Crossing an intersection can put your vehicle at the greatest risk imaginable. In a split second, you can be hit by another vehicle crossing perpendicular to you. This can often inflict the greatest damage, as your vehicle’s side and doors are often no match for another car’s strong front bumper. Automakers have tried to reduce the injuries suffered by passengers, adding solid beams in the doors and side curtain airbags that deploy upon impact. But avoiding injury in this T-bone collision is no guarantee. If this has happened to you, then you are going to need to hire an experienced Mississippi traffic accident attorney to help you and your passengers get the compensation you deserve.
What are the Causes of T-Bone Collisions?
There are a number of things that cause a T-bone collision. The most common is a failure on the part of one or both drivers to properly ascertain right of way. This is especially true if the intersection is uncontrolled, meaning that it lacks a stop sign or traffic light. When both drivers think they have the right of way and go through the intersection without stopping, one is very likely to T-bone the other vehicle. Depending on the speed of the cars, this can often be a very catastrophic collision. This is why so many automakers have put in forward and side impact collision warning systems in their vehicles, which give drivers the opportunity to stop their cars or take other evasive actions when the alert sounds.
Even when the intersection is controlled, there is no guarantee that this will prevent a T-bone collision. One driver may see another making a left turn, but misjudges the stopping distance between their vehicle and the one making the turn. The one making the turn can also cause the accident, as he or she may not have properly checked traffic or their blind spots before making the maneuver.
T-bone collisions can also be caused by reckless drivers. Those who use excessive speed or ignore stop signs and red lights can cause a T-bone collision. Distracted driving and driving under the influence can also cause this type of accident. If you are drunk, high, or too busy playing with your phone, you will not have the ability to see the other vehicle in the intersection in time, which will cause you to either T-bone the other vehicle or have your vehicle receive this type of impact.
What are Some Common Injuries that Occur in T-Bone Accidents?
Depending on the speed of the vehicle that strikes the other, the accident can cause significant personal injuries to the driver and passengers in the vehicle that gets T-boned. In addition to cuts and bruises, a person may suffer severe injuries. In some cases, this type of accident can even result in passenger deaths, depending on the size and safety features in your vehicle.
Since the impact is on the side of the vehicle, injuries will be mainly to the chest, neck, and abdominal area. This can include broken bones, internal organ injuries, fractures to the ribs, pelvis, and clavicle, and head and neck injuries, including concussions and whiplash. The driver of the other vehicle and his or her passengers may also suffer whiplash as the result of the sudden force of the car impacting the other.
If you have been involved in a T-bone collision, it is crucial that you and your passengers seek immediate medical care. While you think you may not be injured, the symptoms of internal bleeding and concussions may not manifest themselves until much later. In addition, getting medical attention right away will be better for your claim in the long run.
How is Fault Determined?
Mississippi is a fault state for automobile accidents. This means that the party that is deemed to be at fault will be liable for damages that occurred from the accident. So, being able to show the other driver was at fault will be crucial to your claim.
While you might think that the driver of the vehicle that struck the other will always be at fault, this is not the case. In a T-bone accident, the party that is shown to have failed to yield the right of way will be held liable. This is often the first vehicle to reach the intersection. It is also the case that if a left turn is made without proper distance, then the driver who made the turn will be at fault. In addition, if a party did not stop at the stop sign or ran a red light just before the accident, then this driver will be responsible. Fault can also come down to speeders, and impaired and distracted drivers, since they were operating their vehicles recklessly.
A great deal will turn on the evidence. The police report, video footage from a red light camera or a dashcam, skid marks, and vehicle damage patterns will be used to determine the driver that was at fault for what occurred. Getting compensated for your injuries will often come down to this determination.
If You Have Been Injured in a T-Bone Collision, Call Our Firm Today
T-Bone accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. The experienced traffic accident attorneys at Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman can provide the representation you need to make sure you are compensated for your damages.