Beaumont T-Bone Car Accident Attorneys
T-bone accidents, where the front of one vehicle strikes another vehicle directly on its side, can cause serious injury, major property damage, and even death. After a T-bone accident, victims are faced with medical bills, hospital bills, and the costs to repair or replace their vehicle. Even worse, a family may be faced with funeral costs and the devastation of having lost a loved one.
T-bone accidents are usually the result of a driver’s carelessness or failure to follow traffic safety laws. Therefore, if you or a loved one has been involved or impacted by a T-bone car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Depending on the facts of the case, you may be able to seek compensation for damages, including:
- Lost wages as a result of injury or death caused by the T-bone accident
- Pain and suffering
- Vehicle repair or replacement bills
- Whiplash and head and neck injuries sustained in the crash
- Hospital and medical bills
- And more
If another party’s negligence caused your T-bone accident, the award-winning, experienced car accident attorneys at Portner Bond, PLLC can help you recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. Schedule a free consultation today by calling (409) 838-4444 and learn about your legal options.
How Do T-Bone Accidents Happen?
T-bone accidents can occur anywhere, but in many cases, a T-bone accident is caused when one vehicle does not yield the right-of-way to another vehicle. This failure to yield can be the result of a speeding vehicle that cannot react in time, a distracted driver, or the simple failure of a driver to follow the basic rules of the road.
T-bone accidents are especially common at intersections, such as four-way intersections. T-bone accidents often occur during dangerous left turn maneuvers; for example, a car may try to turn left quickly before other cars reach the intersection, or they may turn, thinking other cars will stop at a yellow light. A driver running a red light can also cause this type of accident. Running a red light often puts the vehicle in a dangerous position to either strike another vehicle or to be struck. Other areas where this accident is common is where roads meet, such as on an exit that connects to a highway or freeway.
This type of accident is also known as a side collision, right-angle collision, or broadside collision. No matter the name, this is a type of serious car accident that causes severe damage to the vehicles and the occupants.
Who’s to Blame in a T-Bone Accident?
In a T-bone accident, there is almost always someone at fault. In some cases, determining fault is easier than others. For example, in a T-bone accident where someone makes a turn outside of a turn lane, they are usually at fault, whether they are in the vehicle being struck or the one who struck the other driver. For a T-bone accident that happens in a busy interception with lots of variables, it may be tricky to determine who is at fault. After a T-bone accident, many drivers find themselves caught in a blame game, with each side claiming they had the right-of-way and denying fault.
This is why it is helpful to consult with an experienced attorney if you have been involved in a T-bone accident. A car accident lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation and gather evidence to prove fault, and they’ll know which traffic safety laws are relevant to your case.
After an accident, you may be pressured to take the first offer provided by the other driver’s insurance or attorney. An experienced attorney can help you identify how much compensation you really deserve. Having a lawyer on your side will help you reach the decision that is best for you and your family.
T-Bone Accident Statistics
In the United States, T-bone accidents are the cause of around 8,000 – 10,000 deaths a year. They are a major source of passenger vehicle fatalities. One study found that 23% of vehicle occupant deaths were the result of side-impact crashes. This was the second most common source of vehicle occupant deaths, with only frontal collisions being more deadly. In the U.S., T-bone style car accidents account for about 13% of all accidents overall.
Why Are T-bone Accidents So Deadly?
T-bone accidents are deadly because they involve the side of a vehicle being hit, and a vehicle’s side is perhaps the most vulnerable area in most vehicles. The vehicle’s doors are where the car’s material is the thinnest. This also means a smaller crumple zone (crumple zones are areas of a vehicle are that are designed to crumble when struck to absorb the shock and protect the occupants.)
Moreover, while federal regulations demand that call cars have front airbags on both the passenger and driver side, there is no such requirement that cars have side airbags. Some cars do have these airbags, but it is not the norm. There are standards for side-impact safety; however, they cannot fully compensate for the inherent weakness of this area of the vehicle. For these reasons, T-bone accidents tend to leave behind very serious injuries and death.
Contact Portner Bond, PLLC to Speak to a T-Bone Car Accident Attorney
A T-bone car accident can severely impact your life. You may find yourself in a world of financial, emotional, and physical trauma. But you are not alone. The Beaumont car accident attorneys at Portner Bond, PLLC are here to help. We have over seven decades of combined experience helping our clients get the help and compensation they deserve. We stand up for the everyday Texan and are experienced in battling insurance giants and taking on the complex maze that is the legal system.
Worried about the cost? There is no cost to speak to us and find out what we can do for you. We work on contingency, which means that we take no money upfront and only seek compensation if we win your case. After a car accident, time is of the essence. The faster you contact us, the faster we can gather time-sensitive evidence, and the faster you can secure the compensation you need to recover.
If you have been involved in a T-bone car accident, do not hesitate, call us today at (409) 838-4444 or reach out to us online by completing this form.