T-Bone Accidents

Driving a vehicle requires an understanding of how traffic laws and patterns work. It also requires faith in other drivers to know and understand these patterns and that the other drivers are in the appropriate state of mind to operate their vehicle safely and uphold their duties of care. Each day across the country, millions of people safely get to their destinations in a vehicle, but unfortunately, this is not always the case for everyone.

One type of crash is known as a “T-bone,” because when one vehicle drives directly into the side of another, they form a “T” shape.

What Is a T-Bone Crash?

As noted above, a T-bone crash is when one vehicle drives headfirst into the side of another vehicle, forming a “T” shape upon contact. These types of accidents are extremely dangerous due to the limited protection offered by the sides of vehicles as opposed to the front or back.

Car frames are designed to absorb impact and dissipate the force across the vehicle as it crumples to keep the passengers from suffering the full power of the collision, but there is minimal material in the doors and side panels of the vehicle to do so.

Over the years, side impact safety technology has certainly improved with the advent of things like side airbags and side impact beams, but even so, the risk of serious or fatal injury in a side impact injury is significant.

Causes of T-Bone Accidents

The following are just a few of the many different causes of T-bone accidents, and even accidents caused by these examples are still unique. Whether or not you see the cause of your T-bone crash here, contact us as soon as possible to connect with an experienced attorney and learn more about your options for seeking fair and comprehensive compensation.

Driver Error

This is the most common cause of T-bone accidents. Driver error can include making an improper turn, not yielding the right of way, or misjudging the speed or distance of oncoming traffic.

Weather Conditions

Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions can make it difficult for drivers to see other vehicles, which can lead to T-bone accidents.

Road Conditions

Potholes, debris, and other hazards on the road can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, leading to T-bone accidents.

Mechanical Problems

If a vehicle’s brakes fail or it experiences another type of mechanical problem, it can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, leading to a T-bone accident.

Alcohol

Driving while under the influence of alcohol is a major cause of T-bone accidents and all other types of accidents. The decision to operate a vehicle while intoxicated is reckless, negligent, and entitles the victims of this dangerous behavior to compensation.

Distractions

Distracted driving, such as texting or talking on the phone, can take a driver’s attention away from the road, increasing the risk of being involved in a T-bone accident.

Speed

Speeding is another major cause of T-bone accidents. When a driver is going too fast, they may not have enough time to stop or avoid an oncoming vehicle, leading to a collision.

Seeking Compensation After T-Bone Accident

After any type of accident that someone else caused, the natural next step is to file an insurance claim. Once the claim is opened, the insurance company will assign an adjuster to the case who will investigate your claim, request documentation to prove the damages you have suffered, take a statement, and return with a settlement offer. Easy, right?

Getting through an insurance claim can be easy and painless, but only if you are ok with getting much less than the money you deserve. Remember: an insurance company is in the business  of making money, and the adjuster assigned to your case is tasked with settling your claim as quickly and inexpensively as possible to protect their employer’s bottom line.

To get the compensation you deserve, you will need to take an active role in the investigation of your claim and will need a deep understanding of tort law. However, very few people other than attorneys and insurance professionals understand the ins and outs of an insurance claim, and insurers take advantage of this fact enthusiastically. To further complicate matters, trying to make sense of this claim is even more complicated when you are trying to recover from car accident injuries.

Working with a car accident attorney through a t-bone accident claim is advisable for several reasons. Your attorney will be able to handle all of the administrative steps of your claim while you stay focused on your injuries, but more importantly, your lawyer will be advocating on your behalf with years of experience. When the insurance company knows that a claimant is working with a lawyer, they know they will not be able to push a lowball settlement offer through without negotiations.

Understanding Personal Injury Damages

Personal injury cases and insurance claims center on “damages,” which are any impacts on a victim’s life resulting from an accident or injury. Compensatory damages are those that a victim seeks as compensation, which is further divided into two distinct, but equally important subcategories.

Economic Damages

Economic damages have a set and measurable dollar value associated with them, such as the cost of medical bills and treatment, the cost to repair or replace personal property, lost wages due to a victim’s inability to continue with their work, and much more. Calculating these damages is as simple as adding up the receipts and invoices, but knowing what can be included in this list, and having the attention to detail to identify each minor damage, takes a practical understanding of tort law.

Non-Economic Damages

Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages apply to any impact that does not have a financial value. This includes abstract and subjective things like the pain a victim has endured as a result of their injuries, the emotional suffering they have dealt with after such a harrowing ordeal, and the loss of their former quality of life. As you can imagine, seeking financial compensation for something like “accident-induced depression” is much more complicated than adding up a series of line items, which is why insurers are so much more likely to push back on these types of damages.

There are a number of ways to calculate these damages, and an experienced attorney will understand which method is most appropriate and how to defend their calculations during settlement negotiations.

Contact Mountain States Injury Law Today

The sooner you contact our firm for a free consultation, the sooner you can make sense of the future and clearly understand the support our firm can provide you. Contact us right away using the contact form on our website or calling our firm.