A Venice car accident involving multiple vehicles has the potential to result in disastrous injuries, pain and suffering, and other related damages. Multiple vehicle car accidents are very complicated cases, and they require the assistance of a car accident attorney with experience and skill in managing road accidents in the State of Florida.
A car accident involving two vehicles is an unfortunate affair, but when there are more than two vehicles involved, it becomes chaotic. A multiple-vehicle car accident is also known as a multi-vehicle collision or a pile-up chain reaction, and it is much more severe than your usual car accident. It can be difficult to recover from a multiple vehicle car accident, and you will need to hire a personal injury lawyer to win the compensation that you deserve to cover all of your injuries and other related losses in Venice.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience when it comes to recovering compensation for clients who have been in multiple vehicle car accidents in Venice and across the State of Florida. Our practice areas cover a variety of road accident cases, including multiple vehicles, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and more.
Our team of Venice car accident lawyers will investigate your multiple vehicle car accident to figure out who was at fault for the crash and hold them liable for your injuries and other damages. It can be difficult to navigate the legal system on your own, but our personal injury attorneys will make the process easy for you.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today, and a personal injury lawyer will fight for the compensation that you deserve following your multiple vehicle accident in Venice. Phone lines are open 24/7.
What to Do After a Multiple Vehicle Accident in Venice, FL.
It is important that you know what steps to take following a Venice car accident that involves multiple vehicles. It is a very serious case, and you must put yourself in the best position to recover compensation later. Our law firm highly recommends that you take these steps:
- Stay on the scene – After suffering a collision with another vehicle, you will have to remain at the location of the car accident. If you are in a dangerous position, move to a safer spot near the scene of the crash.
- Call an ambulance – If you or someone else sustained a personal injury as a result of a multiple vehicle car accident, then call an ambulance to the location of the accident as soon as possible.
- The police – Florida Statute 316.062 orders you to call the police to the scene of the multi-vehicle car accident immediately.
- Exchange contact details – It is essential that you exchange contact details with the other drivers involved in the multiple vehicle car accident. This includes a list of names, phone numbers, insurance details, and vehicle registration numbers.
- Eyewitnesses – If there was someone who witnessed the multi-vehicle collision, then it is worth getting their contact details too.
- Evidence – It would be beneficial for your case if you collect evidence from the scene of the multiple vehicle car accident, such as taking pictures of the location, road marks, property damage, vehicles, minor or severe injuries, and anything else that you deem to be useful.
- Go to the hospital – As soon as you leave the scene of the crash, it is important that you get a check-up at the hospital. A doctor will be able to examine you to see if you sustained any type of personal injury, whether it is immediately visible or not. Some injuries can take time to develop, which is why you must seek medical attention right away.
- Call your insurance company – You will have to call your insurance company to let them know about the multi-vehicle accident within 24 hours. Remember not to share any details or specifics about the crash, as they might use the information against you in an attempt to put the blame on you. It is worth hiring a criminal defense attorney that will be able to speak to your insurance company on your behalf so that you can avoid unnecessary stress.
- Keep a journal – Writing down all of your experiences in the aftermath of a multiple vehicle car accident will prove to be very useful in your claim for compensation later. Keep a journal and take notes of your injuries, recovery process, pain and suffering, adjustments that you have had to make to your daily life, and more.
- Paperwork – Retain all paperwork that is related to your multi-vehicle collision, such as references, receipts, and any other bill. A car accident attorney will make sure that you are fully compensated for each and every expense.
- Police report – Florida Statute 316.066 explains that you have 10 days following your multiple vehicle car accident to file a report. You will have the option to either go down to your local police station or file it online at Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV)
- Hire a Venice car accident lawyer – If you are looking for the best legal representation in town, then get in touch with one of our Venice car accident lawyers today. Call our office to set up a free consultation.
Injuries From a Multiple Vehicle Car Accident in Venice, FL.
A multi-vehicle collision has the potential to cause some of the most serious injuries. This is because you can get struck from different directions by a number of drivers who are traveling at different speeds and using different vehicles. Here are some of the most common injuries sustained in a multiple vehicle car accident:
- Broken bones.
