Miami drivers often experience multiple car accidents. How will fault be divided between them?
Some car accidents create a complex situation where several different drivers are affected and they may all try to sue whoever they believe is at fault. It is actually possible for all of them to be partially at fault for the same incident and the civil law in Florida allows for multiple different claims to be made.
An accident on the Dolphin Expressway in Miami caused damage to three cars and other injuries.
Three cars damaged after a chain reaction crash
The three vehicle collision happened just after 6:30 am on a Sunday morning. Police believed the incident started when a gray Toyota Corolla drove into a Lincoln Navigator. The Navigator then spun out and went into a white Mitsubishi Outlander. Each car had a single occupant with no passengers.
When fire rescue crews arrived, they found the Corolla with severe front and rear damage, and the female driver was trapped inside. They used special machinery to cut her out of the vehicle, and then she was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital with injuries but in stable condition.
An investigation was still pending to determine what happened in the moments leading up to the car accident and determine a specific cause.
Car accidents where several vehicles and drivers experience losses
When an accident involves multiple vehicles, it is possible that multiple insurance claims will be filed and even multiple lawsuits can occur against each driver. While it may seem like one driver who is mainly at fault will end up paying for everything, this is not necessarily true and each accident is different.
Florida, like many other states, has negligence laws that allow fault to be divided between all drivers to equal one hundred percent. The legal name for this doctrine is comparative negligence. This allows drivers who are partially at fault to still file a lawsuit and collect money from others involved in the accident. There is also no level of fault that will completely prevent a driver from filing a lawsuit.
Calculating the value of a multiple car accident
Under the comparative negligence standard, each driver can file a lawsuit that asks for the amount necessary to pay for things like vehicle repairs and medical bills. If they are found to be partially at fault, the amount they are given will be reduced relative to their level of fault. For example, a driver who is found to be half at fault for the collision will receive half of what their attorney asks for instead of the full amount.
This can become complex to calculate in accidents where several cars are involved, which is why it is best to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area before trying to determine the value of your case on your own. You lawyer may also be able to argue for damages related to lost wages and emotional trauma after some accidents. These amounts can be significant.
Talk to a local lawyer in the Miami area
There are attorneys who specialize in cases involving several cars throughout South Florida and the Miami metro area. Contact Orlando R. Murillo, P.A. for guidance and help after an accident.
