In the United States, driving is the most dangerous activity that most of us engage in every day. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSA) states that 36,096 people died in car accidents in 2019, and 23% of these deaths were caused by side-impact collisions. Side impact crashes, also known as T-bone collisions, can cause particularly severe injuries, which you shouldn’t have to handle alone.
If you have been injured in a T-bone accident, then we highly recommend that you seek legal representation from a reputable law firm. Here at The Law Place, our team of personal injury lawyers has over 75 years of legal experience in cases just like yours.
Call today to arrange a free consultation with one of our attorneys, who will provide obligation-free legal advice specific to your case. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us at (941) 444-4444.
What Is a Side-Impact Collision?
A side-impact crash, also known as a T-bone crash or broadside collision, occurs when the front of a vehicle crashes into the side of another vehicle, forming a ‘T-shape’ at the point of impact.
If you have been injured in a T-bone accident, call us today. We are committed to getting you the justice you deserve and to helping you win the compensation that you could be owed for your suffering
What Make Side-Impact Crashes So Dangerous?
Most modern vehicles are fitted with safety features intended to protect drivers and passengers from impact collisions, such as airbags, seatbelts, and bumpers. Although these features are effective at protecting passengers and drivers from front and rear collisions, they do little to protect them from side-impact crashes. If a vehicle collides with the side of your car, there is little to protect you apart from the car door itself. This is why T-bone collisions often lead to severe injuries, even at relatively slow speeds.
Common Causes of Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions happen every day on Florida’s roads and can be caused by a number of reasons. T-bone collisions are particularly common at 4-way intersections, where one driver fails to follow the correct right of way procedures.
Some common causes of T-bone accidents are:
- Failure to yield right of way.
- Distracted driving.
- Driver negligence.
- Driving under the influence (DUI).
- The driver running a red light.
All drivers in Florida have a duty of care, which is the moral and legal obligation to act in a way that keeps other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists safe. Sadly, many side-impact car crashes are the result of drivers failing to fulfill their duty of care. If a driver acts negligently and this causes a crash that leads to serious injuries, then they could be found liable. If you are the victim of reckless or negligent driving, then you shouldn’t suffer in silence. Call our law offices today for free advice and to see how we can help.
Serious Injuries Commonly Caused By Side-Impact Collisions
The possible injuries suffered by a victim of a T-bone crash vary greatly, and the type and severity will depend on factors such as speed, vehicle type, and driver or passenger position. Sometimes crashes cause less serious injuries, such as soft tissue injuries. Other times side-impact car accidents cause serious injury and even death.
The most common serious injuries commonly caused by T-bone crashes are:
- Spinal cord injuries – In a crash, it is often the neck that absorbs the majority of the impact. This can damage nerve roots and discs in the cervical spine.
- Paralysis – Serious damage to the spinal cord can result in partial or total paralysis.
- Traumatic brain injury – A blow to the head can cause long-term damage to brain function
- Internal injuries – If a body is impacted by the crash or flying debris, this can cause injury to internal organs and internal bleeding.
If you have suffered an injury as a result of a side-impact car crash, then you may be entitled to compensation. Establishing fault in a T-bone crash can be tricky, so we recommend that you speak to a personal injury lawyer that can help you navigate the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit if that is what you decide to do. Call us today for obligation-free advice regarding your case.
What Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Do for Me?
Under Florida Statute 627.7407, if you have been in a car accident in Florida, the no-fault laws dictate that you must first approach your own insurance for compensation, regardless of who was to blame. But car accidents, particularly T-bone accidents, often lead victims to suffer injuries that are unlikely to be completely covered by your own insurance.
If you are thinking about seeking further compensation from the insurance of the other driver or drivers, then you should enlist the help of a personal injury lawyer. Florida operates under a system of comparative negligence, as per Florida Statute 768.81. This means that in an accident case, more than one person can be found liable for up to the percentage of their fault. This means that the amount you can claim in a lawsuit will depend on the share of the blame you had in the crash. Insurance companies hire claims adjusters whose job is to devalue your claim by shifting the blame on you.
Before speaking to any insurance companies or beginning the process of a liability case, we recommend that you talk to us. We will provide you with no-obligation legal advice in a free consultation to help you decide your next course of action. If you decide to keep working with us following this phone call, you will be assigned a personal injury lawyer with relevant experience who will guide you through the entire process and fight for the maximum possible compensation for your case.
We only charge a legal fee if your case is successful, meaning you’ll have nothing to pay at the start, and if you don’t win, you won’t have to pay a dime.
A personal injury lawyer can help you to calculate the extent of the damages caused by your side-impact car accident and will fight to win you the greatest amount of compensation possible for these damages, so you can focus on your recovery. Damages they can claim include:
- Medical bills.
- Lost wages.
- Emotional or physical pain and suffering.
- Property damage.
- Wrongful death.
Call The Law Place
If you have suffered serious injuries following a car accident, then you will no doubt be focused on your recovery. But remember that if the other driver was even partly to blame, then you shouldn’t have to bear the burden alone. Let us help you to seek justice and recover compensation for your suffering. Car accident victims can often be overwhelmed with huge medical costs. No amount of money will take away the trauma and suffering caused by a car crash, but it could give you some peace of mind in your recovery process.
Call The Law Place today to arrange a free case consultation with one of our experienced injury lawyers. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us today at (941) 444-4444.