Multi-Vehicle Accidents

It may be difficult to figure out who was at fault in a Tennessee accident involving several vehicles. Multi-vehicle accidents may occur on a highway and on other heavily trafficked roads. When drivers are traveling at high speeds, these accidents may be devastating. For example, sometimes a minor rear-end collision may quickly turn into a multi-vehicle accident. Similarly, poor visibility, heavy rain, fog, and road obstructions may contribute to a multi-vehicle accident, making it even more challenging to divide the blame. At the Hartsoe Law Firm, Knoxville car accident attorney Mark C. Hartsoe can retain an accident reconstruction specialist to help determine who was to blame and pursue damages from all of the appropriate parties.

You may recover damages for a car accident if you are able to prove negligence. However, in multi-vehicle collisions, it may be especially challenging to figure out who should be held responsible. It may take the police many days or weeks to interview all of the witnesses, drivers, and victims. When cars, trucks, or motorcycles collide with other vehicles, they may spin out, such that it is not immediately obvious who hit whom. An accident reconstruction expert can examine the damage to the vehicles, debris, eyewitness testimony, and other evidence to reconstruct what happened and testify as to who was responsible.

In order to recover compensation, you will need to establish that any defendants whom you are suing owed you a duty (to drive safely), breached the duty (by acting negligently), and caused the accident and your injuries. You also must have sustained damages like lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, or lost enjoyment of life, among others.

Tennessee follows a modified comparative negligence rule. A judge or jury determines the plaintiff's total damages and assigns a percentage of fault to each party alleged to be at fault. Damages are awarded based on the party's percentage of responsibility.

Moreover, your own liability will be assessed under the modified comparative negligence rule. Your damages will be reduced by an amount equal to your percentage of responsibility. You will only be able to collect damages if you were 49% or less at fault for the accident. This is one reason why it is crucial not to discuss a multi-vehicle accident with the other drivers' insurers until you have consulted an attorney of your own. Although they may be friendly, the insurance adjustors for other drivers do not have your best interests at heart and are likely to be contacting you in order to secure an admission of fault or statements that may be used to undermine your case. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company.

Multi-vehicle accidents may be challenging on many levels. Often, insurance issues come up, and it is critical to retain a Knoxville car accident lawyer who understands how these issues are likely to play out and can strategize accordingly. If you have been injured in a multi-vehicle accident, the Hartsoe Law Firm is ready to represent you in a lawsuit for damages. Many cases can be resolved prior to filing suit. Call the Hartsoe Law Firm at 865-804-1011 or use our online form to schedule a free appointment with motor vehicle collision lawyer Mark C. Hartsoe. Hartsoe assists injured people throughout East Tennessee, including in Knox, Blount, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.