Many Idahoans may be used to snow but that doesn’t necessarily make it any less dangerous. If you’re one of countless drivers who are injured in winter accidents each year, you may be wondering how you will pay for your medical bills and lost wages. If that accident wasn’t your fault, you may not have to. Just like any other accident, a driver who causes a winter accident is responsible for fully compensating the people they injured.
Our firm helps people who were injured in winter accidents seek full compensation for their injuries. From dealing with the insurance company to seeking additional compensation from the other driver, we guide you through every part of the claims process including going to court if needed. To get started, contact us for a free consultation to find out what your case is worth.
Negligent Driving Makes Winter Accidents Common
It wouldn’t be winter in Boise without a massive pileup shutting down I-84 and fender benders on almost every corner. However, just because winter accidents happen so frequently doesn’t mean that they should happen or that the drivers who cause them escape responsibility.
Every driver has a duty to maintain a safe speed and adequate stopping distance no matter what the conditions. Even though patches of ice may be hard to spot on what looks like a clear stretch of highway, drivers must anticipate poor conditions so that they can always maintain control over their vehicles.
Who’s At Fault In A Massive Pileup?
Winter conditions don’t just make accidents more likely. They also increase the probability of multiple cars being involved.
Pileups often start the same way as other accidents a bad lane change or someone following too closely. When a driver is struck on a slippery surface, they may lose control and slide into the path of another car. Finally, even after the initial cars come to a stop, other drivers approaching the scene may fail to anticipate the stopped cars, brake too late, and rear end them, or on icy roads, may lack the needed traction to safely maneuver around the accident.
If you were one of the unlucky innocent drivers who was slid into, you may have a claim against the driver who started the accident as well as any others whose tailgating or careless behavior led to you being struck. Further, sharing blame for the initial collision doesn’t prevent you from recovering against a driver who later rear ended you and made your injuries worse.
Determining the at-fault party will be key in getting full compensation for your injuries and losses. If the police report doesn’t specify who was at fault, photos and videos can be invaluable to showing where each car was positioned so that you can establish fault. You can even use news footage showing the aftermath if you were involved in a pileup large enough to attract media attention.
What If You Were Pushed Into Someone?
It’s also possible that you were able to stop in time but then got hit from behind and pushed into the car in front of you. When this happens, the driver who you were pushed into may want to make a claim against you for rear ending them, and when the police arrive, they may just assume that you had been following too closely.
To avoid claims against you, try to get statements and contact information from any witnesses who can confirm that you had in fact been stopped. And again, even if you’re found liable for following someone too closely, it doesn’t mean that you can’t bring a claim against the driver who struck your car and injured you.
Get Help From An Experienced Winter Accident Lawyer
Because it can be difficult to piece together enough evidence and information to prove what happened in a winter pileup, winter accident claims can be unusually complex. Further, you may find yourself having to deal with multiple insurance companies or having to sue several individual drivers. Don’t let this discourage you from seeking the compensation you’re entitled to.
Our experienced winter accident attorneys handle personal injury claims every day. We know what evidence you need to prove your case and how you can find it. We’re also used to dealing with insurance companies who drag their feet and make excuses to avoid paying a valid claim.
You don’t need to try to handle your winter accident claim on your own. We start with a free consultation, and you only pay us if you recover. Contact us now at (208) 333-3330 to find out what your case is worth. Litster Frost Injury Lawyers in Boise can work with you anywhere in the state.
