The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

On July 19, in northern Germany, a giant pile-up occurred near Hanover. It was late in the day, with the sun hovering low on the horizon and shining in drivers' eyes. It was also raining and slick on the roadway, with puddles where some vehicles skidded and aquaplaned. Despite these conditions, cars were traveling at high speeds.

Scores of ambulances, police cars, and fire engines arrived at the scene, as well as a helicopter, and a tent was set up at the roadside to care for injured people. Sixty-six were injured, of whom ten are reported to be fighting for their lives in local hospitals.

Cars littered the road for a long distance, some off the shoulder, some alone at odd angles, and many in muddled clumps where rear-end collisions had occurred as well as side-swipe collisions.

Emergency workers worked all night treating the injured and police spent the whole night clearing the road of damaged and inoperative vehicles, and debris. This stretch of Germany's Autobahn connects Berlin and Hanover and was in an area with fields on each side.

Police are attributing this massive automobile accident to a combination of weather conditions and fast speeds.

Freeway travel can become monotonous and even hypnotizing, as you sit for long periods going at a uniform speed with no cross-traffic or pedestrians. Accidents are always caused by something - they do not happen randomly. Too many of these Autobahn drivers were evidently inattentive to the road conditions and not able to stop when the car in front of them braked suddenly or rear-ended the car in front of them.

If you have been injured in an auto accident and are wondering if you may have a valid legal claim, please contact our personal injury attorneys at the Cochran Firm today. Our offices are nationwide and we will be happy to give you a free consultation.

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