Liability For T-Bone Accidents
T-bone accidents, also known as side-impact collisions, are among the most fatal kinds of car accidents. In fact, 23% of all fatal car accidents are said to be side-impact collisions. Side impact collisions, as the name suggests, occur when the front of one vehicle collides with the side of another, creating the shape of a T if you were to look down on the scene from above. These accidents are so likely to be fatal due to the near total lack of protection that vehicles offer on the sides. Whereas the front of the vehicle has several feet of engine and metal to slow down the impact of a colliding vehicle, the sides offer only a couple of inches of protection, which does little to nothing to protect vehicle occupants against a vehicle traveling at a high speed. When not fatal, these accidents are likely to cause catastrophic injuries, ranging from trauma to the head, neck, spine, and skull, to fractured and broken bones. Injuries of this nature can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. You should not have to shoulder the financial burden of someone else’s negligence, so if you were involved in a T-bone accident that was not your fault, it is important to identify the liable party and hold them accountable by bringing a personal injury lawsuit.
Who is Liable in a T-Bone Accident?
Who will be liable for a side-impact collision depends on the circumstances of the specific accident. The vast majority of side-impact collisions occur at intersections. They may happen if one driver ignores a stop sign or speeds through a red light, impacting a driver who had the right of way. In that situation, the driver who ignored the traffic sign or signal will be liable for causing the accident, and negligent for breaking the law, both of which give you a cause of action to bring a personal injury lawsuit against them. In more complex situations, the case is not so clear cut because there were other factors that contributed to causing the accident. For instance, if a stop sign at an intersection was missing or a traffic light was malfunctioning, causing a driver to mistakenly think that they had the right of way, there may be additional liable parties, such as the city or state government responsible for maintaining these signs and signals. Liability is generally determined based on the police report, as well as statements from both drivers and witnesses, evidence from the scene such as photos and videos, and any dash cam or street cam footage of the accident. If you were injured in a T-bone accident and are unsure who is liable, it’s a good idea to talk to an attorney to determine what your options are and how best to move forward.
Contact the Draper Law Office
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you do not have to shoulder the burden alone. The experienced Kissimmee auto accident attorneys at the Draper Law Office are ready to help. Contact the Draper Law Office today to schedule a consultation.
Source:
iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/passenger-vehicle-occupants
