T Bone accidents, also known as side-impact accidents, occur when one car’s front end collides with the side of another vehicle. These accidents can lead to an array of injuries, but whiplash is commonly associated with this type of accident. As you may imagine, passengers and drivers are at even greater risk if they are seated on the side of the vehicle where impact takes place.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a T Bone accident, you could be entitled to compensation from the person at fault for the accident. Their insurance company would pay for your medical bills and pain and suffering, among other things.
What Is T Bone in a Car Accident?
In relation to car accidents, a T Bone accident (sometimes mislabeled as “t-boned accident”) refers to any collision where one car crashes head-on into the side of another. The position of the two vehicles typically resembles the T-shaped bone in a T-bone steak. Examples of T Bone accident scenarios—and who is at fault in each case—include the following:
- Car A drives through a red light at an intersection. Car B, who had the right of way, hits Car A from the side. In this case, Car A is at fault for ignoring the red light.
- Car A stops at a stop sign until it is their turn to drive forward. Car B, who should have stopped at the stop sign, drives through it and hits Car A from the side. In this case, Car B is at fault.
- The driver of Car A is distracted by their cell phone. They do not notice when the driver of Car B, who is also not paying attention to their surroundings, speeds out of a driveway. Car B hits Car A. In this case, both Car A and Car B share fault.
A T Bone accident injury can range from mild to life-threatening. Likewise, the amount of property damage your car sustains can also be minor or severe, or your car may be a complete loss. A personal injury lawyer can tell you if you qualify to receive compensation.
Causes of T Bone Accidents
Like most car accidents, T Bone accidents usually arise because one or more parties are driving negligently. Among the most common causes of car accidents (T Bone accidents included) are:
- Drunk driving
- Driving while under the influence of drugs
- Speeding
- Driving too closely to the vehicle in front (tailgating)
- Texting or making a phone call while driving
- Adjusting the vehicle’s entertainment system while driving or adjusting any other vehicular controls (e.g., the air conditioning)
- Taking eyes off the road for any reason, which qualifies as distracted driving
- Running a red light or a stop sign
There are many other ways that a driver can put you at risk of a T Bone accident. Victims of these sorts of accidents can sustain serious injury and even death.
Types of Injuries Commonly Associated with T Bone Accidents
Victims of T Bone accidents are often impacted more seriously than those in fender benders or other motor vehicle collisions. The direct impact of a vehicle striking another from the side can be devastating, especially if a driver or passenger is sitting on the side of the vehicle where the impact occurs.
Injuries commonly associated with T Bone accidents that victims may sustain include:
- Concussion
- Whiplash, a serious neck injury caused by the forceful, back-and-forth motion of the neck
- Broken bones in the hands, legs, forearms, ribs, and elsewhere on the body, especially if the T Bone accident results in the car rolling
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Chronic pain
- Nerve damage
- Mental illness related to trauma
Your injuries may differ from these, as each crash can induce a unique set of injuries in the victim. Regardless of your exact symptoms, it is important that you understand how a lawyer can help you in the wake of the injuries you sustained in a T Bone accident.
How Much T Bone Accident Injuries Are Worth
While a list of injuries from car accidents may be a helpful reminder that others have gone through what you are now experiencing, it is less useful when calculating your own compensation. The amount you receive in damages is a very personalized matter and will depend on:
- How serious your injuries are—for example, are they permanent, or are you expected to make a full recovery?
- How much you have already spent on medical bills, repair expenses, and other accident-related costs
- How much you estimate you will have to spend in future accident-related costs
- The extent to which the injuries have or will impact your career, your health, your personal life, and so on
- Whether the insurance company finds that you share responsibility for the crash—the more blame they place on your shoulders, the less you can collect
A car accident attorney can tabulate a list of the injuries and monetary losses you sustained. They can then collect evidence to prove to the insurance companies that your injuries were caused by the T Bone accident and that they should pay exactly what you are requesting.
A Lawyer Can Assist You If You Suffered Injuries in a T Bone Accident
If someone else caused a T Bone accident in which you sustained injuries, a lawyer can help in several ways. They can:
- Help you determine who exactly is at fault for your injuries.
- Initiate legal action immediately to ensure your case falls within the statutes of limitation.
- Collect and present evidence of the defendant’s negligence to the court, which may prove that they owe you compensation for your losses.
- Handle your entire case from start to finish.
- Protect your rights throughout the legal process.
A lawyer can handle all the legal aspects of pursuing damages while you focus on recovery. If your case is successful, you may be eligible for compensation covering your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other losses resulting from the accident.
Call Our Team Today
Our team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine goes the extra mile for our clients. Call us today for a free consultation regarding your case, or contact our personal injury lawyers. We would be happy to tell you if the type of injury you sustained in a T Bone accident makes you eligible for compensation.
