Hartford Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Multiple vehicles stopped in the middle of an intersection after an accident between them.Accidents involving multiple vehicles have the potential to wreak havoc on your life, especially if you aren’t prepared to fully recover the damages you have suffered.

Injuries sustained from a multi-vehicle accident can be severe, leaving victims with long-term effects or permanent disabilities. An attorney can be a valuable resource that protects the value of your claim, giving the victim more time and energy to focus on important things like healing.

Moreover, your lawyer will take most of the pressing and time-consuming tasks off of your hands so you don’t feel burdened.

Working with an experienced legal team can be the difference between walking away from your insurance claim and walking away with the money you need to recover. The Bert McDowell Law Firm has been a trusted pillar of the community for years, providing aid and resources to countess accident victims like yourself.

Our team of associates is waiting to help you schedule an initial consultation.

Your first meeting with an attorney is completely free, and we promise never to charge any upfront fees for our auto accident claim representation services. To schedule your initial case review with an experienced attorney, call (203) 633-7449 or contact us online today!

What Are the Steps for Filing a Claim With a Hartford Multi-Vehicle Accident Attorney?

A multi-vehicle accident can be more time-consuming to settle, leaving the victims of the crash with various hurdles when seeking financial recovery.

When a car crash involves multiple vehicles, there will be more voices involved in the settlement recovery process. Multi-car pile-ups can have longer investigative periods, as every insurer will be seeking to deflect blame from their policyholder.

This situation means that a claimant could be waiting longer to finalize their settlement, and they may have to prove that their actions were not the cause of the crash.

In an accident where multiple cars may be at fault for the damage of 3 or more vehicles, the victim may also need to work with multiple insurance representatives to recover damages for the negligent actions of multiple drivers. In short, a multi-vehicle car wreck can require multiple insurance claims to process and oversee.

It can be a challenge to keep up with every task that needs your attention when you have multiple insurance claims to manage, especially if you are also focused on medical recovery from injuries. An attorney can have your back when you walk through litigation, helping you ensure that you’ll assemble all the important details to maximize your claim’s size as well as its chances of success.

How Can an Attorney Protect My Claim?

While you may be able to settle an insurance claim without the help of an attorney, retaining Hartford auto accident representation can be the deciding factor in your claim’s ultimate success.

An attorney provides their knowledge, experience, and resources in the name of protecting your best interests throughout your claim. Most people will only need to settle a handful of insurance claims during their lifetime, but a lawyer can manage thousands or more in a single year.

This hands-on experience can provide a whole new perspective on claim protection, giving them insight into the factors insurers weigh when deciding whether to pay claims and how much to offer.

When you are moving through the process of settling a multi-vehicle accident claim, an attorney can help you by providing:

  • Legal advice and professional resources: During the process of settling insurance claims related to your accident, you may find yourself with pressing questions or worrying concerns. A claimant who does not have representation will be left to search high and low for generalized answers, but your attorney can apply their wide base of knowledge to your case specifically.
  • Help to understand standard practices around multi-vehicle crashes: Claims get more difficult when multiple at-fault drivers are involved and can be difficult to manage for injured accident victims. There may also be specific Connecticut laws or state court rulings that could affect your claim. Your attorney’s knowledge will help you strategize for your case while navigating any challenges that emerge.
  • Protection in preventing common mistakes from playing out: Your attorney can offer advice about what actions can hurt your ability to receive a settlement. Many people may apologize for their actions prior to the accident, for example, or delay the submission of important materials. With their experience, your attorney can help mitigate any tactics used by insurers to reduce your claim’s value while helping you avoid common mistakes like those listed above.

How Are Multi-Car Pile-Ups Often Caused in Hartford?

While multi-vehicle accidents are less common than collisions involving one or two cars, these accidents affect a large portion of the community.

The National Library of Medicine reports that roughly 18% of clinically serious injuries are caused by multi-vehicle crashes with three or more cars. These accidents can be extremely dangerous because of how much force is added from each vehicle involved in a wreck.

In recent years, fatalities from multi-vehicle wrecks have increased by about 15%.

In general, multi-vehicle accidents can happen for many reasons, from driver error to road conditions. An accident can happen in the blink of an eye, but some of the most common factors that cause multi-vehicle accidents include:

  • Bad weather conditions
  • Improper protection for weather conditions such as lack of snow chains
  • Distracted driving
  • Operating a vehicle under the influence
  • Tailgating
  • Drowsy driving
  • Speeding
  • Low visibility on the road

Identifying Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Collision

In an effort to identify the negligent party in a multi-vehicle accident, the representing insurance companies will hire adjusters to review the details of the crash and determine who ultimately caused the crash.

In car accidents involving three or more vehicles, multiple drivers may hold some responsibility for the accident. Multiple collisions may also occur, each of which can involve a different scenario and a different finding of fault.

In Connecticut, a comparative negligence state, a percentage of liability is assigned to each driver. Individuals who hold less than 51% of the responsibility for the accident can seek damages from a negligent party’s insurer.

Each party then pays out for their portion of fault for each claim for damages.

The investigation process for a multi-vehicle wreck will involve each insurance adjuster reviewing the facts of the accident and putting together a general outline of the events. It is important that every side involved can agree upon the sequence of actions because when a liable party deflects blame, the victims of the accident endure a longer litigation battle.

Hiring an attorney allows you to have your own representative look into what happened and why. They can help you identify the most appropriate parties to name as at fault while also helping prepare for possible allegations that you contributed to the accident yourself, which could reduce the amount of damages you are eligible to receive.

What Should I Do if I Am Involved in a Multi-Car Pile-Up?

A car accident can be a scary experience, but after facing a wreck, the victim should immediately begin to take important steps that will protect their financial recovery later.

Remembering the following tips can help an accident victim record important information before their claim is even filed:

  • Assess your own physical well-being
  • Contact the police
  • Take pictures of the accident before the clean-up crew erases the evidence
  • Seek medical attention immediately after the crash
  • Never neglect doctor’s orders for follow-up care
  • Document your injuries and the healing journey
  • Find an attorney before you talk to insurers

What Damages Can I Recover From a Multi-Vehicle Accident?

After an accident, it is reasonable for the affected motorist to wonder about the state of their financial recovery. An auto accident insurance claimant may receive a compensatory award for a combination of the following damages:

  • Medical bills, including the cost of continued future treatment
  • Physical rehabilitation and other forms of needed follow-up care
  • Lost wages and compensation for wages lost due to future inability to perform work tasks
  • Property damage, such as the cost to fix or replace a vehicle
  • Compensation for pain, suffering, and mental anguish
  • Mental health resources, such as therapy for PTSD

If You Were Injured in a Car Pile-Up, Call a Hartford Multi-Vehicle Accident Law Firm

Having an attorney at your side provides you with an invaluable source of experience, guidance, and confidence.

When insurance representatives present lowball offers or use fear/manipulation tactics to undervalue a claim’s worth, an attorney will know how to shut down those attempts. In a multi-vehicle wreck, you may be dealing with multiple insurance companies to retain a comprehensive damage recovery settlement.

If you have been injured in a recent multi-vehicle crash, the legal team at The Bert McDowell Law Firm may be able to help you through your financial recovery journey. An initial consultation is free and leaves you with no obligation to commit to our services.

We work on contingency, which means that we will only take a small, agreed-upon percentage of the final settlement. To schedule your consultation, call (203) 633-7449 or contact us online today!