Any car accident can cause severe injuries, but a t-bone crash is especially dangerous. Usually occurring at intersections, a t-bone car accident happens when the front of one vehicle slams into the side of another.
Side-Impact Accidents: Who’s Responsible?
There are two common situations that lead to side impacts. Each is an example of how either driver could be at fault.
Side Impact Crash Scenario 1
A driver with the right of way collides with the side of another vehicle. In this situation, even though the driver actually broadsided the other, it is this second vehicle’s fault for violating the right of way. This type of crash happens when a person is lawfully driving through an intersection and the second vehicle runs a stop sign or red light.
Side Impact Crash Scenario 2
A driver without the right of way broadsides another vehicle. In this situation, the driver who crashed into the other vehicle is also at fault, as the vehicle that was broadsided had the right of way. This accident happens when vehicles run red lights or stop signs and collide with cars already and lawfully within the intersection.
These examples show there is no way to automatically tell which vehicle is at fault in a T-bone wreck. Side impacts require thorough investigations to determine which driver is responsible. This often depends on which driver had the right of way versus who disobeyed a traffic signal.
Other Potential At-Fault Parties
In some instances, the other driver may not actually be the one who caused the crash. Malfunctioning brake or gas systems, icy roads, wayward pedestrians or bicyclists, and road debris could all be the initiating factor in your car accident.Â
Common Causes of T-bone Accidents
Most T-bone wrecks occur at intersections, which put vehicles crossing perpendicular, or at a 90o angle, to each other. When one driver fails to yield the right-of-way to another in intersections controlled by stop signs or stop lights, they can cause significant injury and damage. They may also face traffic citations and penalties.
There are a number of ways motorists may run into one another and cause these devastating crashes, such as:
- Driving while drowsy
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving recklessly
- Eating or drinking while driving
- Paying attention to a GPS or smartphone map
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Speeding
- Texting while driving
Other causes may come from bad weather, rough road conditions, mechanical failure, or confusing road signage in construction zones. Although negligent drivers are responsible for most T-bone accidents, there may be multiple parties at fault.Â
Recovering Compensation After a Car Crash
With strong evidence that the other driver was at-fault, you can pursue compensation for your physical, psychological, and financial losses. More specifically, you can recover damages for:
- Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Loss of earning capacity
- Lost wages and benefits
- Medical costs
- Mental anguish
- Physical limitations
- Physical pain
- Property damage
You have the right to seek repayment for all of your economic and non-economic losses. Anything with a fixed price, such as medical bills, is economic. Your subjective damages, such as your pain and suffering, are considered non-economic losses. Regardless of how much it is, you must be repaid for every penny of inconvenience, discomfort, and damage you experience after a negligent party causes you harm in a T-bone car accident.
