What Should I Do After A Multi-Car Accident In Oregon?
Posted on May 27, 2020 in Car Accident
The last thing that anybody wants to go through is a car accident. However, these incidents do occur, and they often involve more than one vehicle. In the event you or a loved one involved in a multi-car accident in Oregon, there are various steps you can take to ensure your well-being as well as any potential compensation you can receive.
Multi-car accidents can be devastating
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, there were nearly 58,000 total traffic collisions during the latest reporting year data. Out of these incidents, there were 439 fatalities reported and nearly 42,000 injuries. Many of these crashes involved more than two vehicles. Some of the most common types of multi-car crashes include:
- Pileups
- Intersection accidents
- Multi-lane accidents
Multi-car crashes have various causes in Oregon, including distracted driving, impaired driving, aggressive driving behavior, hazardous weather conditions, and more.
What you can do after a multi-car accident
There are several reasons why you need to act quickly in the aftermath of being involved in a multi-car collision. The most important part of this process is ensuring your well-being and the well-being of others involved in the crash. Then, you need to consider issues of liability.
Ensure your vehicle is in a safe spot
Multi-car crashes often result in confusing and chaotic accidents. If it is safe to do so, get your vehicle to a safe location so that it will not be struck by any oncoming traffic. Depending on the severity of the incident, it may not be possible to move the vehicle. In this case, make sure you and anyone inside your vehicle are as safe as possible.
Seek medical assistance
Call 911 immediately and let them know that an accident occurred. If there are any injuries, make sure that EMS is on the way. If you have any injuries, the number one priority is getting yourself to a medical professional as soon as possible. Even if you do not feel any pain immediately following the crash, you still need to seek assistance from a doctor and let them make a determination as to the seriousness of the situation.
Collect as much evidence as possible
If it is safe to do so, you should begin to collect evidence at the car accident scene. Use your smartphone to take pictures of everything, including the vehicles and damage involved, any debris lying around the scene, traffic and weather conditions, injuries, and more. Get the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses to the crash. Be sure to get the name, driver’s license number, and insurance information of other drivers involved in the accident. Make sure that you ask responding law enforcement officials how to obtain an official copy of the accident report.
Contact an Oregon car accident lawyer
After the initial emergency is over, you may need to speak to a skilled Portland car accident attorney. Proving liability in the aftermath of a multi-car accident can be difficult, and you will be left dealing with various insurance carriers. If the other parties Involved are able to place any of the fault for the crash on you, this could hurt how much you receive in a settlement.
What is comparative negligence?
In a multi-car accident, there may be more than one liable party. However, under Oregon’s modified comparative negligence laws, a car accident victim can still recover compensation even if they were partially at fault. In Oregon, you can still recover compensation so long as you are less than 51% responsible for the incident. However, the total amount of compensation awarded these cases will be reduced based on a person’s percentage of fault.