All car accidents are frightening, often resulting in serious painful injuries and chaotic aftermaths. When a car accident involves multiple vehicles, the trauma escalates with every additional involved car or truck. Multi-vehicle accidents in Austin are not uncommon, especially in multi-lane intersections and on highways with multiple lanes of moving traffic.
Unfortunately, multi-vehicle accidents often result in multiple serious injuries or fatalities with victims in three or more cars.
What Causes Multi-Vehicle Accidents In Austin?
A multi-vehicle accident involves three or more cars rather than the typical single-car accident or two-car collision. Multi-vehicle accidents are most common on multi-lane, fast-moving highways. They typically begin with a single-car accident involving a collision with an obstacle or a tire blowout, or a two-car collision or sideswipe. Then, fast-moving approaching traffic doesn’t allow drivers enough time to react and evade additional collisions with the already crashed vehicles. When the first cars that crash receive multiple additional collisions, it may cause further injuries to those trapped and injured in the original crashed cars.
Injuries in Austin Multi-Car Accidents
Multi-vehicle accidents, “pileups” or “chain-reaction accidents” in Austin or elsewhere result in injuries ranging from serious to catastrophic or deadly—and often to motorists in many different vehicles. One of the largest multi-car accidents in history was the 2021 Texas car accident involving 133 vehicles in Fort Worth.
Common injuries in multi-car pileups in Austin include the following:
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Broken bones
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Lacerations, bruises, and abrasions
- Soft-tissue injuries such as strains, sprains, and torn ligaments
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Facial and dental trauma
Sadly, it’s not uncommon for multi-car pileups in Austin or elsewhere to end in multiple fatalities as well as catastrophic injuries. The US Department of Transportation outlines the importance of ensuring the crash scene is managed effectively. This involves creating a safe environment for first responders and passing travelers to prioritize providing efficient post-crash assistance.
Liability In Multi-Car Accidents In Austin
Multi-vehicle accidents present significant challenges for injury victims who seek compensation. Under the modified comparative negligence laws in Texas, car accident victims may recover compensation for their financial losses and pain and suffering by filing claims against at-fault drivers or other liable parties, like negligent road maintenance agencies. A multi-vehicle accident requires an in-depth investigation into all aspects of the accident to determine each driver’s percentage of fault. Injury victims may recover compensation as long as they are not more than 51% at fault. The insurance company responsible for paying out on a claim deducts the driver’s percentage of fault from the amount they recover in a successful Austin car accident settlement.
What Damages Can the Victim of an Austin Multi-Vehicle Accident Recover?
Injuries are not only painful and sometimes life-altering, but they are also expensive to treat and may require weeks of missed work or the inability to return to work at all. Common damages recovered in multi-car accident claims in Austin include:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Future medical costs related to the accident
- Lost income
- Future income loss
- Diminished future earning capacity due to disability or impairment
- Compensation for pain and suffering
The victim of very serious injuries may recover additional compensation for losses such as traumatic limb loss, loss of vision, loss of hearing, disfigurement, or diminished quality of life. If a loved one dies in a multi-car accident, their close, dependent family members may recover compensation through an Austin wrongful death claim against one or more at-fault parties.
How Can a Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyer In Austin Help?
The extreme trauma of a multi-car pileup is often followed by the distress and anxiety of one of the most complex types of accident claims. Instead of taking on this type of liability claim unrepresented by Austin personal injury legal counsel, call Shaw Cowart LLP to safeguard your rights and protect your best interests throughout the investigation and negotiation process to recover the maximum compensation available to you.