T-bone accidents—also known as side-impact or broadside accidents—occur when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle. These accidents are common at intersections, stop signs, traffic lights, and parking lots, although they can occur anywhere that vehicles travel in opposing directions and especially in places where traffic control devices and the rules of turns may be incorrectly interpreted or followed by road users.
If you were involved in or injured by a T-bone accident with a truck or another vehicle, a Lafayette T-bone crashes lawyer from our team may be able to help. Our attorneys at the Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers have the experience, tenacity, and compassion needed to help you resolve issues pertaining to personal injuries, property damage, and accident litigation that can arise in the aftermath of a T-bone crash. Call us today for a free case evaluation and a private consultation at (337) 777-7777.
T-Bone Crash Injuries
The types of injuries that T-bone crashes can cause—as well as their severity—depend on the following factors:
- The speed at which the collision occurred
- Whether or not airbags and other safety features were installed or deployed
- The angle of impact
- The types and sizes of the vehicles involved
Variations in the factors above can be the difference between sustaining serious bodily injuries and getting out of an accident with minor cuts or bruises. However, in many cases, T-bone accidents can be more serious than frontal or rear-end accidents. With frontal accidents, the driver can usually see that an accident is imminent and can perform whatever evasive maneuvers are possible, such as swerving or hitting the brakes. Airbags and advanced safety features also help in frontal crashes.
As for rear-end crashes, crumple zones and the vehicle’s trunk space can absorb much of the impact.
However, when it comes to T-bone crashes, there is not much padding or support in the doors of a vehicle that can protect passengers in the vehicle that was struck on the side. This has been established by special tests conducted by the likes of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Especially in cases in which a larger vehicle strikes a smaller one, such as a truck colliding with a passenger vehicle, fatalities are highly common.
Injuries that we often see in T-bone accidents include all of the following:
- Neck injuries: forceful T-bone crashes can cause whiplash, which occurs when the body suddenly jerks forward and back, snapping the head forward and backward with it, leading to neck strains and sprains.
- Back injuries: T-bone crashes can lead to spinal cord injuries (SCIs), herniated discs, pinched nerves, sprains, and torn nerves. According to the Mayo Clinic, vehicular accidents are the leading cause of SCIs in the United States.
- Head injuries: Traumatic Brain Injuries, or TBIs, are common in T-bone accidents. A passenger’s head can hit the side of the door, an airbag, or flying debris, leading to brain contusions, concussions, and other forms of brain trauma, including internal bleeding.
- Broken bones and internal organ damage: T-bone accidents can lead to everything from sprained or fractured wrists and ankles to broken arms and legs, broken ribs, internal bleeding, organ damage, and soft tissue damage.
Emotional Trauma
Most physical injuries are easy to identify after an accident, even though some injuries such as whiplash or internal bleeding may not immediately be recognizable. However, it is even harder to identify and pinpoint the type and severity of the emotional damages that can develop after someone suffers a T-bone crash.
For some people involved in a serious accident, just the thought of climbing into a car can create anxiety, fear, and panic. If the accident you were in was particularly traumatic, you may even develop PTSD, which can cause a wave of secondary health issues such as sleeplessness, isolation, panic attacks, uncontrollable mood swings, and depression.
Winning Compensation
T-bone crashes can be very serious and may lead to significant—and sometimes permanent—physical and emotional scarring. If you were struck by a truck or other vehicle in a T-bone accident through no fault of your own, it is only fair that you should be allowed to seek damages and compensation for the losses you suffered and continue to suffer as a result of the accident.
This is where a Lafayette T-bone crashes lawyer from our team may be able to help you. We will help you seek compensation for the economic and noneconomic damages that you are made to suffer as a result of a T-bone crash that was caused by someone else. Some of the compensable categories that we may be able to seek damages for you include:
- Medical bills
- Medication and medical supply costs
- Lost income
- Lost ability to earn
- Vehicle repair costs
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Therapy and treatment costs
- Future care and treatment costs
- Wrongful death and burial costs (if you have a loved one who was killed in the crash)
Call (337) 777-7777 today for a free consultation.
Assigning Blame
Even if you were partially to blame for your accident, you can still seek compensation based on how much you contributed to the accident. Furthermore, we may help you formally assign blame to others involved in the accident by looking into the following factors:
- Was the other driver speeding?
- Did he or she run a red light or stop sign, or fail to yield at a yield sign?
- Did the other driver not properly follow the directions of traffic control devices?
- Was he or she driving distracted, driving drunk, or texting and driving?
We can prove negligence on the part of the other driver by establishing the following:
- That he or she owed you a duty of care
- That he or she was negligent and breached the duty of care
- That the breach in the duty of care caused you to suffer injuries
Failing to follow road signs, to drive safely, or to exercise reasonable care while driving are all tantamount to negligence, and anyone guilty of doing so can be held liable for the damages that their actions cause.
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, a Lafayette T-bone crashes lawyer from our team may be able to help you determine the fault for your accident, ascertain who was responsible for it, and quantify the various costs and damages that you may be entitled to seek compensation for. Call us today at (337) 777-7777 for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. We provide legal counsel and representation at no upfront cost, and you only pay if you win your case.