Seven motorists collided on the Pennsylvania Turnpike prompting official to close a busy stretch of the freeway for a few hours on Friday afternoon, October 26, 2018. The shutdown was limited to the westbound lanes beginning just past the Downingtown interchange.
Though no injuries or fatalities have been reported, the accidents caused a considerable mess as police had to call in a fleet of tow trucks to carry away the disabled vehicles.
What Happens in a Multiple Car Crash?
When several cars collide on a busy freeway, many issues come up regarding liability. In a two-car crash, police accident reconstruction investigators will attempt to determine what happened and which car might have been at fault. When there are multiple cars, the investigator has to look at each collision and determine what happened. It may turn out that more than one driver was at fault. Many times, a driver might be at fault for running into the back of one vehicle but not at fault for being hit by another.
Pennsylvania is a comparative fault state which means that each driver is responsible for the percentage of the damages he or she caused. Normally, it is relatively simple to assign a percentage to each driver, however, where there are multiple cars, it gets much more complicated to divide fault. For example, if you are in front of the chain, then your injuries might be caused by more than just the first driver that smashed into you.
Do I need an Attorney?
If you are involved and injured in a multiple vehicle crash, then you will benefit from speaking with an attorney to help you in your legal claims. Left alone, it will be up to the insurance adjusters and the other drivers’ lawyers to determine if you get anything. Don’t let that happen. Call an attorney who will tip the scales in your favor and make sure the system doesn’t treat you unfairly. Call the experienced team at The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. at (215) 557-8686.