A multi-vehicle accident is simply a car accident involving more than two vehicles. Often, people will refer to such crashes as a "pile-up," especially when they involve dozens of vehicles. Multi-vehicle accidents usually occur on highways where there are many vehicles travelling at high rates of speed. On these roads, even an accident that might have been relatively minor on an empty road can quickly turn into a dreaded pile-up, as drivers coming upon the multi-vehicle accident collide with disabled vehicles.

Pile-ups often occur in low-visibility conditions, such as dense fog or in bad weather conditions where drivers may not be conscientious about how close they are to the vehicles in front of them and are driving too fast to avoid a collision. Ironically, those cars that do have time to react and manage to avoid colliding with cars in front of them can end up expanding the pile-up. As the trailing vehicles brake, veer, and skid into other lanes or into oncoming traffic, a chain reaction can develop in which the pile-up encompasses many smaller accidents happening simultaneously and sometimes combining. Not surprisingly, large multi-vehicle accidents are some of the deadliest.

Missouri's highways have their share of multi-vehicle accidents. On February 23, 2011, a 31 car pile-up on a Missouri interstate injured 30 people and shut down the highway for over four hours. Among the crashed vehicles were three semi trucks, two St. Louis Fire Department vehicles, and two EMS vehicles. As one driver described the experience, he hit black ice on the highway and slid into other cars that had already collided. Subsequently, his vehicle was struck multiple times, and he ended up trapped in his vehicle for over an hour, suffering several injuries. Fortunately, there were no fatalities in that multi-vehicle accident.

In September of 2010, there was a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 60 in Missouri that was caused by a farmer burning trash. When his field accidentally caught on fire, the ensuing smoke on the roadway caused several cars to collide, and these vehicles were then hit by a tractor-trailer. At least 15 vehicles were involved, and several people were taken to the hospital, some having to be air-lifted.

In August of 2010, a vehicle that began hydroplaning on a wet road ended up causing a 22 vehicle pile-up on Highway 70. Nine people were injured, three of them seriously. The accident happened when the hydroplaning vehicle spun around and hit a guardrail. A pick-up truck then struck that car, and then another vehicle hit the pick-up. Then, a tractor-trailer collided with those vehicles, and the rest of the vehicles followed in quick succession.

Determining the cause of multi-vehicle accidents is sometimes difficult, and it is particularly difficult to determine if the drivers were negligent or responsible for causing personal injury or property damage. Deciphering the causes becomes even more difficult when the crash involves a fire. When so many cars are aggregated, a fire in just one vehicle can quickly spread to other vehicles, turning an unfortunate crash into a disastrous catastrophe. Multi-vehicle collisions make it difficult for local emergency services as firefighters, medical personnel, and police try to gather information, prevent further injury, and access, treat, or evacuate injured parties.

If you or a member of your family have been involved in a multi-vehicle collision, it is essential you retain legal representation as soon as possible to make sure important evidence and information is not lost. By retaining an attorney, you can protect your rights and obtain the recovery you are entitled to. As demonstrated by the examples above, discovering the cause of your injuries and finding out which insurance companies or individuals should bear the burden of covering the accident can present an overwhelming undertaking, particularly if you are dealing with physical injuries and other fallout from an accident. The personal injury attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm have decades of experience in handling Missouri multi-vehicle accidents, and you can place this daunting task in our capable hands.

The Bradley Law Firm has offices in St. Louis and Louisiana, Missouri, and we handle cases all across the state of Missouri. When you need a reliable and trustworthy Missouri multi-vehicle accident attorney to be on your side, you can count on the attorneys at The Bradley Law Firm. Contact us today, and put your mind at ease. There is no fee for the consultation, and no obligation. If we agree to proceed, you can rest easy knowing that we will never send you a bill, and we will collect no attorneys' fees--ever--unless we obtain a money settlement or judgment in your favor. Call us today, or use our online form. An attorney will be available to answer your questions.