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Multi-Vehicle Accident Liability
The liability for a multi-vehicle accident will depend upon which parties’ negligence led to the occurrence of the accident and related injury. It is possible that one party could be entirely responsible, while it is equally possible for two or more parties to have been negligent and therefore have shared liability.
Regardless of who initiated contact with the other vehicle(s), any other driver who was speeding, distracted, tailgating, etc., at the time of the collision would likely be found liable as well as the initiating party. Determination of liability will involve documentation of the order of impacts and the actions taken by each driver. Such documents typically include police reports, witness statements, dash cam video, vehicle damage estimates, etc. Additionally, in Oklahoma, regardless of whether you were partially at fault for your injuries or damages, this will determine both your ability to seek compensation for such losses and the amount of compensation you are entitled to.
Contact the attorneys at Edwards & Patterson Law now for a free consultation about your rights after a multi-car accident.
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539-295-4225Tulsa Car Accident Lawyer
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Understanding Multiple-Vehicle Accidents AKA “Pile Ups”
A multi-vehicle accident occurs when there are at least 2 other vehicles in addition to the vehicle that initiated the accident. In most cases, this type of accident occurs as a result of a first vehicle colliding with a second vehicle (resulting in a secondary impact) resulting in additional impacts (i.e. a third vehicle being struck by the second etc.).
In many cases, contributing factors include:Highway/traffic volume, poor road conditions, inclement weather, speed and sudden stopping.
As a result of multiple vehicles being involved in an accident, the likelihood of sustaining severe injury and/or fatality increases significantly. Additionally, emergency services and accident clean-up personnel will have difficulty responding to and cleaning up from such an accident. Investigation of liability is often complex as it requires determination of negligent driving on the part of one or more parties involved, and also requires determination of how much each party’s actions contributed to the occurrence of the accident.
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How Multi-Car Accidents Can Happen in Oklahoma
The number of possible reasons for multi-car wrecks are numerous; however, a great deal of them come down to either the way people drive or the physical environment they drive through. The top three most common causes of multi-car wrecks are as follows:
Distracted driving – whether by texting and/or using their cell phones while driving, eating, etc., distracted drivers will be unable to detect traffic slowing down or stopping before a wreck occurs. This could lead to a series of rear-end collisions.
Following the vehicle in front too close (tailgating) – when you follow another vehicle too close you do not leave yourself sufficient time to stop. If the vehicle in front of you brakes abruptly, this can cause a rear end collision. Rear end collisions will often create a domino effect resulting in additional vehicles involved in the wreck.
Poor road conditions – due to inclement weather such as rain, fog, snow, and ice will decrease visibility and increase the chance of slipping/losing traction with your vehicle.
Speeding – speeding creates a longer stopping distance. In addition to creating a longer stopping distance, excessive speeds also tend to create greater damage in the event of an accident. High-speed impacts increase the likelihood that the vehicle hit will then impact one or more other vehicles and create a multi-vehicle collision.
Sudden stops – Stopping quickly on a busy highway may cause several vehicles to collide if there isn’t sufficient time for other drivers to react.
Many times, multiple causes occur together and/or contribute to a multi-vehicle collision. Therefore, multi-vehicle collisions are both very dangerous and destructive.
How Fault is Proven in a Multiple Vehicle Accident
It can be difficult to prove responsibility in a situation like this, since there are so many different people driving. To show who was responsible for the first vehicle collision, as well as whether or how other drivers were involved in creating the subsequent collisions, you’ll have to collect evidence (of some type) and use it to help recreate the order of events leading up to the crash. There are many types of evidence that might be helpful. Some examples include:
- the police report(s)
- eyewitness accounts
- traffic cam and/or dash-cam footage of the incident
- photos taken of damage
- reports created by an accident reconstructionist detailing the mechanics of what happened
- an examination of how badly damaged the cars are
- black boxes
- skid marks and debris patterns
All of this evidence will help establish the cause-and-effect relationship between the drivers involved in the accident. By using all available evidence, your attorney will work to create a strong enough case to show that any party responsible for causing injury and/or property damage is held accountable.