- Whiplash.
- Torn ligaments.
- Shoulder injuries.
- Wrist and hand injuries.
- Foot and ankle injuries.
- Knee injuries.
Causes of Multiple Vehicle Accidents in Venice, FL.
There are many different factors and circumstances that can result in causing a multi-vehicle crash in Venice. In most cases, it comes down to more than one factor. A multiple-vehicle car accident usually happens in a high-speed limit area with a high volume of vehicles on the roadway in Venice. The most common areas for a multi-vehicle collision to occur are main roads in a city or highways.
Here are some of the most common causes of multiple vehicle accidents:
- Distracted driving – These days, a driver can get easily distracted behind the wheel due to using a mobile phone, adjusting a navigational system, talking to another passenger, and more. A distracted driver will unwittingly end up causing a multiple vehicle collision by failing to pay attention to the road.
- Aggressive driving – A driver who is easily aggravated can take out their frustration on other drivers, which can lead to a chain reaction of events that causes a multiple vehicle collision.
- Driving under the influence (DUI) – Any driver who gets behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, taking illegal drugs, or certain types of prescription medication can be dangerous on the road. Alcohol and certain substances can cause a driver to have slower reaction times and a lack of depth perception.
- Fatigue – Driving for hours without stopping to rest or taking a break can cause a driver to experience drowsiness behind the wheel. A driver who feels fatigued can cause a chain reaction of collisions without realizing it.
- High-speed chases – A police officer who is pursuing a suspect on the road can lead to a high-speed chase when the driver tries to escape.
- Bad weather – Heavy rain, snow, or fog can cause a multiple vehicle collision, especially if there are other vehicles following closely behind.
- Reckless behavior – A driver who behaves irresponsibly behind the wheel by weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, or excessively speeding can lead to a collision involving multiple vehicles.
- Vehicle malfunction – A flat tire, ineffective windshield wipers, or failing brakes can potentially cause a multiple vehicle accident.
- New drivers- An inexperienced or fairly new driver on the road who is still learning the rules can accidentally end up causing a multiple vehicle accident.
There is usually a chain reaction of events that lead up to a multiple-vehicle crash, such as when a driver suddenly stops and leaves the vehicles behind them less time to react. It is especially dangerous if the driver is traveling at high speed as the added momentum will cause the driver behind to harshly crash into the driver in front of them. In this case, the vehicles that were not involved at the beginning of the accident will be forced to maneuver, such as performing sharp swerves or breaking abruptly in order to avoid the main crash on the road.
A large number of drivers and insurance companies involved in a crash will make it very complicated once the multiple vehicle accident goes to court in Venice. It is imperative that you hire a personal injury attorney to guide you through the legal system and win the compensation that you are owed to cover all of your injuries and other losses.
Contributory Fault in Venice, FL.
Every state in the United States of America has its own laws for determining fault in the event that a multiple vehicle accident occurs. For instance, If you are found to be more than 50% at fault for an accident, some states will stop you from recovering compensation.
Florida Statute 768.81 explains contributory fault as when the amount of compensation that you are awarded from a personal injury claim will be reduced by the percentage that you were deemed to be at fault for the multiple vehicle car accident in Venice. For example, you were given $100,000 in compensation, but the court found that you were 20% at fault for the crash, then you will only receive $80,000.
It is important to add that the state of Florida has eradicated the old laws surrounding accident cases like multiple vehicle crashes. For instance, the old system known as joint and several liabilities allowed you to decide the party that you wanted to file a personal injury claim against, but this does not happen anymore.
Who Is Negligent in a Multiple Vehicle Accident in Venice, FL?
The fault tends to lie with the driver that is proven to be negligent in a Venice car accident. The car accident lawyers at The Law Place will have to determine five things to prove that the driver was negligent:
- Duty of care – The driver had a legal responsibility to operate their vehicle safely and in accordance with the rules of the road.
