Your Rights After a Multi-Car Pile-up in East Tennessee

When you are injured in a multi-car pile-up in Johnson City, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Gatlinburg, or elsewhere in East Tennessee, you may be entitled to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and more. The best way to learn about your rights after a multi-car pile-up is through a Free and confidential case review with a qualified attorney.

While any crash involving at least two vehicles is, technically, a multi-vehicle crash, a pile-up is something altogether different. These chain-reaction accidents require three vehicles at a minimum, commonly involving four or more. Seldom minor, multi-car pile-ups destroy vehicles, shut down interstates and highways for hours, and often leave families facing hospital bills, missed work, and insurance finger-pointing. Clearly, when dozens of drivers and multiple insurers are involved, knowing how to proceed can seem complicated.

At The Haynes Firm, our East Tennessee multi-car pile-up lawyers understand. If you have been hurt by someone else’s negligence, we are here to help you sort out liability, review your options, and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Talk to a Multi-Car Pile-Up Lawyer in Johnson City for FREE

To schedule a FREE consultation at our Johnson City Office, call The Haynes Firm at 423-928-0165 today. We are proud to represent victims of serious injury in Maryville, Oakridge, and throughout Tennessee.

Leading Causes of Multi-Car Pile-Ups

Multi-car collisions can happen for several reasons. Among the top causes are:

• Speeding and following too closely. Tailgating is dangerous, especially on highways and in traffic-heavy areas. But, while Tennessee law requires drivers to exercise caution and avoid following another vehicle too closely, rear-end collisions are typically the origin point of multi-vehicle crashes.
• Distracted driving. All forms of distraction while driving are dangerous. Like speeding and tailgating, this becomes especially true when traveling on busy roads. Tennessee’s hands-free law prohibits some forms of distracted driving, yet inattention/distraction continues to play a key role in wrecks involving multiple vehicles.
• Low visibility. East Tennessee’s valleys and ridgelines can create sudden visibility drops due to heavy rain, smoke, sun glare, and fog. The most significant multi-vehicle pile-up in Tennessee’s history, the I-75 fog disaster, was directly related to driver reactions following visibility loss.
• Work zones and lane merges. Abrupt slowdowns plus short following distances can quickly lead to multi-car pile-ups in work zones and lane merges. Tennessee saw 120 traffic fatalities in highway work zones from 2019 to 2023.
• Secondary crashes. Multi-vehicle pile-ups are, essentially, one crash followed by a number of secondary crashes. Rubbernecking, slowdowns, and inattention to driving are common when passing a wreck. When several drivers act in these ways, multi-car pile-ups are likely unavoidable.

In addition to these causes, contributing factors in multi-car pile-ups include drug and alcohol consumption, driver fatigue, and vehicle failure, all of which your lawyer will need to assess when working to establish liability.

Establishing Liability After a Multi-Car Pile-Up

When a crash involves multiple parties, it also often involves multiple causes. Identifying who set the chain in motion and how others may have contributed is essential for establishing fault and securing your right to seek damages.

To accomplish this, your multi-car pile-up lawyer may use:

• Crash scene forensics, like skid mark patterns, vehicle rest positions, debris fields, and event data recorder (EDR) downloads.
• Video evidence from traffic cams, dash cams, nearby businesses, and bystander footage.
• Interviews with witnesses.
• Weather and visibility data, including fog banks, rainfall rates, and sun glare timing.
• Workzone plans and signage compliance when crashes occur in construction zones.

If it’s suspected that alcohol, aggressive driving, or another illegal behavior contributed, police reports and criminal proceedings might also help to establish liability.

At The Haynes Firm, our lawyers take time to thoroughly investigate multi-car pile-ups, helping to ensure liability is correctly assigned. When necessary, we can work with accident reconstruction experts and other specialists to make sure all possible causes are evaluated and those responsible for your injuries are held to account.

What If I’m Partially Liable for a Multi-Car Pile-up?

Tennessee follows a modified comparative fault rule. This means that each defendant named in a civil claim is only liable for the percentage of fault they are assigned. So long as your percentage of fault is not more than the other defendants combined, you will still be entitled to seek damages for your injuries.

When you share a portion of blame for a multi-car pile-up, your compensation will be reduced by whatever percentage of blame falls to you. For example, if you are awarded $200,000 in compensatory damages but are found to be 25% at fault for the crash, your damages would be reduced to $150,000.

The Haynes Firm Is Here to Help

Multi-car pile-ups can quickly turn into multi-party disputes where every insurer wants to pay less and blame more. At The Haynes Firm, our multi-vehicle crash lawyers can help by:

• Preserving Evidence. We can send preservation letters, capture dash and traffic cam footage when available, and potentially secure EDR data before evidence disappears.
• Establishing Liability. We work to establish the chain of events and each driver’s share of fault, looking closely at all of the factors that may have contributed to the crash.
• Documenting Your Damages. We look at medical records, wage loss, future care costs, pain and suffering, and more to ensure your damages are reflective of what you have suffered.
• Negotiating a Settlement. We have more than 40 years of experience negotiating settlements in car wreck claims. We will apply our experience and resources to fight for every penny you are due.
• Representing You in Court. If a settlement can’t be reached, our proven trial attorneys can take your claim to court, allowing a judge or jury to decide what you are owed.

The Haynes Firm is a nationally recognized law firm with award-winning attorneys who have secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Intentional, candid, and tirelessly supportive, we are prepared to stand by your side, fight for your rights, and work to secure the fair and full compensation you deserve.

Contact a Johnson City Multi-Car Pile-Up Lawyer for FREE

If you were hurt in a multi-vehicle crash in Johnson City, Bristol, Greenville, or anywhere in East Tennessee, use our online contact form or call The Haynes Firm today to schedule your FREE consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. We will review the facts, explain how Tennessee’s comparative fault rules might affect your case, and help you map out how best to seek compensation.