Multi-car crash results in damages and injuries

Car crashes on the highway can result in more than just congested traffic. When a driver makes a careless decision behind the wheel on the highway, that negligent driver may be held liable for any resulting damages and injuries. On the highway it’s important for drivers to pay attention and to be mindful of the road conditions. This is true whether it’s weather-related or a high-traffic time of day.

Four-car crash causes fire and injuries

The Jersey Journal reported on a multi-car crash that occurred recently on New Jersey Turnpike, very close to the Newark Bay Bridge.

The accident occurred when a driver rear-ended another motorist, cracking the fuel tank and starting a serious fire. Three other vehicles were involved in the crash and the fire spread to all of the other vehicles. The passengers in these vehicles did suffer injuries and one woman had to seek treatment at the Jersey City Medical Center. The car that caused the initial crash was burned to the point that it could not be identified.

Rear-end collisions can be especially dangerous on the highway, particularly when multiple vehicles and fires are a part of the crash.

Negligence by other motorists

Rear-end accidents are often the result of negligent behavior. Whether the driver was following too close, distracted or engaged in other activities while driving, these can all be signs of negligence. An individual is negligent when he or she acts in a careless way and that carelessness results in an injury to another person.

To prove negligence, the injured person needs to show that the other motorist owed the injured person a legal duty of care and that the motorist breached that duty. In addition, the injured person must show that by breaching the legal duty, the other motorist caused the accident that resulted in the injury and that the person was injured as a result of the accident.

Damages for negligence

A motorist who has been found to be negligent in a car accident may be liable for damages. Monetary damages can be awarded to the injured person to cover medical bills and out-of-pocket medical expenses, damage done to property, reimbursement for lost wages, and compensation for permanent injuries and pain and suffering.

Someone who has been injured in a car accident may benefit from consulting with an experienced car accident attorney who could help the injured evaluate options and work to recover the compensation they deserve.