What Is a Broadside Collision?

t boned car accident

What makes broadside collisions so serious is where the car is hit. A broadside collision occurs when one car or one vehicle hits the side of another, often referred to as a side impact collision, t bone accident, or t bone collision. This can lead to significant injuries, which can be financially and physically devastating. If you are a victim of this type of accident, you need to get a car accident lawyer on your side. A personal injury lawyer, particularly one experienced in car accidents, can be an essential asset that can help you get the compensation that you deserve for your damages. Read to learn more about a broadside collision and how a personal injury attorney can help you.

Understanding What a Broadside Collision Is

Broadside collisions, which is type of accident that is also known as a t-boned car accident, are car accidents where one side of a vehicle is impacted by another car’s front or rear. Most broadside collisions involve two vehicles at intersections, often due to failure to obey traffic signals. These types of accidents are typically caused by some negligent driver. These types of accidents usually occur because the driver either speeds their way through an intersection or they change lanes without paying proper attention or looking. The resulting impact can be very serious and potentially deadly. In order to prevent these accidents, drivers need to pay better attention to their surroundings and be more aware when they are driving.

There are several different causes of broadside collisions. This will take a closer look at some of the most common causes:

Determining fault and proving fault in broadside collisions often requires a thorough investigation, sometimes involving accident reconstruction experts, to gather evidence and establish liability.

Driver Runs Stop Sign/Red Light

When a driver runs a stop sign or light that is red, whether it's because they didn't notice it or they were trying to make it through the light, the traffic that is coming from the perpendicular traffic can enter into the crossway as they speed on through. After running through the stop sign/red light, the driver may not notice their mistake in enough time to stop and end up impacting the vehicle in the perpendicular direction. If the impact creates a force that is bad enough, but it can be made worse by the fact that it can cause the car to go into other cars. This creates a more serious accident, with more damages and involving more cars.

Failure to Yield

As drivers who are turning change lanes or cross oncoming traffic, it's their responsibility to ensure that there aren't other vehicles that they could hit. When a driver fails to check what's going on around them, this could lead to a crash with the car that legally has right of way. Again, the force of this type of impact can be strong enough to force the vehicle that was hit into oncoming traffic, which can worsen the damages and injuries.

DUI

Driving while using alcohol and drugs can be a serious and common reason for accidents. Drivers who are impaired don't have the awareness and the reaction time to drive safely. This is especially true when they lack the reflexes to brake before crashing into another car.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving has become an increasingly more common cause for car accidents these days. The time it takes to look away at your phone can lead to a collision, especially a broadside collision.

Where Do Broadside Collisions Mostly Occur?

Now that you understand a bit about a broadside collision, you should know where and why these types of accidents most commonly occur. In this section, you can get a closer look at the places where you will most commonly see broadside collisions occur.

Intersections

Intersections are easily the most common point of conflict for car accidents. Side-impact car accidents like broadside collisions commonly occur in intersections due to the perpendicular flow of traffic. This makes it more likely that a car will impact the side of another car. That's why intersections are known as “planned points of conflict”.

There is a lot of thought that goes into planning an intersection from city planners, architects, and engineers. These are designed and built as a way to better control and promote the interaction among the people and vehicles in the area. In order to adequately accommodate anticipated traffic, intersections are made safer with signs, pavement markers, and signals. The problem is that it doesn't matter how well-planned these intersections are; there are still inevitable moments of human error that can lead to collisions like broadside collisions.

Human Error

Most car accidents are the result of human error. Intersections are busy areas that bring together drivers of various skill levels. There's also a significant risk of accident at intersections due to drivers of all types, whether they are impaired drivers or just bad drivers, coming across good drivers. No amount of signage, signals, or markings on the pavement can prevent human error. While good drivers are more likely to follow the rules, this doesn't mean that any driver is safe in an intersection, nor does it mean that they won't collide with another car.

Reckless Drivers

There are reckless drivers on the road who are always taking risks. They speed around, practice unsafe behaviors while driving, and even text while driving. Sometimes they do all of these things at the same time. Distracted drivers are more concerned with their mobile devices and various other things in the car than they are about keeping their eyes on the road. This causes them to miss the crucial traffic cues and ignore the other drivers out on the road with them. There are some drivers who drive drowsy, who nod off while they are driving, and don’t notice that they are about to crash.

These may sound just like poor driving habits, but these can be potentially deadly mistakes.

Everyone understands that driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs can impair your judgment and hinder your reflexes, but these can also cause you to make some really stupid decisions while driving. These drivers are more likely to speed, disregard all of the other vehicles on the road, and run stop signs and red lights. They don’t care about driving through intersections, which can make them especially dangerous on the road, especially when you consider how dangerous t-boned car accidents are. T bone crashes, also known as broadside collisions, are particularly dangerous due to the high risk of severe injury.

Older/Elderly Drivers

As drivers get older, they tend to have more issues when driving particularly at intersections. These issues occur as a result of changes in their vision as well as potential side effects from the medication that they are taking. There may also be medical conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's which can result in accidents as older drivers navigate intersections. Senior drivers are also more likely to suffer from cognitive distractions than younger drivers, such as interacting with passengers in the car or daydreaming. There are also issues that older drivers have with underestimating their distance in relation to other vehicles on the road or how fast they are driving.

Drivers with Attitudes

There are some drivers who just have bad attitudes when they get on the road. These are drivers who make conscious decisions to speed or run red lights/stop signs. These aren't mistakes that they make impulsively; these are decisions that they make purposely and completely disregarding the other people on the road. Other drivers on the road have to decide whether or not they are going to yield to these bad behaviors from these other drivers or get into accidents.

Should Airbags Deploy in a Broadside Collision?

