Sorting out cause and effect in a multi-vehicle accident can be a difficult task, but it is a prerequisite to commencing a lawsuit to recover damages. A recent rear-end collision near Elkridge. Maryland demonstrates the problems posed by untangling a multi-vehicle accident.
The incident
According to reports from the Maryland State Police, a Porsche Cayenne SUV rear-ended a Mazda CX-9 SUV on I-95 near Maryland Route 100. Both drivers lost control of their vehicles, and a passenger in the Mazda was thrown from the vehicle and died from her injuries. Neither the driver of the Mazda nor any of the other three passengers was injured. The driver of the Porsche attempted to cross I-95 on foot and was struck by an oncoming car. He was taken to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.
The police did not offer any explanation for the collision itself, specifically, how or why the two drivers lost control of their vehicles. Weather conditions do not appear to have played a role, and the police did not mention alcohol or drugs in their accident report. Preliminary reports do not mention excessive speed as a causative factor.
Ongoing investigation
The Maryland State Police operates accident investigation teams comprising individuals that have been trained in the techniques of forensic engineering, accident investigation, and reconstruction, and because this accident involved a fatality, one of those teams will most certainly be deployed to ascertain a cause.
The family of the person who died in this accident may wish to pursue a claim for wrongful death against the party believed to be at fault. Given the lack of obvious evidence of fault, the family may wish to consult an experienced automobile accident attorney for advice on retain a private forensic engineering firm to probe the cause of the collision.