Involved in a Crash with Other Vehicles? How You Need to Respond in This Complex Situation
Australian roads get busier and busier every day, so it seems. It's little wonder that the number of automobile accidents is increasing and the likelihood of you being involved in one is also growing. Sometimes, accidents can be complex. If you've been in the middle of a collision involving multiple vehicles, how can fault be ascertained? Where do you even start in trying to determine who is liable?
What Can Go Wrong?
So many factors can be considered when determining how an accident happens in the first place. Sometimes, people drive too quickly in bad weather conditions, or just tend to speed as a matter of course. Other times, people can get distracted by texting on their cellphones, even though it's now illegal.
What Was Your Share?
Essentially, the legal system and insurance companies will need to work out how much each individual driver contributed to the nature of the accident or whether they were just passive. As you can imagine, this can be very complicated. Nevertheless, every driver has to exercise caution and a certain amount of care towards their fellow drivers and this is the standard that is going to be under investigation.
Delving into the Details
Any accident investigation will begin at the scene of the crash and involve an interview with the police officers present at the time. Were any tickets issued to individuals as a consequence of their initial enquiry, or were there any arrests made linked to any outstanding warrants? It's also possible that arrests were made in relation to other issues like intoxication or possession of a controlled substance.
Sometimes, police will determine that an individual was following the vehicle in front too closely, or failed to yield at a give-way sign. Investigators will look at every citation and may use this information to help determine who was liable. It's also necessary to interview the drivers themselves, together with any impartial witnesses and to look at images that may have been taken. Other data can also be brought into the picture, such as the length of any rubber marks left by tyres or damage to trees or fences.
Comparing Negligence
It may well be the case that more than one individual had a certain amount of culpability in causing the accident. In this situation, something called "comparative negligence" can arise. This is also quite a complicated area and may result in one particular driver receiving no compensation, even though the damage caused to their car was done by another vehicle.
Expert Help Needed
It's wise to get experienced help if you find yourself in the middle of a situation like this. Get a competent lawyer on your side to fight as hard as possible to absolve you of blame or to get the right type of compensation.
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