Who can I claim against if I want to recover compensation for multiple cars in accident?
The party who should be held accountable for your claim for compensation for multiple cars in accident will be determined by the circumstances of your accident. There are numerous scenarios in which a multiple car crash can occur, and it is possible that your claim will be made against one party only, or several different parties.
In most circumstances, the driver of the principle vehicle is the liable party in compensation claims involving multiple car crashes. Other circumstances must allow for a designation of degrees of negligence to other parties – if the driver slowed down to avoid colliding with a stray animal, for instance, in which case the owner of the animal will hold some of the blame. In cases where the car that collided into the plaintiff had neglected to allow sufficient braking distance, that driver would also be deemed somewhat liable for the accident and could be named as a negligent party in the plaintiff’s multi-car injury claim. You would be strongly recommended to seek the assistance of an experienced legal professional when attempting to pursue a complex case such as this.
There are some procedures that should be completed before seeking compensation for multiple cars in accident. Your first priority should have been your health, and you should have been examined by a medical practitioner at the first possible moment following the multiple car crash. Please bear in mind that without official documentation of your injuries, no multi-car injury claim can be made, and any substantial delay between the date the accident occurred and when you finally sought medical attention could see the value of your claim reduced to reflect your own lack of care.
Another important document that you should be able to present to your solicitor is a copy of the report you made to the Gardai. If the accident was serious, the Gardai would have attended the scene and taken statements from those involved in the accident and eye-witnesses – which can also be used to support your claim. If the Gardai were not present at the scene, you should have attended the local Garda station to submit your version of events to their Accident Report Book.
Your solicitor can use this information when assessing your claim in the initial consultation that most solicitors offer for free. After discussing the accident and your injuries with your solicitor, he or she will be in a good position to give a preliminary indication of how much compensation for your injuries you are entitled to. The amount calculated should encompass many factors – not only the pain and suffering you experienced at the time of the accident – and if the case may be that not just one but multiple parties have been rendered responsible for your injuries, your overall compensation settlement will be paid by each responsible party on a percentage basis, which will be decided by the level of responsibility they each agree too.
In order to recover compensation for multiple cars in accident in the quickest time possible, and to maximise the probability for success, it is important that your case is thoroughly investigated and professionally prepared by an experienced personal injury* claims solicitor.