T-bone accidents are often among the most serious, leading to severe injuries in fatalities in many cases. As a result, victims often face long-term consequences including medical care and other damages that may warrant compensation.
If you or a loved one sustains injuries in a T-bone vehicle accident, you may seek compensation from liable parties with the help of a T-bone accident lawyer in Las Vegas. To learn more about your options regarding a T-bone accident case, call Burk Injury Lawyers at 702-620-2020 to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
What Makes T-Bone Accidents So Dangerous?
According to data from the Insurance Information Institute, while angle accidents like T-bones account for around 13% of all vehicle accidents in the U.S., they make up 18.3% of all traffic accident fatalities, making them among the more dangerous accident types.
T-bone accidents, also known as side-impact collisions, occur when two vehicles hit each other at an intersection, with one vehicle’s front hitting the side of another, often head-on. The reason side-impact collision risks are greater for victims is the nature of the impact involved in these accidents; passengers have less protection when hit from the side than the front or rear, with less insulated space between the victim and the point of impact.
In turn, injuries sustained in T-bone car accidents are often more serious and lead to long-term complications and fatalities.
What Causes T-Bone Accidents?
There are several common causes of T-bone accidents, such as:
Running a Red Light
Most T-bone accidents occur at intersections when one vehicle has the right of way and another illegally crosses the intersection at the same time. Often, this occurs when a driver goes through a red light, but it could also occur when a driver fails to look or stop before passing a stop sign.
Speeding
Drivers could speed and lose control of their vehicle, causing a crash at an angle, including a T-bone accident. Drivers must obey local posted speed limits to mitigate the risk of accidents.
Distracted Driving
A driver could also get into an accident if he or she is distracted and loses control over the vehicle. For example, drivers could become distracted while changing the dials or working with the interface on a vehicle’s dashboard, taking their eyes off the road and causing them to run a red light.
Inclement Weather Conditions
Icy roads and other weather conditions may also cause drivers to slide or spin out, making it important to adjust driving habits based on weather conditions.
Common Types of T-Bone Accident Injuries
Like other vehicle accidents, T-bone car accidents can involve many types of injuries, ranging from more mild to severe in nature. The following are some of the most common T-bone accident injuries:
Whiplash
One of the most common injuries from car accidents, including T-bone collisions, is whiplash. This injury occurs when the body suddenly stops after being in motion, resulting in violent jerking of the head and neck. While many cases of whiplash only result in minor injuries, it can result in more serious injuries, including brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.
Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Another injury involves a concussion, which is when the brain moves around in the skull due to impact. Victims could sustain these due to the rapid movement of the head with a whiplash injury or impact with the side of the vehicle, dashboard, or another object. In extreme cases, concussions or other brain injuries can result in TBIs, which could lead to disabilities and mental health issues.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Injuries to the soft tissue, including muscles and tendons, can also occur in T-bone vehicle accidents. These injuries may be more difficult to notice than other superficial injuries.
Broken or Fractured Bones
The impact of T-bone collisions frequently leads to broken bones or fractures in the arms, legs, ribs, and other bones.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Pressure or impact to the spinal column could lead to spinal cord injuries, which could result in partial or total paralysis, either temporarily or permanently.
Long-Term Consequences for T-Bone Accident Victims
T-bone accident victims often face extensive long-term damages, especially if injuries are extensive or result in fatalities.
For example, victims and their families could experience:
- A lifetime of medical care
- The inability to return to work or work in the same capacity as before the accident
- The loss of enjoyment of life, trauma, and mental health issues stemming from injuries
- The loss of a loved one in a fatal accident
If a person or entity is responsible for a T-bone accident, victims may be able to recover compensation with the help of a Las Vegas T-bone accident lawyer.
How an Experienced Attorney Can Help T-Bone Accident Victims
If you would like to pursue a potential claim or lawsuit against a liable party following a T-bone accident, you need to choose the right attorney to handle your case. The following are some ways a good attorney can help you in a T-bone accident case:
Proving Liability
To succeed with any type of vehicle accident case, you must be able to identify liable parties and prove that they caused the accident.
Specifically, you will need to prove the following items:
- That the liable party owed a duty of care
- That this party breached that duty of care
- That the breach of duty led to an accident
- That the accident resulted in quantifiable compensable damages
An attorney can help you determine whether another driver or another party contributed to the accident and prove liability with an organized case.
Calculating All Related Damages
Another way an attorney can assist you is by identifying and quantifying all damages resulting from T-bone accidents.
There are many damages that victims may recover, including economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages, also called monetary damages, pertain to the direct costs resulting from an accident, such as medical expenses, lost income, and lost earning capacity. Meanwhile, non-economic damages account for personal losses that victims experience, including a loss of enjoyment of life, anxiety, and depression that impact the person’s quality of life.
In addition to these economic and non-economic damages, families of victims of wrongful death may be able to recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses, along with other damages related to the person’s death.
In rare cases, if a defendant is liable for gross negligence or malicious acts, a court could award punitive damages with the goal of preventing future similar incidents.
Gathering Evidence
You’ll need plenty of evidence to support a T-bone accident claim or suit. A good lawyer in Las Vegas will be able to help you collect all relevant evidence in a case, including medical bills and receipts, proof of lost income, footage of the accident, witness statements, and more. Not only will your attorney help collect this evidence, but he or she can then organize it to effectively support your case.
Negotiating With Insurers
Accident lawyers can also help negotiate a car accident settlement based on what your case is actually worth.
The right lawyer will know the kinds of tactics insurers use to minimize or deny claims. Adjusters may seem eager to help you get the settlement you deserve, but it’s important to remember that they work for the insurer, not the victim. Companies will do what they can to avoid payouts, especially if they involve large sums of money.
In many instances, insurers will make initial offers that fall far below the true value of a case, but an attorney can continue to make counteroffers until you get the full settlement.
Going to Court
Although the majority of car accident cases settle during the claims process with insurers, you may need to take the case to court if liable parties are unwilling to settle.
This is why it’s best to work with an attorney with trial experience. He or she could file a lawsuit against the responsible party in a trial setting, representing you throughout the legal process. Your lawyer could make a compelling opening argument, collect and present evidence during the discovery process, and push for total compensation.
Contact the Right T-Bone Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas
To open a T-bone accident case and seek compensation from liable parties responsible for injuries and other damages, it’s important to work with an experienced Las Vegas accident attorney with experience handling these types of cases. A good lawyer can help you navigate the process while you focus on recovering from your injuries and spending time with loved ones.
At Burk Injury Lawyers, our attorneys in Las Vegas have plenty of experience working with accident victims to recover total compensation with claims and lawsuits. To find out whether you have a viable case that our lawyers can handle, contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an attorney.
