T-Bone car accident s are the 5^th most common type of car accident.  Following a T-bone car accident, the shock may make it hard to determine who the at-fault party or parties are.  After seeing another tragic A T-bone collison  on the local news in Henderson, Nevada, I was compelled to write this weeks Blog.  The term “T-Bone derives its name from the “T” shape that is formed at the point of impact when the front of one vehicle collides with the side of another car.  These type of accidents most frequently occur at intersections.  The following is a list of the most frequently asked questions by our clients when they have been involved in T-Bone collsion:

What Should I do first if I am Involved in a T-Bone Accident?

As I have written many times, immediately following any car accident you should check on the well being of everyone involved and call for medical attention first if it is needed by calling 911.

How Will I Prove I am not a fault in a T-Bone Accident?

After you have checked on the physical well being of all drivers and passengers, take photos of the vehicles before they are move.  These photos must show the entire roadway around were the accident occurred including any traffic signals or signs.

Should I Call the Police Following a T-Bone Accident?

What If My Brakes Failed?

What if, as you approached an intersection, you tapped on the brakes, and nothing happened? What if you began driving through an intersection only to have your car suddenly come to a dead stop? If a T-bone collision follows on the heels of a mechanical failure, then the manufacturer of the vehicle or its component auto parts may have legal liability for making and selling a defective product.

Unlike other types of personal injury-related legal claims, proving a defective part caused an accident typically results in “strict”   This means that simply proving that they sold a defective vehicle or component is sufficient to prove that they were at fault.

Of course, figuring out precisely how and why a part failed and showing that the failure caused the accident also presents a number of complications. An experienced T-bone car accident attorney can help you determine whether a defective part was the cause of your collision.

You may also have a viable claim against a parts manufacturer or motor vehicle company if another driver’s vehicle failed because of a defective part. In this case, everyone involved in the collision could pursue a claim against the manufacturer whose dangerous equipment caused the T-bone crash.

What is a T-Bone Accident Mean?

In the tv and movies, there is a common type of side-impact car accident scene where the camera is in the vantage point of a passenger in the front seat of a car, pointed at the driver. All of a sudden, another vehicle comes hurtling toward the driver’s side of the car (and toward the camera) and collides with the side of the car in a shattering impact. As commonplace as this sort of scene has become on-screen, it never ceases to shock and terrify.

What Should I Do If I am Injured in a T-Bone Accident?

If your are injured in any motor vehicle accident, seek medical attention immediately.  If you do not have health insurance, go to the level of care facility needed.  For example, if your injuries are not life threatening, go to a quick care or your family doctor.

How Common are T-Bone accidents?

According to the Insurance institute of Highway Safety aka IIHS, (https://www.iihs.org/media/ebc9bd1f-2ca4-4fb9-b96e-f4165f331943/Jil-Xg/Ratings/Protocols/current/test_protocol_side.pdf ) side-impact collisions accounted for 23 percent of vehicle occupant deaths in 2019, including passengers and drivers. The majority of all T-boned collisions occur at intersections.  Sadly, these accidents  claim thousands of lives every year.

T-bone car accidents get their name because, from an overhead perspective, the two vehicles colliding would form the letter “T.” In other words, the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of the other vehicle. happen most often at places where lanes of traffic intersect (i.e., a traffic light) at a right angle, such as four-way intersections or the ends of arterial roads where they connect to thoroughfares. They often involve making a left turn, running a red light, and are also common in parking lots.

They can occur in a variety of situations, such as at an intersection or even from a mechanical error in the vehicle itself. The scene of the crash will have important evidence that can help determine who is to be held responsible.

Aside from intersections, T-bone accidents can occur on a highway when one driver loses control of their vehicle and swerves to the side. One driver may fail to yield to another after disregarding a stop sign or running a red light. Exercising bad judgment on a green light when making a left turn is also a common cause of a T-bone wreck.

These collisions are relatively common. They are among the most dangerous types of crashes because the impact can occur very near the occupants, whether that is the driver’s door, passenger door, or backseat.

A wide variety of factors contribute to the occurrence of side-impact collisions and T-bone collisions, and each of those factors can point to different parties being at fault. To learn more about your legal rights after a T-bone accident in Nevada Florida, speak with an experienced auto accident attorney LINK TO BIO BLOG Contact the personal injury law firm of TheOneLawyer.com for a free consultation today.

Understanding Side-Impact Collision Car Accidents

In typical T-bone car accidents, the driver and passengers in the car struck on its side suffer the greatest amount of harm and injuries. The driver of the other vehicle benefits from the safety features common to all cars that protect against injuries in a front-end accident (i.e., seat belts, airbags, and crumple zones). This is not necessarily the case for the occupants of the car struck on its side, whose belts and airbags do less good in protecting them from a jarring impact against a side panel measuring just inches wide.

