Pedestrian accidents can occur under many different circumstances, and commonly involve drivers failing to pay attention or taking unnecessary risks. While pedestrian accidents usually involve one driver striking a pedestrian, this is not always the case. Pedestrians can also be hurt or killed in chain-reaction or multi-vehicle accidents. When this happens, pedestrians may face challenges in determining which of the drivers involved in the accident should be held accountable for their injuries and resulting losses.

One recent car accident in Arizona which resulted in the tragic death of a pedestrian illustrated how pedestrians can be harmed as a result of multi-vehicle collisions. After this type of pedestrian accident happens, victims or surviving family members need to get appropriate legal help to discover how the car accident occurred and what their options are for recovering crash compensation.

The recent multi-vehicle accident involving pedestrians was reported on by AZ Central.  The accident happened at an intersection in Phoenix, and involved a collision which forced a car onto the sidewalk.

The intersection was at Roosevelt Street and 35th Avenue, near to Carl T. Hayden Community High School. Initial reports indicate one car rear-ended another car. This caused a vehicle to travel onto the sidewalk and hit a pedestrian in a chain reaction collision.  The pedestrian who was struck by the car was an adult, and he lost his life due to the injuries sustained in the accident. The drivers involved in the multi-vehicle accident sustained minor injuries but were treated at the crash scene and released.

Police are looking into how the initial collision occurred which resulted in the death of the pedestrian. Their investigation will hopefully reveal who was at fault so the pedestrian’s family members will be able to pursue a claim for the damages resulting from the fatal accident.

When two or more cars become involved in a chain reaction crash which kills a pedestrian, it is possible more than one driver could be considered liable. Victims or their family members will need to identify all possible defendants who a personal injury or wrongful death claim could be made against. Victims who wish to make a successful pedestrian accident claim for compensation will need to show the actions of the driver(s) were the direct cause of the pedestrian accident and the resulting injuries and fatalities the crash caused to occur.

This can be more complicated if more than one driver is involved, as compared with a situation where it is clear one motorist made a bad choice and led to a pedestrian being hit. However, if multiple drivers share the blame for the pedestrian accident, this means there could be more insurance coverage and money available to ensure a victim is fully compensated for all collision losses.