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Who's at fault if an accident has multiple rear-end collisions?
I saw a rear-end accident as I was going to work the other day. It involved four cars that seemingly got rear-ended, except for the last car. This piqued my curiosity. Who’s at fault in a chain reaction collision?
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
That’s a great question—with a highly complex answer. Essentially, the person(s) at fault if an accident has multiple rear-end collisions are those who rear-ended the car in front of them. This could be one offender or it could be several.
For the sake of ease, let’s look at an example. Let’s say we have this scenario:
- Driver 4 hits Driver 3, who hits Driver 2, who hits Driver 1
Depending on the circumstances, here’s who may be deemed at fault:
- Driver 1, 2, and 3 were stopped at a stoplight. Driver 4 hits Driver 3 and subsequently causes multiple rear-end accidents. In this case, Driver 4 is 100% at fault.
- But if any of the drivers failed to maintain a proper distance from the car in front of them, one could argue it’s their fault they hit the driver in front of them after being rear-ended.
- To add more complexity to the situation, anyone who was breaking a traffic law could be considered the at-fault party, whether or not they were one of the cars that were rear-ended.
Even this simplified example is still highly complicated. Add in eyewitness accounts, laws from each state, and the police report details, and things get that much more convoluted.
In any case, the police report is essential. Police are highly trained in determining who’s at fault in accidents, and it’s their professional opinion that can aid you if you’re involved in a chain reaction incident.
Because of the highly complex nature of these cases, you may need to hire an attorney, even after you file a car insurance claim. These professionals have dealt with such cases before and have the insight and expertise to fight on your behalf.
If your car insurance goes up as a result of an accident involving multiple rear-end collisions, don’t just accept it as fate. Instead, use the
Jerry
app to comparison shop for a better-priced policy.Jerry is a licensed insurance broker that will collect quotes from over 50 top-rated insurers in minutes. After you find a great rate, Jerry can help you buy new insurance and cancel your old policy. Users save an average of $887 per year.
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- Gregory R.
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