NJ car accident lawyers today at (201) 777-1111 to get help with your case from Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C. today.