Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Handling Personal Injury Claims in the Seattle Area and Throughout Washington Since 1995

My name is Chris Thayer and I am a personal injury attorney practicing in downtown Seattle. I handle personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims throughout the greater Seattle area, including Issaquah, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

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What are Secondary Car Accidents?

Posted Friday, November 29, 2019 by Chris Thayer

Alternative TextMultiple car accidents, or pile-ups, are some of the most catastrophic accidents that can occur on the roadways. These types of accidents typically happen after a “primary” accident has already occurred. A primary accident is the initial car accident between two or more drivers. A secondary car accident, which can occur for multiple reasons, is the accident that happens after that first accident, but are as a result of that first accident. According to the Federal Highway Administration, statistics show that 20% of all car accidents are actually classified as secondary accidents. These secondary car accidents can cause severe personal injuries, property damage, and death.

*Common Causes of Secondary Car Accidents *Any number of things can cause a secondary car accident. However, some of the most common causes can include:

*Complexity of Secondary Car Accidents *The scene of most secondary car accidents is a congested roadway, full of multiple disabled vehicles. This gridlocked area often backs up the rest of the road, and emergency vehicles can find it nearly impossible to break through these packed areas and navigate the road to the accident. With serious injuries likely, the inability of these emergency vehicles to get to those in need can cause even more serious medical issues.

Statistics show that secondary car accidents usually involve several vehicles, and therefore, it is oftentimes very difficult to determine the liability in these accidents. Some of the accidents may have happened virtually simultaneously, or as a direct result of the accident in front of them. These chain reaction accidents are the most common type of secondary car accidents. In these large multi-car pile ups, oftentimes a car accident reconstruction expert must be brought in to make a determination regarding liability and fault.

*Preventing Secondary Car Accidents *Realistically, there is simply no way to prevent some accidents from occurring, however, these tips can help you possibly avoid becoming involved in a secondary accident.

*Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney *If you were involved in any type of car accident, including a secondary car accident, you likely are suffering from injuries that have caused you to incur medical bills and loss of wages from work. Contact our legal team at the Pivotal Law Group at 206-340-2008 or online to discuss your car accident case today. We proudly serve the Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island and Issaquah areas.

(image courtesy of Mark Cruz)