Any kind of vehicle crash can lead to serious personal injuries, but side-impact collisions are some of the most catastrophic. A T-bone car accident, also known as a broadside collision, usually occurs when one driver fails to yield the right of way. They are common in busy intersections and multi-lane freeways and often attributed to distracted or reckless drivers.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, T-bone accidents are responsible for approximately 24 per cent of all passenger vehicle fatalities in the nation. Those that do survive a side-impact collision are often left with harrowing crush injuries, broken bones, lacerations, and other trauma.
If you’ve been injured in a T-bone car accident in Tucson or the surrounding areas, Showard Law Firm can identify liable parties and help you fight for fair compensation. We conduct a full-scale investigation into the details of the crash, handle all communications with insurance company adjusters, and work aggressively to obtain the money damages you are owed.
What does T-bone mean in a car accident?
Broadside collisions are commonly called “T-bone” accidents because of the “T” that is formed when the side of one vehicle is struck at a right angle by the rear or front of another car. If the striking car is traveling fast, the impacted vehicle may be rolled over or pushed into a new direction, causing it to strike pedestrians, stationary objects, or other vehicles.
T-bone car accidents can happen when a driver loses control of their vehicle, skidding laterally into another car. They are also common in parking lots, when a motorist is backing out of a space and hits the side of a vehicle as it passes by.
Because side-impact collisions typically involve an illegal maneuver or a failure to yield, it is often one party that is liable for the accident. However, there are always exceptions, and scenarios where more than one driver is partially to blame.
Demonstrating T-bone car accident fault
Assigning fault in motor vehicle collisions, including T-bone crashes, is based on theories of negligence. All drivers in Arizona owe a basic duty of care to obey traffic rules and avoid harming other motorists and pedestrians on the road. In order to prove fault in a car accident claim, your attorney must demonstrate that another party violated a traffic law, ran a red light, was driving impaired, or behaved in a manner that the law views as negligent.
Proving fault in a T-bone car accident requires solid evidence. Your car accident lawyer will look to multiple sources for evidence that establishes which person or parties were to blame. This may include:
- Police report of the accident
- Eyewitness statements
- Cellphone records that indicate distracted driving
- Surveillance footage of the accident
- Black box or EDR data that shows a vehicle’s braking, speed, and acceleration at the moment of the collision
- Incriminating social media posts made by other drivers
- Testimony from accident reconstruction experts
Under Arizona’s pure comparative fault laws, victims of T-bone car accidents can still seek compensation even if they were partially responsible for the collision. The only caveat is that their damage award will reflect their own degree of fault. If a driver is found to be 20 percent at-fault for a collision that causes $100,000 in damages, they would be entitled to $80,000.
Common T-bone car accident injuries
Side airbags and reinforced crumple zones on newer vehicle models can reduce the severity of a T-bone car crash injury, but even with these safety features, side-impact collisions can cause serious bodily harm.
Some of the more common injuries sustained include:
- Bone fractures to the legs, pelvis, hips, ribs, and arms
- Traumatic brain injury
- Back injuries, including herniated discs, and nerve damage
- Facial trauma
- Deep lacerations
- Internal injuries
- Punctured or perforated organs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Whiplash
- Crush injuries necessitating amputation
When victims are facing huge medical expenses, lengthy recoveries, lost income, and the prospect of permanent injuries, it’s vital to work with an experienced T-bone car accident lawyer at Showard Law Firm.
How Showard Law Firm can help
Showard Law Firm provides compassionate, client-focused representation to car accident victims in Tucson. If you were hurt in a T-bone accident, seek medical attention right away, and discuss your options for legal recourse with our skilled legal team.
We offer free consultations and will work aggressively to secure the maximum compensation to which you are entitled. Do not worry about legal costs, as we operate on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if you win money in your case.
Additional Resources:
- Arizona Department of Transportation, ARIZONA MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH FACTS 2019 https://azdot.gov/sites/default/files/media/2020/08/2019-Arizona-Motor-Vehicle-Crash-Facts.pdf
- Arizona Department of Transportation, Traffic fatalities in Arizona https://azdot.gov/adot-news/traffic-fatalities-arizona-reached-3-year-low-2019#:~:text=PHOENIX%20%E2%80%93%20Traffic%20crash%20fatalities%20on,report%20published%20Tuesday%2C%20June%2030.&text=In%20the%20same%20timespan%2C%20Arizona,by%201.3%25%20to%205.38%20million.
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Fatality Facts 2018 passenger vehicle occupants https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/passenger-vehicle-occupants#yearly-snapshot
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