In car accident cases that involve only two vehicles, the responsible party can be pretty easy to identify. Investigators examine the injuries of involved drivers and passengers, the positioning of the cars, and external factors (such as the influence of drugs and alcohol, or distracted driving) to identify the at-fault driver in a collision.
When an accident involves multiple vehicles, determining liability can get tricky. It is very possible that more than one driver (or even all of the drivers) can be proven responsible for a multi-car accident.
Evaluating fault in a multi-vehicle collision requires an in-depth analysis of the incident, but employs many of the same techniques investigators use to find the cause of any crash. This may include the study of:
- Witness accounts
- Police reports
- Photographs
- Vehicle damage
- Drivers’ levels of intoxication
- Drivers’ history of accidents, traffic violations, and license suspension
THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO PROVE FAULT
The liability laws of the state in which an accident occurred will have an effect on the results of a collision claim. Some states have “no-fault” laws, meaning the identification of a responsible party has no effect on an accident case. Each party is covered by their own insurance, and compensation is determined based on the severity of their injuries.
Oklahoma is an at-fault state, so drivers who are responsible for causing a car accident will be required to compensate injury victims. In an at-fault state like Oklahoma, it is essential for injury victims to successfully prove the liability of other drivers in order to receive compensation. Multi-car accidents can have multiple responsible drivers — in these cases, one driver may pay a percentage of overall damages based on their percentage of liability in the accident.
At Richardson Richardson Boudreaux, PLLC, we’ll work to build your case and recover the compensation you deserve following a car accident. Use our contact form or call 918-492-7674 to schedule a free consultation — we don’t collect any legal fees unless we win your case!