Allentown Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyers Fighting for Local Residents and Families Since 1985
Recovering after a multi-vehicle accident can prove challenging for a variety of reasons. Not the least of which is determining which vehicle was responsible for what injury. Not only could you be facing mounting medical bills while you are unable to work, but your injuries could negatively impact other aspects of your life as well. While you may be entitled to financial compensation, it will take an informed, proactive and unrelenting approach to recover the financial compensation you deserve. This makes it critical to have an experienced Allentown multi-vehicle accident lawyer on your side.
At Drake, Hileman & Davis, have extensive experience fighting for accident victims and their families. If you need help after a multi-vehicle accident in Allentown, we can fight for just compensation on your behalf. We are committed to seeking justice for our clients, and we have a long track record of securing just compensation for our clients both in and out of court.
Common Causes of Multi-Vehicle Accidents
If you need to seek financial compensation for a multi-vehicle accident in Allentown, one of the first steps in the process will be to determine the cause (or causes) of the pileup. Just like other car accidents, multi-vehicle collisions can have a variety of different causes. However, with multiple vehicles involved, there are more likely to be multiple causes involved as well.
This can make determining liability more challenging—and this is one of several reasons why it is important to engage an experienced Allentown multi-vehicle accident attorney promptly. Once you hire an attorney at our firm to represent you, your attorney will work quickly to determine why the accident happened. In a typical scenario, this will involve examining potential causes such as:
- Distracted Driving – Distracted driving is a common factor in multi-vehicle accidents. When drivers aren’t paying attention to the task at hand, they aren’t as capable of responding to brake lights or collisions in front of them.
- Speeding – Driving at excessive speed can increase drivers’ risk of causing (or contributing to causing) multi-vehicle accidents as well. This includes both exceeding the posted speed limit and driving too fast for the current road, weather or traffic conditions.
- Tailgating – Tailgating is an extremely common factor in multi-vehicle accidents. When drivers are following too closely, not only do they have less time to respond to incidents in front of them, but they are also more likely to be pushed into the vehicle in front of them when they get hit from behind.
- Reckless Driving – From weaving through traffic on the highway to running red lights and stop signs at speed, all forms of reckless driving can lead to multi-vehicle accidents that could (and should) have been avoided. Unfortunately, far too many drivers choose to take unnecessary risks that put other motorists in harm’s way.
- Brake Failures and Other Vehicle-Related Factors – Brake failures, tire blowouts and other vehicle-related factors can cause (or contribute to causing) multi-vehicle accidents as well. If a vehicle defect or negligent repair causes a driver to lose control unexpectedly, this can provide all victims of a multi-vehicle accident with clear grounds to seek just compensation.
These are just examples of some of the most common factors involved in multi-vehicle accidents. Impaired driving, careless driving, unsafe road conditions and numerous other factors can play a role in causing multi-vehicle accidents as well. If you need to seek just compensation for a multi-vehicle accident in Allentown, the key to asserting your legal rights successfully will be to identify the specific factor or factors involved in your (or your loved one’s) collision.
Determining Liability in a Multi-Vehicle Accident
Once your Allentown multi-vehicle accident lawyer determines why the accident happened, then your lawyer will be able to determine who (or what company or companies) to hold accountable. Here too, there are several possibilities, including:
- One or more of the at-fault drivers’ auto insurance companies
- The employer of a commercial driver who was at fault (or partially at fault) in the collision
- A rideshare company if an Uber or Lyft driver was at fault (or partially at fault) in the collision
- A vehicle dealership or repair shop
- A government agency or road construction contractor (if an issue with the road played a role in the accident)
Automotive liability insurance is mandatory in Pennsylvania, so if you have a claim against an at-fault driver (or multiple at-fault drivers), insurance coverage should be available. Trucking companies, rideshare companies, dealerships, repair shops, and road construction contractors generally carry liability insurance as well.