Victims of T-bone accidents often hope to receive compensation for their injuries and losses. There is nothing unusual about this. Our civil legal system exists in large part to make injured parties “whole” through monetary damages after experiencing harm at someone else’s hands. This compensation can be in the form of a T-bone car accident settlement or may involve litigation, depending upon the particular case at hand.

As any owner of a car or truck registered in Florida likely knows, the Sunshine State follows the “no-fault” insurance law. Pursuant to the terms of Florida Statutes § 627.736, all registered motor vehicle owners must carry no-fault auto insurance that, among other types of coverage, includes mandatory personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.

For a free legal consultation, call 866-481-5486

T-Bone Accident Liability Theories

Let’s take a look at who may be held legally responsible for a T-bone car wreck that occurs at a standard four-way-stop intersection. It may surprise you how many potentially at-fault parties there are.

1. The Other Driver

Let’s start with the obvious premise that in a T-bone collision, the driver of at least one of the vehicles is going to be deemed at fault for the accident. Traffic should not cross an intersection at right angles at the same time, which means one of the two drivers should not have entered the intersection.

What might cause a driver to enter an intersection in a wrongful manner? Here are some common factors, many of which often occur in combination with one another:

• Speeding: Drivers who approach an intersection at a high speed, risk not being able to stop in time to avoid entering the intersection and causing a T-bone collision. Excessive poses particular dangers when a driver accelerates in order to attempt to beat a stoplight or in order to sneak through an intersection just ahead of crossing traffic, rather than attempting to slow down.
• Inattention or texting: One of the most common reasons for T-bone accidents is when a vehicle is in an intersection when it is not their turn. This happens when car and truck drivers fail to observe stop signs, traffic signals, or red lights.
• Impairment: Driving while impaired by the effects of alcohol or drugs or even just experiencing fatigue—can also lead to T-bone collisions at intersections. Impaired drivers make risky, dangerous decisions that can easily end with their vehicle colliding with oncoming traffic. Drivers should never get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol, illicit drugs, certain over-the-counter or prescription medications, or while drowsy.

Of course, these are just a few of the factors that can contribute to a driver making a poor decision at an intersection that results in a T-bone car accident. Yet, they illustrate just how varied the explanations might be for why someone mistakenly drove into an intersection and caused a collision.

3. Road Engineers and Designers

We all share an intuitive sense that some intersections are more dangerous than others. This isn’t just based upon a gut feeling—researchers analyzing traffic and accident data can clearly identify intersections where accidents occur more frequently than they should. The more difficult task, however, lies in figuring out specifically what makes an intersection dangerous, and who could have (and perhaps should have) acted to prevent those risks and hazards.

Below are some of the features of intersections that road engineers and designers exercise control over. These can contribute to making an intersection unreasonably susceptible to T-bone car accidents:

• Inappropriate signage/signaling: The more traffic that is expected to flow through an intersection, the more robust the signals should be. Sometimes, engineers simply make the wrong decision, such that drivers approaching the intersection do not appreciate and appropriately respond to such danger from crossing traffic and end up going through a red light or making a wrong left turn.
• Poor sightlines: Drivers approaching an intersection should be able to see and properly assess oncoming traffic. Sometimes, however, engineers make poor judgments regarding where to locate an intersection, resulting in a “point of conflict” between crossing traffic that increases the danger that a car or truck will mistakenly enter the intersection, thereby causing a T-bone collision.
• Confusing layout: Drivers should be able to quickly figure out—without spending a significant amount of time and brainpower—where they are permitted to drive through and/or turn at an intersection. Needless to say, confusing traffic patterns can result in drivers making mistakes and entering intersections when they shouldn’t.

Drivers should never automatically assume that an intersection is well-designed by nature. Every intersection represents a dangerous conflict point that requires a driver’s full and undivided attention in order to navigate safely. Driving through intersections defensively could prevent collisions. For instance, taking actions such as waiting to ensure traffic coming in other direction stops before continuing could save your life or the life of your family.

Types of T-Bone Car Accident Injuries

While each case is unique, injuries common in T-bone accidents include:

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• Severe orthopedic and internal injuries

Many of these injuries prove to be fatal, resulting in wrongful death. Occupants of the side-struck vehicle who survive a T-bone collision often face lasting physical and emotional trauma, not to mention the substantial financial burdens that an unexpected, catastrophic injury can impose upon a victim and their family.

For those who survive but are injured, they could miss days, weeks, or even months at work and have thousands of dollars in medical and rehabilitation expenses. This may be true even if they fully recover. In addition, they may have a significantly damaged or totaled vehicle, as well as additional expenses.

Types of T-Bone Car Accident Damages

With these T-bone car accident injuries come a host of damages that can turn someone’s life upside down. The most obvious of these injuries are medical bills that often end up being the most expensive. Even people with good health insurance and money saved for emergencies can have a difficult time contending with the wave of bills that can easily drown someone in debt.

