Chain Reaction Accidents
Chain Reaction Accidents
Chain reaction accidents are often quite complicated. After all, they may have three or more different vehicles and drivers involved. Where typical rear-end crashes fault the driver who does the rear-ending, chain reaction crashes are much more complex. It’s possible for one car to be totally and safely stopped at a light only to be pushed into the rear of another automobile. No matter what the circumstances of your accident were, your first priority needs to be speaking with a personal injury lawyer who has car accident experience.
The “Typical” Chain Reaction Crash
Your typical chain reaction crash will involved multiple vehicles. Frequently, at least one or more driver is distracted or neglects to slow down when he or she should safely do so. They will hit one car, which hits another, which hits another. Meanwhile, there could be multiple responsible drivers caught up in the wreck. Even if you’re driving defensively and safely, you could still get caught up in a dangerous chain reaction crash.
Distracted Drivers
It’s not uncommon to hear about distracted drivers causing chain reaction crashes in and around the Jackson area. If a driver is not paying attention to the cars in front of him or her, it’s pretty easy to see how a chain reaction crash can happen. If you’re texting while driving, you may not be accurately gauging the speed of the car in front of you. What if a car comes to a stop abruptly or slows down to accommodate traffic? If you’re not paying attention, you’re likely to set off a dangerous series of events.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
The poor drivers in the middle are essentially stuck between a rock and a hard place, or between two cars. You might be stopped at a light, with nowhere to go. Often, drivers will see cars coming in their rearview mirror prior to impact. Everybody has had that moment of terror of seeing somebody oblivious to your speed coming up way too fast. These accidents don’t happen in bubbles either. Your car is bound to struck the car in front of you, even if you did have a reasonable distance between your car and the one in front.
Rubber Necking
Chain reaction crashes also happen right after other automobile accidents. Rubber necking a major contributor to chain reaction crashes, because drivers may unexpectedly slow down to view the scene of an accident. Meanwhile, distracted drivers or inexperienced drivers may not expect or be watching for the flow of traffic speed to change. Before you know it, there’s a six-car pile up.
Injuries Involved in Chain Reaction Crashes
Depending upon the severity of the chain reaction accident, you could be facing minor to moderate and severe catastrophic injuries. An especially common injury in a chain reaction accident is an injury to the spinal cord or neck. Whiplash and other types of neck injuries are frequently seen with this type of crash. The abrupt stop-motion of the crash has the ability to inflict serious damage on the neck and spinal cord. Additionally, a variety of other injuries can occur including traumatic injuries to the head and brain.
Who Pays?
Since so many drivers are involved in chain reaction crashes, it can take a while to sort out who was at fault and who wasn’t. One thing is for sure. Nobody’s insurance company is going to want to foot the bill for a variety of victim’s medical care. That being said, it’s important to have an experienced car accident lawyer on your side to make sure you get the compensation you deserve after an accident.
Multiple Drivers and Insurance Companies
It’s hard enough to deal with your own insurance company, but imagine dealing with multiple companies. Adjusters are looking out for their bottom line, and they’re hoping to twist victims’ words in order to avoid paying out. After chain reaction crashes especially, you need to talk to a lawyer. Don’t just go around volunteering information to different insurance companies. They will try to use your words against you, even if the crash wasn’t even remotely your fault. It’s simple a numbers game to these big multi-national insurance corporations. They seek to deny and delay claims in order to boost shareholder profits. It doesn’t matter how loyal of a customer you are.
When to Call a Car Accident Lawyer
After any kind of car accident, it’s a good idea to speak with an attorney, at least so you know where you stand. Chain reaction accidents can be complex due to the high volume of drivers and insurance companies involved, and law enforcement investigations can often come up short on who is at fault. The skilled team at Coxwell & Associates, PLLC is standing by to answer your questions at (601) 265-7766.
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