Partner at Charbonnet Law Firm LLC
Practice Areas: Car Accident, Slip-and-Fall, Work-related Injury
Multi-vehicle accidents can turn an ordinary day into a nightmare. These crashes often involve three or more vehicles and can lead to serious injuries, damaged cars, and overwhelming questions about who’s responsible. If you’ve ever been stuck in the middle of one, you know how confusing and stressful it can be to figure out what happened — and who should pay for the damages.
In Louisiana, determining fault in a multiple-vehicle accident isn’t always simple. This guide breaks it down in plain language, helping you understand how these crashes happen, how liability is decided, and what your next steps should be if you’re involved in one.
A multiple-vehicle accident can happen in many ways, but a few situations are more common than others. These crashes often start with a single point of impact and quickly escalate as other drivers don’t have enough time or space to avoid the pileup.
This is one of the most common ways a multi-car accident begins. One Driver suddenly stops or slows down, and the car behind them doesn’t brake in time. That car hits the first, then another vehicle hits the second, and so on. Heavy traffic can easily involve five or more cars.
At intersections, side-impact collisions usually occur when a car runs a red light or fails to yield. When a car hits the side of another, it can push that vehicle into additional lanes or oncoming traffic, causing more collisions in seconds.
Although less common, head-on crashes are incredibly dangerous. They may start with a driver swerving into the wrong lane, often on two-lane roads. Vehicles behind the first two may not have time to avoid the crash, leading to more cars piling up.
Crashes involving 18-wheelers or commercial vehicles can quickly become multi-vehicle collisions. A large truck’s size and weight mean it can hit several cars at once, especially on highways or in poor weather conditions.
Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323: In any action for damages where a person suffers injury, death, or loss, the degree or percentage of fault of all persons causing or contributing to the injury, death, or loss shall be determined…
Louisiana uses a comparative fault system, meaning multiple drivers can share blame in a crash. Each is assigned a percentage of fault, and their compensation is reduced accordingly. For instance, if you’re 20% at fault, you can still recover 80% of your damages.
To determine fault, investigators rely on police reports, camera footage, physical evidence, and expert analysis. Statute of Limitations: In Louisiana, you have a year from the date of the accident to make a personal injury claim.
After a car accident, you have only a year under Louisiana law to file a personal injury claim. This is one of the shortest deadlines in the country. If you wait too long, you may lose the right to recover compensation — even if your injuries are serious.
Louisiana has a rule that limits compensation for uninsured drivers. If you don’t have car insurance, you may be barred from collecting the first $15,000 for bodily injury and the first $25,000 for property damage, even if the accident wasn’t your fault.
Louisiana’s “No Pay, No Play” Law (La. R.S. § 32:866): There shall be no recovery for the first fifteen thousand dollars of bodily injury and no recovery for the first twenty-five thousand dollars of property damage for a driver or owner of a car involved in an accident who does not have or keep up required auto insurance coverage.
If you’re involved in a crash with multiple vehicles, your first step should always be safety. Get medical help, even if you don’t think you’re badly hurt. Some injuries take time to appear.
Next, gather as much information as possible. Take photos of the scene, note the positions of the vehicles, and talk to witnesses if possible. Once the police report is available, request a copy.
Then, talk to an experienced car accident attorney. They can help you understand your rights, deal with insurance companies, and gather the evidence needed to prove who was at fault.
After a multiple-vehicle collision, you may be able to seek compensation for:
If someone dies in a multi-car crash, their family may also be able to file a wrongful death claim under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.2.
| Accident Type | Common Causes | Typical Fault Attribution |
| Rear-End Collision | Following too closely, sudden stops | Rear driver often at fault |
| Side-Impact (T-bone) | Failure to yield, running red lights | Driver violating traffic signal |
| Head-On Collision | Wrong-way driving, lane departure | Driver leaving their lane |
| Multi-Vehicle Pile-Up | Chain reactions, poor visibility | Multiple drivers may share fault |
| Truck-Involved Accidents | Wide turns, brake failure | Truck driver or maintenance crew |
Move to a safe area, call 911, get medical care, take photos, exchange info, and contact your insurance provider. A lawyer can guide you on the next steps.
Indeed. You can get compensation under Louisiana’s comparative fault statute, but the amount will be deducted according to your degree of fault.
The fault is determined by analyzing the accident scene, police reports, witness statements, and sometimes expert accident reconstruction.
If you drive uninsured in Louisiana, this law limits the amount of damages you can claim after an accident, even if it wasn’t your fault.
In Louisiana, you typically have one year from the accident date to file a personal injury claim.
Multi-vehicle accidents are more than just chaotic — they’re legally complex. Figuring out who’s responsible is rarely simple, especially when several drivers may share blame. In Louisiana, the rules around comparative fault and insurance laws like “No Pay, No Play” make it even more critical to understand your rights and act quickly.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a multi-vehicle accident in New Orleans, it’s essential to get legal support early on. The attorneys at Charbonnet Law Firm, LLC can help you navigate the legal process and work toward a fair resolution.
Please don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your claim. Take the first step toward recovering what you’ve lost.
With over 50 years of legal experience serving families in the New Orleans area and surrounding Louisiana communities, our firm takes pride in providing clients with personalized legal services tailored to individual needs.
