CAR ACCIDENTS
T-Bone or Side Impact Accidents
There are many different types of car accidents. One of the most common accidents is a side impact or “t-bone” accident, which occurs when a vehicle collides with the side of a vehicle, usually in a head on manner. These accidents are often high speed and impact collisions, and therefore, can be devastating. In fact, approximately 25% of all car accident fatalities involve a side impact car collision. These accidents clearly result in substantial medical bills, lost income, loss of earning potential, and pain and suffering. The experienced attorneys at Slatter Law Firm will aggressively fight to recover the maximum compensation for your injuries.
These dangerous accidents are caused by various factors. Below is a description of the most common causes.
T-bone accidents most commonly occur at intersections. These accidents are often caused by another driver’s failure to yield to another motorist, who has the right of way. For example, a driver, who is turning left at a traffic signal that does not have a signalized turn, must yield to oncoming traffic and turn when it is safe to do so. If the turning driver fails to properly judge the speed or distance of the oncoming driver, he or she may collide with the other driver.
Another common cause for these accidents is a driver’s failure to stop at a red light. This failure is often caused by driver’s speeding up when a yellow light is shown. As such, the driver collides with a car turning from the opposite direction. The result is a high impact collision, which can be rather dangerous.
Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs impairs reaction time, attention, and focus. This impairment causes traffic violations that result in these accidents.
Poor visibility and slick roads caused by rain, snow, and fog makes it difficult to drive safely. These weather conditions require drivers to drive slower, maintain a safe distance from cars in front of them, and brake sooner than usual. Failure to engage in these techniques often causes t-bone accidents.
T-bone accidents are result in debilitating injuries and deaths. The nature and severity of the injury depends on several factors. Below is a description of those factors.
Where the victim is sitting in the car significantly impacts the severity of the injuries. Victims sitting on the side of the vehicle that is directly impacted suffer the severe injuries. Victims sitting on the side that is not impacted are injured by striking their heads on the door pillar.
Because of their size, children are particularly vulnerable in these accidents. In fact, children can be seriously injured even in low speed t-bone accidents.
Safety belts decrease the risk of harm in car accidents. In t-bone accidents, children are often seriously injured because of a failure to have appropriate restraints. For examples, younger children are injured when wearing adult safety belts instead of the appropriate booster seat for their age, size, and height.
These accidents often raise issues regarding which driver is at-fault. The other driver’s insurance attorney will likely argue that you are at-fault or that there is shared fault. As such, it is imperative that you hire an experienced accident attorney, who will conduct a thorough investigation, including obtaining police reports, witness statements, expert review, to establish the other driver’s fault and recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
Contact Us Today
Contact a Los Angeles personal injury attorney today if you or a loved one was involved in an accident involving a dangerous road condition. Slatter Law Firm has been helping individuals injured due to car accidents and slip and falls throughout Los Angeles and Southern California for over four decades. To schedule a free consultation, call our office at (310) 405-0964 or contact us online.
