Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough, even if the accident is only a minor fender bender. However, the situation can become even more confusing and stress-inducing in multi-vehicle car crashes, pile-ups, or chain-reaction car accidents in St. Louis, MO.
Between personal injuries, lost wages, and damage to your vehicle, the last thing you should be worried about is dealing with a complicated legal claim. A car accident lawyer in St. Louis at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers can help you with your claim so you can focus on your recovery.
Contact us online or call (314) 444-4444 to learn more. We offer a free consultation to discuss your situation and explain your legal options.
How Can Our St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers Help After a Multi-Vehicle Car Crash?
When you retain the services of Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, you gain access to an elite firm that has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Our legal team has over 100 years of combined experience and has recovered over $100 million for injured victims throughout St. Louis, Missouri.
If you hire our St. Louis personal injury attorneys for help with your multi-vehicle car accident claim, we’ll:
- Investigate the collision and determine who all may share liability
- Help you value your losses, including non-economic damages and future medical costs
- Consult accident reconstructionists and other experts as necessary to build a solid claim
- Handle your car accident case from start to finish
- Litigate your case in court if it means recovering more money for you
We truly care about our clients and our community. When we aren’t busy collecting evidence, building claims, or trying cases in court, we volunteer at numerous community events and sponsor notable local charitable organizations.
Contact us today to get an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney on your side after your multi-vehicle car crash.
What Is a Multi-Vehicle Car Crash?
A multi-vehicle car crash is one that involves multiple vehicles and crashes. One crash may lead to subsequent crashes.
A possible scenario may include:
- Vehicle A crashes into vehicle B
- Vehicle C crashes into vehicle B
- Vehicle D crashes into vehicle C
- Vehicle E crashes into vehicle D
Sorting through all of these separate crashes can be difficult. It is often necessary to determine the initial crash and what caused it.
What Are Some Common Causes of Multi-Vehicle Car Crashes in St. Louis, MO?
Common causes and factors that contribute to multi-vehicle car crashes include:
- Speeding
- Icy roads, poor visibility, or rain
- Following too closely
- Running a red and yellow light
- Aggressive lane changes
- Rubbernecking
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence
- Improper U-turns / left-turns
In some of these multi-vehicle car crashes, the carelessness of a single driver may be responsible for setting off the chain reaction of multiple collisions. In other situations, the carelessness of multiple drivers contributes to the accident.
Who Is Responsible for Medical Bills Stemming from a Multi-Vehicle Car Crash in St. Louis, Missouri?
Missouri is an at-fault state when it comes to car accidents. This means that the at-fault party is responsible for paying for the damages they cause, usually through their liability insurance.
If multiple parties contributed to an accident, Missouri uses a pure comparative fault system. Under Missouri’s pure comparative fault model, if you were injured in an accident in which you contributed to the accident, you can still recover compensation for the damages you suffered.
However, the award of damages will be reduced by your degree of fault. If more than one person contributed to the accident, you can potentially recover compensation from the parties to pay for medical expenses and other damages.
For example, if you were involved in an accident in which you suffered $100,000 in damages, this might work out in the following manner:
- Defendant A is found to be 50% at fault for the accident. You can potentially recover $50,000 from that defendant.
- Defendant B is found to be 40% at fault for the accident. You can potentially recover $40,000 from that defendant.
- You are found to be 10% at fault for the accident. You do not receive compensation for that $10,000 portion of your damages.
Because fault is directly correlated to compensation, it is important to determine who is at fault for the accident.
How Is Fault Determined in a Multi-Vehicle Car Accident?
In a typical car accident claim, the two drivers involved may have different accounts of how the accident occurred. When multiple drivers are involved, there may be even more contradictory versions.
Therefore, it is often essential to obtain objective evidence that can establish how the accident occurred, such as:
- Statements from eyewitnesses who observed the accident
- Damage to the vehicles
- Video camera footage
- Photos of the accident scene
In some situations, your St. Louis personal injury lawyer might hire accident reconstruction experts who can use available scientific data to recreate how the accident occurred.
What Makes Multi-Vehicle Car Accident Claims Different?
Multi-vehicle car accident claims are often much more complicated than claims involving only two drivers.
Some of the complicating factors may include:
- More than one driver’s negligence contributed to the accident
- Multiple accidents and points of impact
- Multiple accident victims
- Insufficient insurance to pay all claims
- Extensive discovery that is necessary to determine liability
- Multiple insurance claims
- Joint and several liability principles that determine who you can sue and how fault is apportioned
These complicating factors underline the importance of hiring an experienced lawyer to help you with your St. Louis multi-vehicle car accident claim.
Contact our St. Louis Car Wreck Lawyer for Help With Your Multi-Vehicle Car Crash Claim
If you were involved in a multi-vehicle car crash, you deserve a legal team who will fight for the compensation you deserve. Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers can guide you through the claims process with compassion. We offer a free consultation you can arrange by contacting us online or calling us.
We handle all types of car accident claims, including:
- Hit and Run Accidents
- Head-On Crashes
- Intersection Crashes
- Parking Lot Accidents
- Highway Crashes
- Rear-End Accidents
- Rollover Accidents
- Self-Driving Accidents
- Suv-Rollover Accidents
- Single-Vehicle Accidents
Additional St. Louis Car Accident Resources
- Seatbelt Injuries
- Airbag Injuries
- Car Accident Statistics
- Passenger Negligence
- Uninsured Motorist Claims
- Car Color Crash Risk
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