What to Do After a Multi Vehicle Pileup Involving a Semi Truck
A multi-vehicle pileup on a highway is one of the most chaotic and terrifying events a driver can experience. When bad weather, black ice, or blinding fog causes dozens of cars to crash into one another, the situation is already dire. But when a fully loaded, 80,000-pound semi-truck plows into that existing pileup, the results are catastrophic.
In the aftermath of a 20- or 50-car pileup, assigning blame is a logistical nightmare. Every insurance company will point fingers at everyone else to avoid paying out massive claims. Knowing exactly what to do after a multi vehicle pileup involving a semi truck is the only way to protect your right to compensation in a sea of corporate confusion.
In a massive pileup, it is rarely just one person's fault. Perhaps a sedan spun out on ice, but the semi-truck was driving 20 mph over the safe speed for weather conditions (a violation of FMCSA regulations) and crushed four cars as a result. In states with "Joint and Several Liability," you can pursue the trucking company's massive $1,000,000+ insurance policy even if they were only partially responsible for the chain reaction.
Steps to Take at the Scene and Beyond
If you survive a chain-reaction crash and are physically able to move, your actions in the first few hours dictate the success of your future claim:
Insurance adjusters need to know exactly when your injuries occurred. If you bumped the car in front of you and were fine, but 10 seconds later a semi-truck obliterated your trunk and shattered your spine, you must clearly document to police that the second, massive impact caused your injuries.
In the days following the crash, investigators from five or ten different insurance companies will call you. They will try to trick you into admitting you were following too closely. Do not speak to any of them. Direct all communication to your attorney.
To prove the truck driver was driving too fast for conditions, your lawyer will hire forensic engineers. They will analyze the truck's Black Box data, drone footage of the skid marks, and the crush-depth of the vehicles to recreate the exact sequence of the pileup in 3D for a jury.