A multi-vehicle crash on November 29, 2020, resulted in the hospitalization of seven people. The crash occurred on the 101 Freeway at the off-ramp for Las Virgenes Road. The crash involved five cars and was reported shortly after 10:30 am on Sunday morning. The Los Angeles County Fire Department reported that an officer was involved in the accident and didn’t receive hospital care. It wasn’t noted whether the officer was on duty or not.

A Closer Look At Multi-Vehicle Accidents

Any personal injury attorney in Los Angeles will define a multi-vehicle accident as a wreck that involves several vehicles. You may hear this particular type of crash commonly referred to as a pileup by your child injury lawyer Los Angeles. This holds especially true when there are six or more vehicles involved in the accident.

Most multi-vehicle accidents happen on major highways that hold hundreds of vehicles. The high rate of travel of the individual vehicles and their close proximity to one another put drivers at a higher risk for injury, according to a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles.

In addition, the high rate of speed utilized on major highways requires more distance for a vehicle to react in time to avoid an accident. Most drivers don’t leave enough space between their car and the car in front of them to avoid a last-minute collision. Your Los Angeles child injury attorney will tell you this is the reason that many vehicles tend to be involved in accidents that occur on major highways.

Main Causes Of Multi-Vehicle Accidents

While any child injury lawyer Los Angeles can reveal that multi-vehicle accidents can be a result of several causes, there are some that occur more often than others. The most common cause includes reduced roadway visibility due to snow, fog, or rain. Many drivers find themselves trying to slam on the brakes or even switching lanes to avoid hitting the car in front of them. A knowledgeable child injury lawyer near me can provide you and your family legal aid following a crash like this.

The National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) has reported that over 13,000 fatalities happen annually in multi-vehicle accidents. In fact, multi-vehicle accidents are considered the most dangerous type of accident that drivers experience on the roadway. Most fatalities in pileup crashes result from the following impacts:

  • Rear
  • Head-On
  • Sideswiping

Determining Fault Can Take Time

Any Los Angeles child injury attorney will agree that most multi-car crashes are more difficult to establish fault. This is one of the main reasons that there has been no fault placed on any driver in the 101 Freeway accident as of yet. It’s important to note that each state sees fault in multi-vehicle accidents differently.

Some states carry a no-fault policy for multi-vehicle accidents. This allows all parties involved to seek compensation from their insurance company for damages and medical expenses. 

Other states have contributory negligence laws that don’t allow anyone who is found to be at least one percent at-fault for the accident to receive any form of compensation. Your child injury lawyer near me can explain what type of laws govern your state.

Following a crash like this, the most important thing to do is to make sure you and your passengers are alright; next, you can contact a child injury lawyer like Gutierrez Law to make sure you are treated fairly when determining liability for the damages of the crash.