A chain accident occurs when two or more vehicles collide, usually affecting other vehicles traveling in the same road. It is sometimes called as multiple vehicle pile-ups.

Usually, chain accidents or multiple vehicle pile-ups result in turmoil and have horrifying outcomes. Serious damages arise and virtually all the people involved sustain injuries ranging from mild to severe. Some may even lose their lives.

Multiple vehicle pile-ups are now becoming common these days, with the existence of many vehicles and highways becoming more heavily trafficked, visibility becomes poorer and poorer. Poor visibility may be a contributory factor to an accident such as chain accidents because it can cause unsafe driving conditions.

One of the factors that may also cause a chain accident is the weather conditions. For example, during winter months when it is usually foggy, an accident may occur because of the fog.

Another instance when chain accidents may arise is in the rainy season. During this season, some areas experience downpour, which flood the roadways and make it difficult to see clearly.

During wildfires, burning near highways, may cause a chain accident because of the thick smoke, decreasing visibility to virtually zero.

Chain accidents do not only involve cars but other kinds of vehicles as well, such as trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and buses.

Chain Accidents: Contributory Factors

Weather condition is just one of the many contributory factors that need to be considered that can cause multiple vehicle pile-ups. The following is a list of some of the causes:

?Weather conditions (snow, rain, fog, etc.)

?Negligence

?Driver's behavior

?Roadway maintenance

?Damaged or worn roadway signs

?Speeding

?Drunk driving

?Equipment failure

?Dangerous roads

Determining who is at Fault

Determining who is at fault in a chain accident is very difficult, as there are many vehicles involved and numerous factors to be considered. But in most cases, negligence is almost always the main cause.

Virtually all cases of chain accidents are caused not only by a single person or party, but by the negligence of two or more parties where there is an existence of shared fault. In such cases, contributory negligence or comparative negligence is applied, depending on the state. There are even cases in which the victim or the injured party is also negligent and has contributed to his/her own injury.

In California, there is the joint and several liability law that makes each and every individual who was responsible for the accident liable for the total amount of economic damages, regardless of the proportion of fault of each individual for the accident, and the non-economic damages are divided between those people who have caused the accident, according to one's percentage of fault.

Economic damages include:

?Medical expenses

?Lost wages

Non-economic damages include:

?Pain and suffering

?Emotional distress

?Damage to family relationships

Getting Help

Being involved in a chain accident is a very complicated and dangerous situation. It is of utmost importance to get all the necessary help and when it comes to legal aspects, it is best to consult with a lawyer who has much experience handling complex cases such as a chain accident.