Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
U.S. Highway 26 in Washington County (Sunset Highway) is one of the more dangerous roads in Oregon. Crash data placed it as the 14th-deadliest road in the state. Highway 26 is also heavily traveled. These realities increase the odds that, if you are involved in a Sunset Highway accident, the collision may involve more than two vehicles. When you suffer serious harm in an accident like that, you need an experienced Oregon auto accident lawyer who knows how to do a proper (and thorough) investigation of your accident and then use the evidence amassed from that investigation to help you in pursuing all necessary legal and insurance claims.
Beaverton was the site of one of these chain reaction accidents last month, according to a KATU report. The report indicated that the crash occurred between 12:00 and 1:00 am along the Highway 217 ramp to westbound Highway 26. According to the Beaverton Police public information officer, the initial accident involved two vehicles, both of which stopped after the collision. Subsequently, the “at-fault vehicle in that crash was then struck again by another vehicle traveling on Highway 26 in a second crash.”
The “driver who caused the first crash was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries,” according to police.
Causes of Multi-Vehicle Accidents in Oregon
Multi-vehicle accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. In many of these accidents, visibility plays a factor. Oregon is home to a variety of weather conditions that increase the potential for poor driver visibility and slick road conditions. This includes fog, rain, snow, and ice.
Frequently, drivers’ failure to adjust properly to bad weather conditions is a key factor. The law requires drivers to always maintain control over their vehicles. A driver may be negligent – and potentially liable for harm caused in an accident – if they were driving too fast for the conditions at the time of the accident. That may be true even if the driver was not exceeding the posted speed limit. For example, driving 50 mph in a 55-mph zone may still establish negligence if the area was experiencing dense fog or black ice.
Driving at night can also potentially play a role in a chain-reaction crash. So can a driver who was driving while distracted, drowsy, or impaired.
The reports regarding the Beaverton crash did not mention problematic weather conditions. The report did indicate, however, that the incident occurred after midnight.
Multi-Vehicle Crashes: Potentially Complicated Facts
A multi-vehicle/chain reaction accident can be especially complex when it comes to seeking just compensation. Even an accident as small as a three-vehicle collision may involve liability on the part of one or multiple drivers. A four-vehicle crash could involve possible liability on the part of one driver, two drivers, or three drivers. With crashes involving five or more vehicles, the possible liability scenarios become that much more numerous.
Each chain-reaction crash is different, which is why it is so essential to have the benefit of a thorough investigation. A proper investigation can give you the benefit of eyewitness testimony, police reports, and forensic evidence from the crash scene (including photos and video footage). Your legal counsel can use all that evidence to identify appropriate targets for legal or insurance claims, as well as help you fight accusations that you were at fault.
If you have been involved in a multi-vehicle crash, you can count on the Oregon motor vehicle accident lawyers at Kaplan Law LLC to have the first-hand experience necessary to provide you with well-thought-out solutions and diligent advocacy to ensure you get justice. Call (503) 226-3844 today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
