In March 2021, two people died and three more were injured in a Quad Cities multi-car crash after a Freightliner cargo van traveling north on Highway 61 lost control near Long Grove and crossed over the center median. The 18-year-old male driver of the van was ejected out of the vehicle when it struck a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Toyota Corolla passenger car. He suffered critical injuries and was transported to Genesis Center East for treatment. An official statement from the Scott County Sheriff’s office shared that it appeared the driver of the van was not wearing a seat belt.
The driver of the Dodge Ram was a 59-year-old male. He was the only occupant of the pickup truck and escaped with minor injuries. Unfortunately, two occupants of the Toyota died at the scene. A third ended up airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
Caring for the Injured in the Quad Cities
Our team grieves the loss of life and injuries suffered during this tragic multi-car collision and empathizes with all those affected by the life-altering outcome. We know that these types of accidents are not always avoidable. They can occur during a variety of weather conditions and times of day. We also know that the last thing an accident victim or their loved ones wants to immediately deal with are insurance companies.
That is why we strongly encourage anyone in a multi-car accident in the Quad Cities area to contact a personal injury attorney for a free consultation. Doing so will help you learn how an attorney can negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf. It also makes it possible for you to focus on your recovery. That way you can take the necessary amount of time to learn how to move forward post car accident.
Prior to contacting an attorney, look over the following information. The information provided gives you a better understanding of multi-vehicle accidents. You will also learn the different elements involved in processing these types of accident injury claims.
What Is a Multiple Car Accident?
A multiple car accident (a.k.a. pile-up) occurs when two or more vehicles get into an accident.
A few examples of multi-car accidents include chain reaction rear-end collisions, cross traffic collisions (like what happened in the previously mentioned accident), or t-bone accidents that happen at an intersection.
What to Do After A Multi-Car Accident
Depending on the severity of the accident, you may or may not be able do much but wait for help to arrive. If you are alert and involved in a car accident (not just an eye-witness to what occurred), here are nine actions to keep in mind:
- Do not get out of your vehicle unless it is safe to do so
- Call for medical assistance for the injured
- Do not claim fault of any kind
- Answer questions of the reporting law enforcement officer
- Obtain insurance information from all parties involved
- Take photos and video of the scene
- Ask for contact information of any witnesses
- Contact a personal injury attorney
- Contact your insurance adjuster
At Winstein, Kavensky & Cunningham, our attorneys are licensed to practice in the state courts of Illinois and Iowa, as well as the United States federal courts. We cover a range of practices, from traffic accidents to small whiplash to catastrophic injuries. We will deal directly with the insurance company on your behalf. Our team will also represent you in a court of law if necessary.
Injured in a Quad Cities multi-car crash? Then, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Just fill out the form on this page, or call (309) 794-1515.
Why Multi-Vehicle Accidents Occur
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 6,734,000 police-reported traffic accidents in 2020. 4,371,004 involved two or more vehicles. So, why are so many drivers piling up on our roadways?
Multi-car accidents occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- Bad weather
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy driving
- Impaired driving
- Poor road conditions
- Reckless behavior
- Rubbernecking at another accident
- Running red lights
- Speeding in construction zones
- Tailgating
More vehicles involved in a car accident will also increase the amount of broken glass, flying debris, twisted metal, and severity of injuries. In fact, multi-car collisions are much more deadly than the typical two-vehicle collision.
An important point to note about multi-car accidents is when multiple drivers are involved, it is possible for several drivers and passengers to endure life-threatening injuries or even wrongfully lose their life. Which creates challenges in determining fault and awarding compensation. Compensation that could cover medical bills, lost wages, wrongful death compensation, and other damages.
How to Determined Fault in Multiple Driver Accidents
Both Iowa and Illinois are at-fault (or “tort”) states. Meaning that the court will try to determine who was negligent and legally at fault for a traffic accident. More specifically, at-fault makes the driver and his/her insurance company liable for any injuries and property damage that occurred.
However, since multi-vehicle crashes increase the difficulty of determining and assigning fault, the court will often find more than one driver at-fault and will hold each responsible to varying degrees.
To help protect the rights of an injury victim, an experienced attorney will look for ways to remove/reduce fault from their client. They will do this by reviewing the data found in the police report to include damage to each vehicle. They will also carefully evaluate accompanying photos, witness statements, and physical evidence gathered at the scene of the accident.
Other factors that will help determine where fault lies include:
- Violations of any state or local traffic law.
- Issuance of traffic citations.
- If there were any unsafe road conditions at the time.
By carefully piecing all of the details together, a car accident attorney can make all the difference in helping an injury victim get the compensation they deserve.
Noteworthy details: Most claims do not result in an actual lawsuit, but if you hire Winstein, Kavensky & Cunningham that means that you’ll have an advocate who’ll push for a fair settlement to your claim. Having an experienced car accident lawyer on your side also evens the playing field against the army of adjusters and claims specialists a large insurance company employs.
Hire Trustworthy Quad City Car Accident Attorneys
As the premier plaintiff’s attorneys in the Quad Cities area, many of our personal injury and civil trial law cases have resulted in large cash awards for our clients. Our high success rate is partly due to the fact that we carefully listen to the needs of our clients. Doing so allows us to find out all of the details for their specific accident. By putting our clients’ bests interests first, it also helps our legal team determine the best case scenarios regarding their case.
We will also make ourselves available for home and hospital visits, in addition to evening and weekend appointments.
Don’t delay! Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation and find out how our dedicated team can make all the difference in ensuring that you and your loved ones are properly compensated after a multi-car crash in the Quad Cities area has wrecked your life. Call us at (309) 794-1515, connect with one of our LiveChat agents standing by, or fill out this form to request your free case review.
The information on this blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing herein should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.