Formally known as “multiple-vehicle collisions” within the insurance industry and safety agencies, pile-ups – where several motor vehicles are involved in an accident – are a well-known danger here in Illinois and Indiana. See, “Multiple-Vehicle Collision,” written by Gary Paulson and published by Mid-Columbia Insurance on January 5, 2024, and “Multi-Car Accident,” written by Toni Matthews-El and Adam Ramirez and published by Forbes on March 21, 2023.
Sadly, history teaches us that there is likely to be more of these dangerous pile-ups on our local roadways during the upcoming winter months. After all, both Illinois and Indiana are infamous for our winter weather, from historic blizzards to tornadoes. See, e.g., “EF-1 tornado confirmed to have hit Linton,” written by Christopher Boyll and published by Yahoo News on December 29, 2025.
Think of the risk of pile-ups for those driving on I-90, I-94, or the Kennedy Expressway in Illinois, or on I-70, I-65, I-69, or I-94 in Indiana. Things like lake-effect snow; black ice; dense or freezing fog; and sleet are all commonplace on these popular highways, inviting the risk each winter for multiple vehicle collisions, sometimes with deadly results.
For anyone who is involved in a multi-vehicle crash in our part of the country, it is vital that they and their loved ones understand how complicated it can be to get justice in the form of proper recompense and damage claim coverage in these types of accidents.
An experienced car accident attorney can be invaluable here. Why? Consider the following:
1. Indiana and Illinois: Laws that bar recovery in winter pile-ups
Indiana lawmakers have passed legislation establishing what is termed “comparative fault” in motor vehicle accidents within that state’s jurisdiction (Indiana Code §§ 34-51-2-5 to 34-51-2-8). Illinois has a similar statute found in 735 ILCS 5/2-1116.
Under these laws, fault must be determined by the facts of the specific situation. It is apportioned among the drivers involved in the crash.
If you are found to be at least 51% responsible for causing the motor vehicle collision, then you are barred from recovering any damages pursuant to Illinois and Indiana law.
2. Illinois and Indiana: legal presumption of fault for rear-end collision
In both states, pile-ups will also be investigated for facts that confirm which vehicle was found in what position on the roadway when the crash happened. In a chain-reaction pile-up, the driver in the rear may be challenged to overcome a legal presumption that they are the cause of the multi-vehicle accident.
The law in both states will presume that the rear-ending driver was failing to keep a safe distance on the winter roadway and this failure was the reason for the pile-up.
3. Insurers: ready defense lawyers and experienced claims adjusters
For anyone involved in a multi-vehicle crash in our part of the country, they can expect law enforcement to arrive on the scene to build their own police reports with opinions on causes of the pile-up. They should also be ready for representatives of the various insurance companies whose policyholders may have legal liability in the accident.
These insurers are well-versed in handling winter motor vehicle accidents in Illinois and Indiana. They will have established procedures and protocols for their company employees to follow (like their adjusters and investigators). They also have insurance defense attorneys a text or phone call away, if need be.
This quickly creates a very real David vs Goliath situation for many accident victims and their loved ones in a multi-vehicle collision involving snow or ice winter conditions. It will be very easy for these professionals to start pointing fingers at drivers with an argument there was a failure to drive in a reasonable and prudent manner given the particular winter conditions at the time of the accident.
Car Accident Lawyers for Accident Victims in Winter Pile-Up Accidents
Each winter weather car accident in Illinois and Indiana is unique and deserves individual consideration and investigation into all the reasons for why it happened. This is especially true in a winter weather multi-vehicle collision where there is snow, ice, sleet, freezing fog, strong winds, low temperatures, and the like. There can be no easy, fast answer to cause in many of these crashes.
For pile-up accident victims, their personal injury attorney working together with the coordinated expertise of accident reconstruction experts, can find factual details and legal bases thwarting any jumping the gun finger-pointing of an insurance adjuster all too ready to deny or minimize claims.
The victim’s advocacy team (experts and lawyers) can also establish and define those who may share legal liability for the pile-up, where one or more third parties may be discovered to have legal responsibility for the collision.
Investigations must be thorough. Black box data must be collected from all the motor vehicles involved in the accident. Ditto for dash cam footage as well as any video from smartphones or security cameras or INDOT traffic cams that caught critical images either before, during, or after impact. Weather reports must be authenticated, ready for admission as evidence of the exact conditions in existence at the time. Witness statements must be documented.
See: EDRs and Black Box Recordings in Car Crashes: Technological Data as Evidence of Fault in Personal Injury Claims; Black Box Data in Semi-Truck Crashes: The Importance of EDR Evidence; and Accident Reconstruction Experts and Injury Claims.
These complicated crashes may ultimately be confirmed to have been breaches in the legal duties of care and safety by third parties such as landowners or lessors (who failed in things like cutting back trees, allowing for black ice to form); dispatchers or supervisors pushing truckers or delivery drivers to drive too fast because of a delivery deadline; drivers who were driving distracted or under the influence at the time of the accident, exacerbating the harm; manufacturers of flawed or failing components of one of the vehicles (think brakes, tires); etc.
Read:
- Semi Truck Crash Liability: Third Party Liability in Indiana Truck Accidents;
- Winter Weather Dangers of Deadly Chicago Semi-Truck Crashes;
- Roadway Departure Accidents Cause Over Half of All Fatal Car Crashes;
- Winter Weather Doesn’t Excuse Negligence: What Indiana Drivers Should Know.
In the appropriate case, the car accident attorney may also help with the victim’s workers’ compensation benefits claims that provide financial help after a work-related accident. See, Common, Severe Work Related Injuries: How Do Attorneys Protect Workers?
Shared fault may be found in a multiple vehicle collision. The specific facts of the winter weather pile-up will not be completely understood for weeks or months, until experts have had the time to gather everything they need, review it, and then form a formal opinion as to causation.
Having an experienced car accident attorney in these winter .weather pile-ups where the laws of Indiana and Illinois are so specific as to finding liability, or barring it, can be very important to the accident victim and their loved ones. Legal claims do have their own deadline, too (usually two years from the date of the crash).
Also read:
- Helping Hurt Car Crash Victims Before EMS Arrives: Rendering Aid After an Auto Accident in Illinois or Indiana;
- 10 Things to Do Immediately After a Car Crash in Illinois or Indiana
- What To Do If You’ve Been Hurt In an Indiana Car Crash
- What To Do If You’ve Been Injured In A Car Crash in Illinois.
Winter weather in our part of the country comes with terrifying road hazards like black ice and sudden wind gusts, coupled with heavy snowfall and blinding sleet. The risk of being involved in a pile-up here is great. Please be careful out there!
