A T-bone car accident gets its name from the formation two vehicles make after colliding.
One vehicle is driving straight ahead when another hits it at a perpendicular angle.
The two vehicles form a “T,” which has given rise to the name. Another name for this type of crash is “side impact collision,” which means basically the same thing.
Under Pennsylvania law, the person who is at fault for a car accident must pay money, so determining fault can make the difference between receiving money for your injuries or between having to pay compensation to someone else. Reach out to a car accident attorney for help reviewing your case.
T-Bone Accident: Who’s at Fault
There is a widespread misconception that the driver who hits another vehicle is always at fault for the collision. In reality, this is often the case, but there is no hard-and-fast legal rule that states that.
Instead, car accidents are analyzed based on fault, and this is true of T-bone collisions as well. The driver who was struck can, in some cases, be at fault for the collision. For example, consider the following:
Michael is driving through an intersection on a green light. Sherry, who has a red light, speeds through it because she is distracted. Sherry strikes Michael, causing injuries. Here, Sherry is to blame, because she was careless when she drove distracted. Her negligence ended up causing the collision, so she must pay Michael compensation.
However, imagine the circumstances changed:
Sherry is driving through a green light when Michael, who has a red light, speeds through because he is late for his appointment. As a result, Michael pulls directly in front of Sherry, who cannot avoid hitting him. In this example, Michael is to blame. He didn’t stop for a red light as he was supposed to, so he caused the accident even though he was the one who got hit.
T-Bone Accident Injuries
These types of accidents can cause serious injuries, so determining fault is vital. If you are not to blame but have suffered injuries, then the other driver should pay you compensation.
In our experience, we have seen clients with all sorts of injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Facial disfigurement
- Nerve damage
- Joint injuries
- Concussions
- Herniated discs
- Spinal cord injury
It is vital that you receive medical treatment quickly so that you can improve your chances of getting well. Some injuries will cost tens of thousands of dollars to treat, and others will keep you out of work.
What to Do after a T-Bone Collision
To improve your odds of a settlement, remember to call the police out to the accident scene. The officer will interview everyone involved and file a police report. You should also identify witnesses who can testify about what they saw.
Also remember to take pictures of the vehicles. However, the pictures themselves probably cannot establish fault. All they will show is the severity of the damage and who hit who.
Lastly, find an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney to represent you. The road to receiving compensation is often long, but a skilled lawyer can help speed things up. Call PhillyLaw, LLC at (215) 883-8281 or contact us online today for a free case evaluation.