Whether you are on a city street or traveling along one of Chicago’s expressways, you are often at risk of being involved in a multi-vehicle crash. When you are injured in a multi-car accident, there may be various different methods available to you for getting compensation for the harm you suffered. Achieving the best possible result for getting the compensation you need for your injuries often requires detailed evidence, a clear understanding of exactly what happened in the crash and an in-depth knowledge of the law of liability. If you find yourself hurt as a result of a multi-vehicle accident, you should act without delay and contact a knowledgeable Chicago auto accident attorney.
The Chicago area has seen multiple fatal multi-car accidents this year. Early in the summer, a six-vehicle crash left one man dead and 12 people injured, according to a Journal & Topics report. In that accident, a 20-year-old man who allegedly was under the influence of drugs was driving northbound on Arlington Heights Road in Elk Grove Village at a high rate of speed when he entered the southbound lanes and crashed into five cars. The driver of the second of those cars died as a result of his injuries, according to the report.
Earlier in the year, ABC 7 Chicago reported on a nine-vehicle chain-reaction accident in the South Loop that also left one person dead and 11 people hurt. According to police, the driver of a white Mercedes suffered an apparent medical emergency while exiting the Eisenhower Expressway and then slammed into the rear of a Cadillac at a “high rate of speed.” The driver of the Cadillac was the crash’s single fatality, ABC reported.
In a multi-vehicle injury accident, picking out who was at fault (and who you should sue for damages) can be complicated. For example, if one car in the rear slams into a second car and the second car rear-ends a third, it is possible that the driver of the first car is solely legally responsible for the accident, but it is also possible, depending on the precise facts of the accident, that the first driver and the second driver were partially to blame for the impact with your vehicle, and your injuries. This determination of fault can be affected by various facts, including whether or not one of the drivers was speeding, was distracted, or was hampered by a mechanical failure of his/her vehicle.
Determining these precise facts, in order to deduce how to proceed with your case, can necessitate acquiring many things. You may need photographs of the accident site and police reports regarding the accident. You may also need the opinion testimony of a qualified expert witness, such as an accident reconstruction specialist.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in an auto accident, you should make sure that you have the legal advice and representation you need to achieve the outcome you deserve. The diligent Chicago injury attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca have been effectively representing personal injury clients for many years and are ready to handle your case. To set up a free case evaluation, contact us at 312-724-5846 or through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Report: Chicago Transit Authority Has Paid Out $60M in Accident Settlements and Judgments, Chicago Injury Attorneys Blog, July 13, 2018
A Chicago Driver Receives a $4.75M Settlement After Her Collision With a Municipal Garbage Truck, Chicago Injury Attorneys Blog, May 10, 2018