- Breach of duty – The driver failed to take the necessary measures to travel safely, and they breached their duty of care.
- Causation – The driver caused your car accident by breaching their duty of care.
- Damages – You were injured or suffered other damages as a result of the driver breaching their duty of care.
Compensation Available for a Multiple Vehicle Accident in Venice, FL.
The financial burden after getting involved in a multiple vehicle car accident can be overwhelming, and no one should have to deal with it on their own. The car accident lawyers at The Law Place will be able to give you the best chance of securing the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries and other related losses in Venice. This includes economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
- Medical bills – Compensation for your surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, routine visits to the doctor, prescription medication, and more.
- Loss of income – Compensation to cover the income that you might have lost or any lost future earning potential since you have been unable to work following the multiple vehicle car accident.
- Property damage – Compensation to repair or replace your vehicle or other property that was damaged in the multiple vehicle car accident.
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and suffering – Compensation for a loss of enjoyment or a reduction in your quality of life since the multiple vehicle car accident. This includes physical pain, emotional anguish, or mental trauma.
- Wrongful death – Compensation to cover the loss of a loved one in a multiple vehicle car accident. This includes funeral expenses, pain and suffering, property damage, and more.
- Loss of consortium – Compensation to cover your surviving family members after you were killed in a multiple vehicle car accident. This includes funeral expenses, pain and suffering, property damage, and more.
What Can a Car Accident Lawyer Do for You in Venice, FL?
Car accidents involving more than two vehicles are complex, and they require the skills of a car accident attorney to successfully resolve the case. Reaching a settlement with an insurance company in regard to a multi-vehicle car accident is very difficult, and you will most likely have to proceed in filing a lawsuit without determining who was at fault. The lawsuit process will include witness statements and depositions. If you do not have an auto accident attorney on your side at this point, you could be misled into admitting fault without a real reason by another person involved in the case that did hire an auto accident attorney.
Here are the main factors that make a multiple vehicle car accident complicated:
- There is often more than one person that was injured.
- There are multiple insurance companies that all have an agenda to pay out as little as possible.
- There could be more than one driver at fault, which makes it difficult to prove fault.
- There is sometimes not enough insurance coverage to pay for all of the personal injury claims.
- There will be an in-depth investigation if there have been one or more deaths involved, which can take a lot of time.
- There are usually cross-claims of negligence that must be looked into.
These kinds of factors can take a while to sort out, which means that a personal injury claim can be delayed for years. It could be beneficial to move forward with your case by using a bifurcated trial. This will split the personal injury claim into a two-part trial. The first part involves the cause of the multiple vehicle car accident to be discussed without bringing in any of the injuries sustained. The court will then decide who is liable, regardless of what injuries were caused. The second part begins once liability has been decided and after medical treatment of the injured person has been completed. The personal injury attorneys at The Law Place can then seek compensation for your medical bills.
Contact The Law Place Today in Venice, FL.
If you were involved in a multiple vehicle car accident that caused personal injuries and other related losses, then we highly recommend that you seek legal representation from the most qualified law firm in Venice.
A car accident involving multiple vehicles is a highly complex case that can be challenging to work through on your own. It can be very difficult to recover from the financial loss of a multi-vehicle collision, and no one should have to handle it alone.
The Law Place has over seventy-five years of combined experience when it comes to dealing with accident-related cases for clients who have suffered injuries in Venice and throughout the State of Florida. Our law firm has managed hundreds of cases like yours with great success, and we are ready to take on your case too.
We will help you to navigate the legal system and make the best decisions in regard to your case in Venice. Our team of personal injury attorneys has the necessary skills and knowledge to investigate your accident, gather facts and details, deal with the related paperwork, negotiate with the insurance company involved and fight to win the compensation that you are owed.
If you call our office today, a personal injury lawyer will discuss the details of your case, answer your questions and offer you a piece of advice on the smartest move to make following your multi-collision accident in Venice. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week so that you can call us when you are ready.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today, and a personal injury lawyer will fight for the compensation that you deserve following your multiple vehicle accident in Venice.