T-bone accidents that cause LINK FOR BLOG RE INJURIES can result in long periods of time in treatment and recovery, which means a lot of lost wages that are desperately needed to cover other damages. In addition to wages, they may also miss out on benefits and other income, such as commissions.

It isn’t unusual for people to lose their jobs outright because of the effects of a severe car accident injury that can cause them to abandon their entire careers. T-bone accident injuries can also cause non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering or mental anguish, due to the trauma such a violent event can inflict.

What Dolman Law Group Can Do for You

Matthew Dolman, T-bone Accident Attorney

T-bone car accident victims are not expected to identify at-fault parties on their own. The complex process of investigating, locating, and pursuing legal claims against parties that causes a side-impact collision or T-bone collision is a job for an experienced Florida car accident attorney. The car accident attorney aims to:

• Identify every party with potential legal liability for a T-bone car accident;
• Investigate which of those parties has the resources (either through insurance or assets) to pay damages;
• Contact and (hopefully) negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with each of those parties; and
• If appropriate, take legal action against those parties in order to hold them accountable.

T-bone car accident victims should seek out an experienced attorney who has represented dozens of clients in similar accidents, and who has a proven track record of success in recovering compensation in these cases. You can ask friends and family for recommendations or do a search online. Researching law firms should allow you to make a short list. Then, you can meet with each of them to learn more about their approach to these cases.

How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?

Most car accident firms provide free case consultations for potential clients. They also accept cases and represent victims based on a contingency fee. They do not charge crash victims and their families money upfront. Instead, they use firm resources to develop the claim and navigate the claims process. They only get paid as a percentage of the compensation they recover for the client, and do not get any attorney’s fees unless they win the case.

Contact TheOneLawyer.com for Help With Your T-Bone Car Accident Claim

If you have been in a t-bone car accident or any accident, having an experienced attorney on your side is the best way to give yourself the best chance and the highest likelihood of receiving maximum damages for your T-bone car accident injuries. At TheOneLawyer.com,  we provide complimentary case assessments for auto accident victims. A strong attorney-client relationship is important in fighting the insurance companies and we are here to help you understand your options and preserving your rights.

Contact an experienced Nevada car accident attorney from TheOneLawyer.com if you need legal advice or  answers to your personal injury questions. You can reach our office at any time by calling us at (702) 450-4868, or by filling out the short online inquiry form.

It is important for all of us to be the change we want to see in the world by making gratitude a part of each day. Today, I am grateful for  my son rising to the challenge of going back to college on his own.  If we all practice gratitude more regularly, the world will be a kinder place. Each of my blogs will contain something I am grateful for and at this time next year, they will be listed. I hope that you will also have a long list by the end of 2022. I hope that by reflecting on gratitude, I will find the positive of everyday, even the days that are stressful at the court and adversarial with the insurance companies. We fight hard with this companies for our clients everyday and we are grateful you have chosen TheOneLawyer.com to fight your you and your family after a car accident and help you recover for the injuries sustained in that car accident.

At TheOneLawyer.com, we are here to serve our community and provide legal services in the Henderson and Las Vegas area and we are grateful for this opportunity. We are a boutique law firm providing experienced and personal representation to injured clients. At the Law Offices of Laura Payne, Esq. TheOneLawyer.com we provide professional and personal service to each and every one of our clients on various legal matters and have over 15 years of experience in reviewing insurance policies and in Nevada insurance law. If you have a question regarding any type of personal injury or paying your medical bills from an accident, please do not hesitate to call the offices of TheOneLawyer.com and speak directly to attorney Laura Marie Payne,  Esq. a Henderson Injury Attorney for over 15 years. Laura is recognized as one of Nevada’s Top 100 Lawyers. She has the experience and knowledge to obtain the maximum settlement you deserve. Please call our office if you or a loved one is injured. We can make sure that you receive the care you need and deserve and advise on how to preserve evidence.

At our office, we are experienced in helping injured victims get the compensation they are entitled to. Insurance companies never have the best interest of the injured person at the top of their priorities. They want to pay as little on every claim as possible. Having worked for an insurance company as an attorney for 9 years before opening my boutique law firm specializing in helping injured people, I have reviewed thousands of auto accident claims and policy provisions.

At the Henderson and Las Vegas Accident injury law offices of TheOneLaweyer.com, Laura Payne, Esq. and her staff are here to help you and your family in the event that accidents and tragedies occur. For any of your legal needs, do not hesitate to contact our Henderson and Las Vegas Accident injury offices. TheOneLawyer.com is a boutique, family-owned law firm that specializes in helping injured people and the community of Las Vegas and Henderson Nevada with legal issues involving auto accidents, wrongful deaths, slip and falls, truck accidents, injuries to children, bicycle accidents, dog bites, product liability claims, and all types of injury claims. Please do not hesitate to call us anytime you have a legal question or you or a loved one has sustained an injury at 702-450-4868 and text 24/7 at 702-600-0032.

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