Panama City Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyers
If you or your loved one has been in an accident involving three or more cars, you may be entitled to compensation. Multi-vehicle accidents can impart serious injuries and damage – and they can be expensive. You should not have to foot the bill for an accident that someone else caused.
The Bruner Law Firm has helped accident victims in Panama City for more than 25 years. Our skilled multi-vehicle accident lawyers know how to respond to these complicated accidents. We can take on powerful insurance companies and maximize your chances of earning fair compensation following your accident.
If you are currently dealing with the aftermath of a multi-car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, call a Panama City car accident lawyer at (850) 769-9292 today. Your consultation will be free, and if you decide to work with us, you won’t have to pay unless we earn you compensation.
Do I Need a Multi-Vehicle Accident Lawyer?
Multi-vehicle accidents can be both physically and financially devastating. Whether the accident at hand is a highway pileup or an intersection crash, it can inflict serious damage on cars as well as cause injury to drivers. As a result, various bills tend to pile up rapidly following a multi-car accident.
Furthermore, these crashes are more complicated than many car accidents when it comes to pursuing fair compensation. Because there are multiple drivers involved, there may also be multiple insurance companies involved. All of these players have a vested interest in minimizing the costs for which they are liable.
An experienced multi-vehicle accident lawyer will be able to skillfully navigate this complex situation. Our lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation into the logistics of an accident to determine the best path for pursuing maximum compensation. In addition, a car accident lawyer will know how to take on aggressive insurance companies and negotiate assertively for the financial reward you’re due.
Why Choose The Bruner Law Firm to Handle My Case?
For almost thirty years, The Bruner Law Firm has dedicated itself to helping accident victims in Panama City. We know how difficult it can be to deal with a multi-car accident, and we are committed to helping our clients earn the compensation they deserve.
The Bruner Law Firm is a tight-knit family firm, composed of natives of the Panama City and Fort Walton Beach area. We treat our clients as neighbors and friends, and we work hard to secure maximum compensation for them. We have earned millions of dollars for accident victims over the years. Past clients’ testimonials stand as further evidence of the warmth, dedication, and skill that we offer our clients.
Finally, with The Bruner Law Firm, you won’t have to worry about additional costs during this stressful time. We work on a contingency-fee basis. This means that if we don’t earn you compensation, you don’t have to pay us.
Possible Causes of Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Multi-vehicle accidents usually start with a collision between two cars. This initial collision then leads to further collisions with other vehicles in the vicinity.
For instance, if one car suddenly brakes on a crowded highway, it may cause a rear-end pileup of three or more vehicles. Similarly, if two cars collide and suddenly come to a stop in the middle of an intersection, other cars may crash into them. Another example might be if one car is sideswiped by another, and as a result, veers into the wrong lane and hits a third car.
Any of these multi-vehicle accidents could result from different causes. Here are some of the most common factors that play a role in multi-vehicle accident cases:
Tailgating: Oftentimes, rear-end accidents and highway pileups happen because the cars involved were driving too close together. If a car suddenly slows and the car behind it doesn’t have time to react, they are likely to collide. This is a common scenario on busy highways. Unfortunately, you have no control over drivers who tail behind you. Your best bet, when a driver tailgates you, is to try and merge into another lane.
Speeding: A speeding driver is more likely to attempt risky maneuvers that could result in a multi-vehicle accident, including tailgating, swerving, or sudden braking. Furthermore, when a driver is speeding, other cars have a harder time anticipating and responding to their actions. The unpredictability and general riskiness of speeding could cause an initial collision that sets off a chain reaction of more collisions.
Drunk driving: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can lead to serious multi-vehicle accidents. Drunk drivers have impaired judgment, poor depth perception, and dangerously slow reflexes. Because of this, a drunk driver is at risk of causing the initial collision in a multi-car accident. Alternatively, this driver is also at higher risk than sober drivers of crashing into an existing accident, causing it to become larger and more road-obstructing than it might have otherwise been.
Drowsy driving: Driving while sleepy or exhausted can also increase the risk of a multi-vehicle accident. A driver who nods off at the wheel may drift into an oncoming traffic lane or fail to stop at a red light. Even if a driver does not actually fall asleep, mere drowsiness can seriously impair driver reflexes and reaction time. In the event of a pileup or other multi-car crashes, alertness and quick reflexes are of the utmost importance. For this reason, drowsy driving is a culprit in many multi-vehicle accidents.
Distracted driving: Much like a drowsy driver, a distracted driver is more likely than others to miss important signals on the road. This person may then inadvertently cause or add to an accident. For instance, a distracted driver might not notice until it is too late that a rear-end accident has occurred on the road ahead. A distracted driver might also accidentally run a red light, causing the initial collision in a multi-vehicle accident. Distraction often comes in the form of texting or making phone calls behind the wheel, but there can also be numerous other activities that tear a driver’s eyes and attention from the road.
Inclement weather: Sometimes, nature creates hazards for drivers, which means drivers need to take extra precautions on the road. Icy or flooded roads, along with high wind speeds, torrential rainfall, or other forms of weather, can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. Just one car sliding or spinning out of control during an inclement weather event can cause an extensive multi-car accident. Heavy rain can also severely limit visibility, increasing the risk of collisions and pileups.
Determining Liability and Recovering Compensation for a Multi-Vehicle Accident
After being involved in a car crash, many people want to know who was at fault for their accident. Not only can this help victims come to terms with what happened, it is also critical when it comes to recovering compensation for an accident.
Although initial medical bills will be covered by your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, the costs of a multi-car accident can quickly rise higher than insurance coverage. Florida is a no-fault state. This means that all Florida drivers are required to hold a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection with their insurance companies. When an accident happens, you can use your PIP coverage without having to prove anyone’s fault. This can help to front some costs in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
Unfortunately, even one trip to the ER can easily rack up bills exceeding the $10,000 limit. After that point, it may become more important to determine fault in your accident, whether you hope to receive compensation from your insurance company or someone else’s. If your injuries meet Florida’s serious and permanent injury threshold, you can file an injury claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
In multi-vehicle accidents, however, determining fault can be a very complicated process. For one thing, there are at least three – and often more – drivers involved. Any one of those drivers could share some part of the blame for the accident. On top of that, each driver’s insurance company will have a stake in any post-accident proceedings. If sizable costs have resulted from the accident, insurance companies will likely do their best to avoid financial liability by pinning the blame on other drivers.
If you find yourself in or anticipate a tussle with aggressive insurance companies, an experienced multi-car accident lawyer can help. A lawyer will know how to investigate an accident to determine fault and secure maximum compensation. At the end of this process, here are a few forms of compensation for which you may be eligible:
- Medical bills that you’ve incurred as a result of the accident
- Car/other property damage that you have suffered
- Wages or earning capacity that you have lost
- Compensation for pain and suffering that you have experienced
Contact The Bruner Law Firm Today
If you have been hurt in a multi-vehicle accident, it is important to get in touch with an attorney promptly. Medical expenses, car damage, and other costs tend to rack up quickly after these serious accidents. A skilled car accident attorney at The Bruner Law Firm can help ensure that you don’t take on bills for an accident you were powerless to stop.
Even if you don’t know how to proceed or what you want to do following your accident, give us a call to talk it through. We offer all potential clients a free consultation with one of our lawyers. Call (850) 769-9292 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free consultation today.