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Can More Than One Person Be Held Liable for a Pile Up?
Yes. Because typically more than one driver contributes to a multi-car pile-up, it’s very common for more than one driver to be held liable for damages related to such an accident.
The amount of money a person receives in compensation depends on the extent of liability assigned to them. Compensation can often be recovered from liable parties or by means of insurance coverage when an individual is found to be at least partially liable and damages have been established.
In cases where multiple defendants have caused harm (i.e., they were “at fault”) the law typically requires each defendant to pay only their share of the total damages assessed against them. Identifying as many possible at-fault parties may increase a plaintiff’s likelihood of recovering some form of compensation, but the actual recovery will depend upon liability determination; documented losses (damages); available insurance coverage; and whether it is feasible to collect.
Oklahoma uses a system called “comparative negligence” to assess responsibility among all parties in a multi-vehicle accident. Oklahoma has laws that apply “comparative negligence.” In those cases, a plaintiff will get less money for their damage claims than they would have gotten if they weren’t negligent themselves.
A victim’s amount of recovery is determined by subtracting his/her own percentage of blame from the total award received. The claimant’s damages can be reduced by the claimant’s percentage of fault as long as the claimant does not have more than 50 percent responsibility. If a person is entitled to make a comparative-negligence claim under the law, then their total damages award will be adjusted according to how much they were at fault compared to others involved.
For example if there were an award of $100,000 in damages and the claimant was found to be responsible for only 20 percent of that amount, then generally speaking the claimants damages would be reduced by 20 percent, or $20,000. So they would receive $80,000.
Because of Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence statute (23 O.S. Sections 13-14) a defendant’s determination of liability may also be affected by the plaintiff’s own actions.
Are Multi-Vehicle Crash Lawsuits Typically Harder to Win Than Single Vehicle Crashes?
Multi-vehicle crash lawsuits tend to be far more complicated than those stemming from single vehicle crashes. The amount of defendants within a multiple vehicle collision case can vary greatly depending upon which individuals/ entities may potentially be held liable as opposed to the quantity of vehicles/drivers that were present at the time of the crash.
Thus, it can become difficult to establish who was at-fault and the legal process normally extends due to the fact that more time needs to be devoted to investigating and analyzing all of the various types of evidence in order to identify the at-fault party(ies).
Aspects of establishing at-fault status, which complicate receiving adequate compensation for damages sustained in multi-vehicle crash lawsuits, include:
More Defendants: The greater number of drivers involved, means there will be a greater number of possible defendants. Each of these possible defendants has a differing account of what occurred, thus creating conflicting accounts.
Shared Liability: Liability may be apportioned amongst two or more drivers, necessitating an evaluation to assess each party’s degree of responsibility.
Chains Of Events: In addition to understanding the original impact resulting in subsequent impacts, accident reconstructionists may also be required to provide insight into this chain of events.
Insurance Companies: Insurance companies representing different parties could be involved, each seeking to deflect responsibility for their insured’s actions in order to minimize their financial liability.
Serious Injuries/Fatalities: Due to the nature of multi-vehicle crashes, injured victims may suffer severe injuries or death. As such, this greatly increases the amount of money sought in a lawsuit and makes negotiating and litigating over issues related to injury and/or death even more contentious.
Get Help From An Experienced Oklahoma Auto Accident Attorney
The physical and emotional trauma resulting from being involved in a multi-vehicle auto accident, caused by another person’s negligence, can be overwhelming. Furthermore, during your recovery from the personal injuries you suffered in the wreck and any loss of earnings, dealing with additional stress from pursuing compensation for your losses including but not limited to; medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses can add insult to injury.
At Edwards & Patterson Personal Injury Law Firm, our experienced attorneys will work diligently on your behalf to advocate on your behalf for your rights. We realize the suffering you are experiencing and would like to assist in easing your burdens by taking care of fighting for justice for you.
Contact us today to begin your legal case with a free consultation. so we can answer any questions that you may have.
Last updated Thursday, October 15th, 2026
