Multi-Vehicle Accident Leaves Girl in Critical Condition

 

Three-Car Pile-Up Leaves Girl in Critical Condition

A 3-car pile-up left a girl in critical condition on the far West Side of San Antonio on Saturday, June 3, 2023, according to a San Antonio Express-News report. According to the report, the accident happened on the 9200 block of Potranco Road at around 10:30 p.m. A vehicle was making a lane change when it cut in front of another vehicle that was also attempting a lane change. Those two vehicles collided with one another, and the vehicle in the back was struck by another vehicle from behind as a result. The accident resulted in only one reported injury, a girl whose age is unknown, and she was transported to a local hospital in critical condition after being freed from the mangled vehicle by firefighters.

Did You Know?

Fatalities in multi-vehicle accidents have risen by 16% since 2021, according to the NHTSA.

What You Need to Know About Multi-Vehicle Accidents in Texas

Texas is an at-fault state, so when two people get in an auto accident, the law determines who is at fault to determine who has to pay for the damages. But what happens when more than two vehicles get in an accident? 

In Texas, a person must be at least 50% responsible for an accident to be at fault and responsible for covering damages (or their insurance provider must cover the damages). When two cars get in an accident, it’s a simple process to determine whose fault it was. However, when three or more vehicles collide, it can become complicated to determine how much blame each person carries for the accident. To help with this, Texas uses what is called the “modified comparative fault rule” to determine responsibility.

Comparative fault rule explained:

The proportionate responsibility law, commonly referred to as modified comparative fault, breaks up liability for multi-vehicle accidents based on the percentage of responsibility for the accident that each person carries. For example, let’s say you are in a multi-vehicle auto accident and file for $100,000 in personal injury damages. In the trial, a jury determines that you are 30% responsible for the accident. In this case, you will now only receive $70,000 because you are responsible for $30,000 of your own injuries. Conversely, if you are found to bear anything over 50% of the responsibility for the accident, you will receive nothing at all for your injuries.

Do I Need a Lawyer for a Multi-Vehicle Accident?

Determining what percentage of fault you bear in a multi-vehicle accident can be tricky and involves multiple factors, such as road conditions, time between collisions, etc. A lawyer has access to resources and experience to ensure that all factors in the accident are taken into account. Additionally, it is often the case in these types of accidents that the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance to cover the extent of the damages, and their insurance provider will work hard to prove that their client bears as little responsibility as possible. A Carabin Shaw attorney has experience dealing with insurance companies and can handle them for you. So, you don’t technically need a lawyer for a multi-vehicle accident, but it isn’t recommended to fight them alone.

Multi-Vehicle Accident Attorneys in San Antonio

If you have been injured in a multi-vehicle accident in San Antonio, contact Carabin Shaw today at 800-862-1260. We have thirty years of experience representing the injured across Texas, and we put our clients first. Contact Carabin Shaw.