Side airbags are mandatory features in cars, which can be highly effective in protecting people from broadside collision accidents. In most cases, the impact from these types of accidents should cause your side airbags to pop open within seconds of impact. If the airbags do not deploy in these types of accidents, you may have had defective airbags and could potentially have a case for product liability. A lawyer with experience in these types of cases can help to determine if you have a viable claim for product liability in these cases.

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Injuries Commonly Seen in Broadside Collision Accidents

Common injuries in broadside collisions include neck injuries, back injuries, and damage to internal organs, due to the forceful nature of the impact. As a result, you will typically see such injuries as:

Spinal cord injuries
Neck injuries
Back injuries (including herniated discs and other spinal damage)
Internal organ damage (such as injury to the liver, spleen, kidneys, or lungs)
Broken bones
Amputation
TBIs and concussions
Paralysis
Death

Some injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, can result in permanent disability.

Death may not always happen in broadside collision accidents, but they can be more common in these types of accidents. If you were injured in a t-boned car accident that was the result of someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to receive compensation for your injuries when the accident is caused by someone else's negligence.

Damages You Can Claim in Broadside Collisions

Car accidents can be incredibly devastating, especially financially. You shouldn’t have to worry about anything but your recovery during times like these. This is why you should talk to a lawyer about what type of damages you can recover from your accident. Some damages that you may be entitled to include:

Lost wages, current, and future
Medical bills, current, and future
Costs for rehabilitation
Costs for remodeling your home

You may also be able to recover compensation for vehicle damage and court costs incurred during a lawsuit.

Due to how severe your injuries are, you could be unable to work either temporarily or permanently. This can not only mean that you are struggling to pay your bills, but it can also mean that you can’t pay your other bills to survive.

Prevention and Safety in Broadside Collisions

Broadside collisions, also known as side impact or t bone accidents, can result in some of the most severe injuries seen in any automobile accident. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and broken bones are just a few of the devastating outcomes that accident victims may face. Because broadside collisions commonly occur at intersections, stop signs, and parking lots—places where vehicles cross paths from different directions—understanding how to prevent these crashes is crucial for every driver.

One of the leading causes of broadside collisions is distracted driving. Taking your eyes off the road, even for a moment, can mean missing a red light or failing to notice oncoming traffic. Impaired drivers, whether under the influence of alcohol or drugs, also contribute significantly to these accidents by reacting too slowly or ignoring traffic laws. Failure to yield, especially when turning or crossing busy intersections, is another frequent cause of broadside crashes.

To reduce your risk of being involved in a broadside collision, always remain alert and focused behind the wheel. Yield to oncoming traffic at intersections and stop signs, even if you believe you have the right of way. Obey all traffic lights and signals, and never assume that other drivers will do the same. In areas where broadside collisions frequently happen—such as intersections with poor visibility or busy parking lots—exercise extra caution and be prepared to stop or react quickly.

Maintaining your vehicle’s safety features is another important step in preventing serious injuries. Ensure that your airbags, anti-lock braking systems, and other safety technologies are in good working order through regular maintenance. These features can make a significant difference in protecting you and your passengers if a side impact collision does occur.

If you are involved in a broadside accident, seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine at first. Injuries sustained in these crashes, such as spinal cord injuries or internal damage, may not be immediately apparent. After addressing your health, consider reaching out to a car accident attorney or car accident lawyer for a free consultation. An experienced legal team can help you navigate the process of dealing with insurance companies, determining liability, and pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the at fault driver. This support is essential for recovering compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages resulting from someone else’s negligence.

By staying vigilant, following traffic laws, and understanding the causes of broadside collisions, you can help protect yourself and others on the road. And if the unexpected happens, know that you have resources and legal options available to help you recover and hold negligent drivers accountable.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help?

A car accident lawyer can be a major asset to you when you are fighting cases like this one. This is because they will fight for what is in your best interests. As soon as you’ve been injured in a broadside collision accident, you should contact a lawyer to help you. The sooner that you get a lawyer involved in the process, the sooner you can get the money that you deserve. The lawyer will look over your case and determine whether or not you have a viable claim. If you do, they will get started working for you.

One way that an accident lawyer can help is by handling insurance companies for you. Insurance companies are in the business of not giving away money, so they do what they can to keep as much of their money as possible. This means participating in some sketchy practices to try and trick you into a lower settlement amount or getting no money at all. They may try to contact you in order to trick you into saying something that will reduce their liability. If an insurance adjuster contacts you, you can give them your lawyer’s information for them to deal with your lawyer directly. This will help you avoid the risk of getting trapped by the insurance company. In broadside collision cases, a thorough investigation is often necessary for determining fault and proving fault. This may involve consulting accident reconstruction experts to analyze the accident scene, vehicle damage, and impact dynamics to strengthen your case.

The lawyer can also help you by determining what a fair amount for your injuries is. They have specific calculations that are based on the severity of your injuries and the other party’s negligence, which helps them come up with a reasonable settlement amount. Your lawyer will fight for a number that is reasonable for you, ensuring that you don’t have to worry about paying your bills during this difficult time. If they can’t negotiate a fair settlement, they will be ready and willing to head to court for you.

A good lawyer will work with you through this entire process. At The Injury Firm, you get a team that stays in contact with you so that you know what to expect every step of the way. They will also tell you whether or not a settlement offer is fair and if you should take it. They want to make sure that you get a fair amount, considering what your needs are during this process.

The Injury Firm is a team of experienced lawyers that can get you the best possible outcomes for your case. This team always has the best interests of their clients in mind as they work, ensuring that they get the compensation that they deserve. Handling these cases with knowledge, experience, and compassion is the way that The Injury Firm handles all of their cases. To learn more about their experience or to see how we can help you with your case, contact us today. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation that allows you to see whether or not you have a viable case.

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