Traffic accidents are debilitating events in a person’s life. Whether you’re the driver or passenger, nothing can prepare you for the traumatic aftermath of a collision. One of the most traumatic kinds of accidents is T-bone collisions. T-bone accidents, also known as side-impact accidents, are collisions that involve one car colliding into the side of another vehicle head-on.
According to Nolo, side-impact collisions kill between 8,500 and 10,000 Americans a year. T-bone accidents have catastrophic consequences due to the fact that only a sheet of metal and a window separate a human being from the head-on impact of an accelerating vehicle. The window will most likely shatter, adding flying shards of glass with the impact of a second vehicle’s hood.
It’s easy to identify fault in most collisions, but with T-bone accidents, that line can be blurred. For instance, rolling through a stop sign and driving through an intersection while another car is already accelerating is a common precursor to a t-bone collision. While it’s easy to assume who is at fault, factors within the collision make it hard to fully identify who is at fault. To know if you’re the driver at fault in a T-bone collision, read below.
Photographic Evidence
After an accident, safely assess your surroundings, and if you are still in a dangerous position, move to a safe area. Then, take as many photos of the scene as you can. The police should be on their way to file a police report. Each city will send out a police officer if the damage is extensive. If you were involved in a Houston crash, you would receive a Houston car accident report. As they fill out that information, don’t hesitate to take photos of the street, the damage, the vehicles, the area around you, the traffic lights, etc. Whatever will help your case, you should take a photo of it.
Traffic and Road Signals
Traffic signals and road signals are also good determinants of who exactly was at fault. If you remember the accident’s time, this can go a long way if your accident was during a protected green or a flashing yellow. A traffic light’s programming can be telling.
Vehicular Damage and Defects
Last but not least, the maintenance of a car can detail the true culprit of who was truly at fault. For example, brake failure can explain why the person drove through the red light in the first place, but what caused the brake failure? This raises the question of was the manufacturer at fault or the driver for failing to get the routine maintenance check. If a vehicular defect is a majority of why the accident happened in the first place, it is prudent to get the manufacturer involved as your case progresses. That way, the manufacturer can share liability rather than it solely resting on the driver’s shoulders.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
No matter who is at fault in a T-bone collision, it’s essential to seek legal help. Car accidents cause thousands in medical bills and damages, and victims of car accidents shouldn’t deal with it alone. Car accident lawyers are highly-trained professionals that understand the ins and outs of a car accident case. If you hire a car accident lawyer, they will handle legal documents, negotiate with insurance companies, and work as hard as they can to get you the highest settlement amount possible.
Besides having one of the best hospitals in Texas, Houston has some of the best accident lawyers. Don’t let the burdens of a fatal accident consume you – hire a TX accident lawyer today. Call or Google the best accident lawyer near me or best personal injury lawyer near me for your car accident case.
