Determining Fault in Chicago Chain Reaction Car Crashes

Determining Fault in Chicago Chain Reaction Car CrashesChain reaction crashes are one of those worst nightmare situations. You are sitting in your vehicle moving along with the flow of traffic and the next thing you know, a car has plowed into you from behind and is ramming your car into the one ahead of you. There are many causes of chain reaction or multiple car accidents, and finding who is at fault can be challenging to figure out.

A multiple car or a chain reaction crash occurs when one vehicle rear-ends the one in front of them and forces that car to crash into the vehicle in front of them. It is a single accident involving three or more vehicles with many of the vehicles experiencing two or more points of impact.

In some cases, the rear-most vehicle is the at-fault party, as it was their negligence that set the chain-reaction in motion. There are also types of chain-reaction crashes where the vehicle in front stops unexpectedly and for no apparent reason causing the vehicle behind them to crash into their rear end, and the vehicle behind the second car crashes into it and so on.

In some cases, it is clear at the scene of the crash how the accident occurred, but then the at-fault party might get nervous and change their story shifting the blame elsewhere. When accounts of the crash become muddled and confusing, you might benefit from working with an experienced Chicago car accident attorney who will investigate the crash and determine which party is at fault and your role in the accident.

Proving fault and liability in a chain-reaction car crash

In some accidents, the plaintiff may share some portion of the negligence or fault in the crash, but they may still have a right to compensation for those injuries. Illinois is a modified comparative fault state, which means that if the plaintiff was more than 51 percent responsible for the accident, they will not be able to recover compensation. If they are 50 percent or less responsible for the crash that caused their injuries, they will have a valid claim for compensation. (735 I.L.C.S. § 5/2-1116)

There are causes other than negligence that can contribute to a chain-reaction crash. In the winter, when we have storms with blowing snow and ice, or on foggy fall mornings when visibility is limited and vehicles are following one another closely on the highway, multiple car crashes can occur.

In March, there were two chain-reaction crash that occurred on the Kennedy Expressway involving 35 vehicles. In a story in the Chicago Sun Times, it was reported that seven people were taken to the hospital and 23 people refused medical attention. Some of the crash victims were in serious condition, but none were thought to be life-threatening. Slick roads were thought to be the cause of the multiple-vehicle crashes as a snowstorm with lake-effect snow was blowing in.

In May, A 62-year-old Ohio man was killed and his passenger was in critical condition after a six-vehicle chain-reaction crash on the Tri-state Tollway. The driver of a vehicle traveling eastbound lost control and struck another vehicle, and the impact of that crash caused a chain reaction of crashes with four other vehicles per a story on CBSLocal.com.

Seven people suffered injuries in a four-vehicle chain-reaction crash in Grayslake that occurred when one vehicle struck another causing it to lose a front wheel and crash into a motorcycle. The first car then careened into a second car causing it to strike a third vehicle. The seven people involved in the crash were taken to a hospital where they were treated and released according to a story in the Chicago Tribune.

If you or a someone you care about has been involved in a frightening chain reaction car crash in Chicago, you have legal rights and options to pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses. At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, our experienced Chicago car accident attorneys represent clients who have been involved in car accidents in our city.  If you would like to have a conversation about your options, we encourage you to schedule a complimentary consultation by calling 312-600-9585 or contact us today.