Taking a Closer Look at Side Impact (T-Bone) Car Accidents
A side impact car accident, also known as a T-bone car accident, can cause severe injuries. A side-impact collision is precisely what its name implies; it’s when the front of one vehicle collides with the side another. In many cases, these accidents cause life-threatening injuries that require long-term medical care.
In this blog, we will discuss why these accidents most often occur, proving fault, common injuries that happen, and what you need to do if you or a loved one was the victim in a side-impact car accident.
Breaking Down a T-Bone Accident
It’s no secret that car accidents happen for a number of different reasons. It could be speeding, distracted driving, a driver under the influence, poor road conditions, and many other causes. In the case of a T-bone accident, there tends to be one common location of these collisions: an intersection. Even though it’s possible to get t-boned in another location, it’s most likely to happen at an intersection.
How a T-bone accident occurs at an intersection can vary greatly. In the many cases that we have seen over the years, the accident’s fault is usually attributed to the inattention of the driver who illegally passes through the intersection. Distracted driving and intoxicated driving are two other leading causes that we often see in these situations. Even though a faulty traffic light can cause a T-bone accident, it’s infrequent. This type of accident is almost always due to the fault of a driver.
Proving Fault in a T-Bone Accident
Common T-Bone Accident Injuries
Side impact collisions can cause a wide array of injuries. For example, even though the crash takes place on the side of the vehicle, it’s still possible for someone to get whiplash. This is an injury that most people associate with rear-end collisions. Here are some other injuries that often occur in T-Bone collisions:
- Head Injuries (most often concussions)
- Ear injuries (broken glass and airbags often cause this type of injury)
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Rib injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal injuries (this often causes chronic pain, shock and even paralysis)
Many of the injuries mentioned above will vary in severity depending on the speed and force of impact. Regardless, you need a personal injury attorney on your side to make sure you are on the right path to compensation and justice.