Causation in Car Accident Cases

To prove “causation” in a car accident case, the plaintiff must generally show that there is a sufficiently close causal link between the defendant’s conduct, e.g., the defendant’s act of negligence, and the harm suffered by the plaintiff. However, many car accidents, and the injuries that result, have more than one cause. In those cases, it is possible for multiple defendants to be liable for some or all of the harm suffered by the plaintiff.

Determining the cause, or causes, of the plaintiff’s injuries in a serious car accident is often a difficult task that requires the skill of experienced legal and scientific professionals. Successfully proving the cause, or causes, of the plaintiff’s injuries to a judge or jury is an entirely different matter. The Brady Law Group’s team of attorneys, investigators and scientific professionals has the necessary expertise to both investigate and persuasively prove causation in a serious car accident case.

Discovering and proving the underlying cause of a car accident can be tricky. For example, when a car or SUV is involved in a rollover accident, several different potential causes must be considered and evaluated, including bad weather conditions, a poorly designed road, defective tires, the negligence of the victim or another driver, or a vehicle that was defectively designed and thus lacks stability, just to name a few.

Discovering and proving the cause, or causes, of the plaintiff’s injuries in a serious car accident case is often just as challenging, if not more so, than determining the cause of the accident itself. Looking at the example of a car or SUV rollover accident again will help to illustrate this point.

If a car, SUV, van or pickup truck rolls over in an accident, the occupants frequently suffer significant spinal cord injuries. The spinal cord injury suffered by the plaintiff could have been caused, in whole or in part, by a number of different defectively designed or manufactured vehicle parts including the roof, seat belts or air bags. Did the roof of the vehicle collapse under its own weight thus not providing protection to the occupants? A scenario known as “roof crush.” Did the seat belts fail to properly latch? Did the air bag deploy in time? Each one of these component parts was probably built by different parties, and if the claim is not carefully investigated and litigated by an experienced attorney, something could get missed.

At the Brady Law Group, we have relationships with the best forensic accident professionals in California. Our team has the legal expertise and automotive industry knowledge required to properly investigate and prove causation in even the most complex car accident cases.