Understanding the Legal Nuances of Multi-Vehicle Truck Accidents

Both truck accidents and multi-vehicle crashes have unique challenges and concerns that set them apart from other types of vehicle accident claims. When you have a multi-vehicle truck accident, you’re in an incredibly complex system that demands the assistance of an experienced truck accident attorney in Charleston.

Looking for more personalized help with your truck accident claim? The team at Bailey Javins & Carter is here to help. Give us a call at 800-497-0234 to schedule a consultation immediately.

Complicating Factors in Multi-Vehicle Truck Collisions

A wide range of factors collaborate to make multi-vehicle crashes a colossal headache for everyone involved. These factors include:

• Location: Although trucks are found on city roads for the first and last leg of their journey, they are generally only spotted on highways. This can complicate a crash because a multi-vehicle truck collision is likely to cause the entire road to shut down. Evidence may become contaminated as people attempt to get around the crash scene, and injured victims may not have time to gather evidence as the road crew rushes to clean it up.
• Dense traffic: Most multi-vehicle accidents occur because of heavy traffic. This is incredibly dangerous; it increases the likelihood of more and more vehicles getting involved, multiplying the damage caused and the chance of fatalities.
• Multiple injured parties: Truck accidents involving three or more vehicles are very likely to injure multiple people. In extreme cases, multiple fatalities may occur in a single crash. This can make it hard to determine who is owed compensation and how much.
• Size and weight of commercial trucks: Any time you add a commercial truck to a collision, the damage multiplies. Their sheer size makes them capable of causing dozens of times more damage than a passenger vehicle. As a result, claims are more expensive and victims have to fight harder to get the money they are owed.
• Multiple liable parties: Multi-vehicle accidents are often not the fault of just one party. There are often multiple liable parties in a claim, which complicates the process of seeking compensation.

Tragically, multi-vehicle truck accidents also have a higher likelihood of resulting in one or more fatalities compared to other types of crashes. The massive size and weight of commercial trucks means the forces involved are much greater, posing a serious risk of catastrophic or fatal injuries to occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. Families who lose loved ones in these crashes not only have to grapple with immense grief, but also with the sudden loss of financial and emotional support. Pursuing a wrongful death claim is crucial for securing justice and the compensation needed to move forward.

Determining Liability

Figuring out liability may be one of the hardest parts of being involved in a multi-vehicle accident. In many cases, one party has the vast majority of liability. This is the driver or outside party that caused the initial crash. Beyond this, it’s likely that other drivers contribute to the severity of the accident in one way or another. 

For example, consider a crash caused by a truck driver switching lanes without checking their blind spot. They hit another driver, who panics and turns their steering wheel as hard as they can into the opposite lane. This causes them to hit another car. The truck eventually comes to a stop, and both smaller vehicles are entangled in a crash.

The truck driver may be liable for the initial crash and the majority of damages, but the second driver may also share some liability because of their overcorrection and failure to check for a vehicle in the lane next to them. Your attorney will look at all available evidence to figure out who is liable and to what degree they are liable.

Bailey Javins & Carter Secures $7 Million Verdict for Family in Fatal Truck Crash

Bailey Javins & Carter recently obtained justice for the family of Adanela Santana, who tragically lost her life in a multi-vehicle crash in Wheeling, WV in 2021. The collision, which occurred on the I-470 I-70 split, involved Santana’s Volkswagen Jetta, a Penske box truck driven by an employee of F&R Cargo Express, and a tractor-trailer. 

Santana was killed in the crash, while her passengers, Ebony White and Jai’Liyah Briddell, suffered physical and emotional injuries. An investigation revealed that the Penske truck had rear-ended Santana’s vehicle, causing the deadly collision. The truck’s driver, Franci Colon-Fermin, had been attempting to merge into traffic and was later found to have been speeding or distracted.

Attorneys Taylor Norman and Lee Javins of Bailey Javins & Carter, together with Dan Snuffer of WVlawyer.com, were among those representing Santana’s family. Through their tireless efforts, the legal team was able to secure a $7,029,256 verdict for the plaintiffs. The jury awarded $4,029,256 for economic losses and $3,000,000 for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, sorrow, and inability to enjoy life. 

This substantial verdict sends a clear message about the importance of safe driving practices for commercial vehicles and the devastating consequences that can result from negligence behind the wheel. It also provides much-needed financial support for Santana’s loved ones as they contend with their profound loss. Bailey Javins & Carter is committed to holding negligent parties accountable and fighting for the rights of those harmed in preventable crashes.

Pursuing Damages After a Multi-Vehicle Truck Crash

Getting the compensation you’re owed after a multi-vehicle collision may be an uphill battle, but it certainly isn’t impossible. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and other losses. Your attorney will use the evidence at their disposal to build an ironclad case against the liable party. They’ll take their case to the negligent party’s insurance company and demand full and fair compensation. Generally, a fair settlement amount is agreed upon during negotiations. If negotiations don’t lead to a positive outcome, your attorney will take your case to court.

Fight for Justice—Contact Bailey Javins & Carter Today

Don’t let a truck accident leave you financially struggling. For everything you’ve been through, you deserve a chance at fair compensation. Let’s talk more about your case and come up with a plan together. Just contact us online or call us at 800-497-0234 to take the first step now.