But, while insurance coverage may be available, this doesn’t mean that filing a successful insurance claim will be easy. In multi-vehicle accident cases, the insurance companies will often point the finger at each other instead of accepting financial responsibility. As a result, filing a successful claim requires clear evidence of liability—and this is one of many reasons why it is important to hire an experienced Allentown multi-vehicle accident attorney as soon as possible.
Maximizing Your Chances of Recovering Just Compensation
Filing a successful claim after a multi-vehicle accident can be challenging. The attorneys at Drake, Hileman & Davis know how to navigate through these challenges. Moreover, the costs associated with serious accident-related injuries can add up quickly, if accident reconstructionists must be hired to determine the cause of the multi-vehicle collision. At Drake, Hileman & Davis, such costs are not advanced by the client, but rather by the firm and are paid out of the settlement at the successful conclusion of the case. Additionally, the state in which a vehicle involved in the collision is registered can affect the ability to receive just compensation. The experienced personal injury attorney will know how to maximize your available recovery.
Receiving just compensation can be important for managing the non-financial consequences of serious accident-related injuries as well. If you or your loved one is struggling with pain, anxiety, depression or emotional trauma, these are all consequences for which you can (and should) seek just compensation.
With this in mind, what can (and should) you do to maximize your chances of recovering just compensation after a multi-vehicle accident in Allentown? In this scenario, it will be important to take the following steps as soon as possible:
1. Obtain All Necessary Medical Treatment
Seeking necessary medical treatment promptly after a car accident is extremely important for a few reasons. Not only is it essential for maximizing your (or your loved one’s) chances of recovery, but it is also important because:
- It will help ensure that you have the documentation you need to prove the consequences of the accident; and,
- It will help prevent the insurance companies from arguing that you could (and should) have done more to minimize the accident’s consequences.
So, if you haven’t done so already, you should make getting all necessary medical treatment your top priority. If you have already been to the doctor, you should be sure to follow your doctor’s advice (or seek a second opinion, if necessary).
2. Save Any Photos, Videos, and Other Potential Evidence of Liability
While your Allentown multi-vehicle accident lawyer will work quickly to preserve any available evidence before it disappears, you may have various forms of evidence in your possession as well. If you have photos, videos, a copy of the police report, other drivers’ insurance information or any other documentation from the accident scene, you should save these to share with your lawyer. They could prove critical to your financial recovery.
3. Take Notes About the Accident
Along with saving any documentation you have in your possession, you should take detailed notes about the accident as well. Do your best to write down everything you can remember. How many vehicles were involved? Which direction was each vehicle traveling? Where was your (or your loved one’s) vehicle in the chain reaction? How were the traffic and weather conditions? What did other drivers say after the accident? If you can write down the answers to these kinds of questions, this will be helpful for your lawyer as well.
4. Hire an Allentown Mult-Vehicle Accident Lawyer to Investigate Promptly
Due to the complexity of multi-vehicle accidents, it is especially important to hire a lawyer to conduct an on-scene investigation as soon as possible. If necessary, your lawyer can seek to obtain evidence from other sources (i.e., drivers’ cell phone records or traffic camera footage) as well. Additionally, once you hire a lawyer to represent you, you will be able to rely on your lawyer’s advice to avoid mistakes that could jeopardize your recovery.
5. Work with Your Lawyer to Document the Accident’s Consequences
Along with documenting the cause (or causes) of the accident, seeking just compensation will also involve documenting the accident’s present and future consequences. This will involve working closely with your lawyer as well. Once you hire an Allentown multi-vehicle accident lawyer to represent you, you should be prepared to work with your lawyer to document your medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and all of the other financial and non-financial losses you are entitled to recover.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation with an Allentown Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyer
Do you need to know more about protecting your legal rights after a multi-vehicle accident in Allentown, PA? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a free consultation. To speak with an experienced Allentown multi-vehicle accident lawyer at our firm in confidence, call 888-777-7098 or contact us online now.