Any accident is an accident too many. Injuries are not just painful in the physical sense. They can be painful financially, too. If you have been the victim of an accident and have been injured, you may be able to claim compensation if you can prove who is to blame.
Some accidents are more complicated, because there may be more than one party involved and you may have to file a personal injury claim against each of the parties that you think are to blame.
Tip#1: Deciding on Who Was at Fault is the First Step in a Multi Party Claim
When multiple parties are to blame for an accident it can be a difficult but vital job deciding who was at fault and how much they contributed to the accident. It is a bit of a balancing act because claiming against too many parties is as bad as claiming against too few.
There is quite a lot of investigative work involved in deciding on the parties involved and this may be best left to a personal injury attorney who has had extensive experience in this.
Tip#2: Evidence is Crucial in any Successful Claim
You may suspect that more than one person was responsible for an accident happening, but you must be able to prove it if you are going to have any chance of securing compensation. After a vehicle accident, there are several things that you can do to obtain evidence that can be used later to support your claim. That includes:
- Eye witness statements from people who actually saw the accident unfold;
- Police report made by police officers who have attended the crash scene;
- Video footage taken by nearby security cameras;
- Photos taken at the scene of the accident;
- Expert investigation of damaged vehicles.
Your attorney may be able to demand more information if it is suspected that another party was involved. For example, if you were hit by a truck, it may be that the truck company was partly responsible for the truck’s poor maintenance record as well as poor driving decisions by the truck driver.
Your attorney can ask for maintenance records and interview maintenance staff at the truck company in an attempt to reveal facts that may support your claim.
Tip#3: Calculate the Percentage Blame Before Filing a Multi Party Claim
If there is more than one defendant involved, you will need to make a calculation of proportionate blame. For example, if you were hit by a car that was trying to avoid another car that was being driven erratically, both the two drivers may share some of the blame.
Your attorney should have sufficient experience to make a fair calculation of how much each was too blame. If the case goes to trial because either of the parties fails to accept a reasonable claim, the judge who hears the case may also make a decision about how much each should pay in compensation.
Tip#4: Talk To a Personal Injury Attorney As Soon As You Can
Multi-party claims are complex and it is unlikely that any ordinary person is going to have the legal knowledge to frame a suitable personal injury claim that makes a sound case against each at-fault party.
This is something that is better left to a personal injury attorney who has already had good results in winning multi party personal injury claims.
