Who Can Be Held Liable in a Multi-Vehicle Truck Crash on I-285 or I-75 in Atlanta?

In a multi-vehicle truck crash, three or more vehicles are involved. When truck and car speeds reach upwards of seventy or eighty miles per hour, such as on I-285 or I-75, the damage both to vehicles and people can be dramatic. 

Protect yourself and advocate for your rights by understanding who may be held responsible for having caused one of these multi-vehicle truck accidents. 

Determining Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Truck Crash

Interstate truck accidents that involve more than two vehicles are among the most complex to sort through once the dust settles from the crash. When an injury victim is also tasked with determining who did what in the accident, it can start to feel like an overwhelming situation. 

Fortunately, Georgia law attempts to provide parties to multi-vehicle truck crashes with a method for determining fault. Specifically, Georgia adheres to a modified comparative negligence rule when determining fault when more than one driver played a role in causing the accident. 

Each driver involved in the multi-vehicle truck crash will be assigned a fault percentage based on their role in causing the accident. As long as an injured person was less than 50% at-fault in causing the accident, he or she can recover damages. 

However, the percentage of fault applied to a driver will be what their damages are reduced by at the end of a case. Using real-world numbers, if a driver recovered $50,000 in damages and was found to be 10% at-fault for having caused the accident, the total damages would be reduced to $40,000. 

Distinguishing an Atlanta Interstate Accident From a Roadway Accident

Aggressive drivers, high speeds, and a heavy amount of truck traffic make interstate travel in and around Atlanta difficult. Multiple vehicles frequently become involved in accidents due to the sudden stops and starts in traffic. All it takes for a multi-vehicle accident to occur is a single driver who fails to look ahead far enough to anticipate when it is necessary to start applying their brakes. 

Specifically associated with I-285, construction is an ever-present reality for vehicles traveling through Atlanta. Lanes being closed, opened, and the shifting of traffic are all issues for drivers who may be inexperienced in managing those sorts of road conditions. Construction zone signs are notorious for being poorly worded, not specific enough, and often incorrect based on current lane closures or openings. In short, drivers are afforded little warning about significant changes in lane assignments and traffic patterns. 

Commercial trucks cause more than their fair share of multi-vehicle crashes. Curved interstates are just one challenge for these large trucks to navigate through. The high number of vehicles on these area interstates puts truck drivers in a position where they must be able to adjust to immediate changes in traffic with little to no notice. Add in the treacherous weather that the Atlanta area is famous for, and there is a perfect combination of factors for multi-vehicle accidents involving large trucks. 

Why Do Multi-Vehicle Truck Crashes Happen on Atlanta Interstates?

There are a handful of common reasons why Atlanta area interstates regularly see multi-vehicle truck crashes occur. 

• Reaction times are diminished when traveling at higher rates of speed. Fast-moving vehicles traveling quickly on Atlanta interstates mean that the stopping time required to avoid rear-end accidents is greatly decreased. When drivers do not leave sufficient space between their vehicle and the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of them, multi-vehicle crashes often result. 
• Unfortunately, in our world today, distracted driving has quickly become the norm for many motorists. Our cell phones and a host of built-in distractions exist within modern vehicles. These distractions can pull a driver’s attention away from the road. All it takes is a moment of distracted driving for a severe accident to occur. 
• Finally, large trucks have greater damage potential than smaller passenger vehicles. When a large commercial truck is involved in an accident, its sheer size and weight tend to impact more vehicles on the interstate than a smaller, more compact car or small truck. 

What Does an Atlanta Truck Accident Attorney Do To Help Injury Victims?

The level of preparation and investigation required in a multi-vehicle truck accident case is quite high. Heading into a case without experience and a plan means giving up a potentially significant amount of damages that otherwise could have been won. 

While a client recovers from their injuries, an experienced Atlanta truck accident attorney collects evidence. Police reports, witness statements, and video footage of the accident are analyzed. When dealing with trucking companies, it is crucial to preserve and obtain dashcam footage and other evidence as quickly as possible. To avoid the spoliation or destruction of important evidence, it is best to move with purpose.

Steps to Take After a Multi-Vehicle Truck Accident

1. The safety and well-being of those people involved in the accident come first. Contact 9-1-1 (if you are able) and attempt to drive your vehicle to the shoulder to avoid causing any subsequent accidents. 
2. When it is safe to do so, attempt to take photographs of the accident. This could be something as simple as photographing the property damage to each vehicle and taking photos of the license plates for each vehicle. 
3. Medical treatment should be sought even if an accident victim is not experiencing pain. Certain injuries – especially neck and back-related- can take hours or even days to elicit pain from an accident victim. It is best to seek medical care early and determine if there are steps that can be taken to treat those injuries sooner rather than later. 

Contact an Atlanta Truck Accident Attorney Today

Fight for your rights by reaching out to Mabra Law today. Our team of legal professionals offers free case reviews. An Atlanta truck accident attorney helps injury victims recover maximum damages.