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Multi-car crashes in South Carolina often have more than one at-fault party. This makes proving liability and recovering compensation more complex than in accidents that only involve two vehicles. However, identifying all liable parties and gathering strong evidence of their roles in the crash is essential to recovering fair compensation for your injuries.
If you were hurt in a multi-car accident in South Carolina, working with a Spartanburg car accident lawyer can help you ensure you have the necessary evidence to recover maximum compensation. Our attorneys know how to navigate these types of cases, showing what happened and who is legally responsible.
How Fault Works in South Carolina Multi-Vehicle Accidents
When more than one party is at fault for a crash in South Carolina, victims can hold all of them accountable for their contributions to the accident. This may even be true if the victim played a role in the accident themselves.
Unlike North Carolina, where you cannot recover compensation if you contributed to causing a crash, South Carolina allows partial recovery for those who are under 51 percent liable. Under SC Code § 15-38-15, South Carolina law establishes a modified comparative negligence rule.
If you contributed to causing the accident, the percentage of fault assigned to you matters. Your total compensation recoverable will go down based on your percentage of fault. If you did not play a role in causing the crash, the other parties will split the liability based on the percentage of fault assigned to them.
Insurance Companies May Shift Blame
One major hurdle victims run into when seeking compensation for their multi-car accident injuries is that the insurance companies work to shift blame to avoid paying as much. They could try to blame you or point fingers at the other drivers involved. They may attempt to assign a higher percentage of fault to one driver or try to split it between multiple drivers.
Common Causes of Multi-Car Accidents in South Carolina
Many people think of a car accident as a collision between two vehicles, but multiple-vehicle accidents are more common than many people realize. They could occur when:
- Sudden stops lead to rear-end chain reaction crashes on I-26, I-85, or busy highways
- Multiple drivers run red lights or stop signs
- A pile-up occurs when visibility is low because of fog, smoke, rain, or snow
- Drunk or distracted drivers have a reduced reaction time and cannot avoid a collision in front of them
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Determining Liability in a Car Accident Involving Multiple Vehicles
Liability in a South Carolina collision largely depends on the specific circumstances and what caused the crash. Each car accident case is different and warrants its own investigation. Some potentially liable parties include:
- A careless or reckless driver whose mistakes behind the wheel caused the auto accident
- A trucking company or other corporation, if their workers’ negligence contributed to a collision
- A vehicle or parts manufacturer if a mechanical failure played a role in the car crash
- A government entity if the road design, maintenance, or signage caused a problem
Often, there is shared fault in these collisions. When this occurs, the parties may not willingly agree to share liability. It may be necessary to take the case to trial and allow the jury to allocate a percentage of fault to each party.
Types of Evidence Gathered to Prove Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Car Accident
To protect your right to seek and recover full compensation for your damages, you will need strong evidence to show that others caused your crash, and you did not contribute to your accident or injuries. Working with a car accident attorney allows you to focus on your treatment and healing while they gather evidence, determine what happened, and organize a convincing case.
Your attorney may take the following steps to build a strong compensation case:
- Obtain traffic camera recordings, dashcam video footage, and any available surveillance tape
- Work with accident reconstruction experts to analyze the crash
- Request police reports and relevant medical records
- Interview witnesses to learn what they saw
- Assess physical evidence
- Survey the accident scene
While you should always report a car accident in South Carolina, it is especially important to have police respond to the scene of a multi-car injury crash. The police report often plays a key role in these accident cases. This is especially true when the insurance companies dispute liability or try to shift blame during the claims process.
How a South Carolina Lawyer Can Assist with Your Accident Case
When you hire a personal injury lawyer to manage your car accident case, they will
investigate all liable parties to maximize your claim and then negotiate with multiple insurance companies to ensure fair compensation. When necessary, they can file a lawsuit and ensure you meet South Carolina’s three-year statute of limitations set by S.C. Ann. § 15-3-530.
Multi-vehicle crashes are complex and require a strategic approach to determine how fault and liability are distributed. Having an attorney on your side allows you to focus on your treatment and healing. Your legal team can take care of the rest, including investigating and building a case against the responsible party or parties.
Learn More About Liability in South Carolina Multi-Car Accidents Today
At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, we provide free consultations for victims injured in a multi-car accident in South Carolina. We can assess your case and determine your legal options. We have recovered more than $100 million and served over 10,000 clients. You can speak to a member of our legal team today for free. Contact us today to get started.
