How to Identify Who’s at Fault in a T-bone Car Accident

How to Identify Who's at Fault in a T-bone Car AccidentT-bone accidents remain a common occurrence today. These accidents often happen as a result of one or both drivers being distracted while behind the wheel of their vehicle. When a driver approaches an intersection and has the green light, they proceed with the understanding they have the right of way and will be safe. Sadly, this isn’t always the case.

Thanks to smartphone usage by individuals while driving and numerous other distractions, moving through an intersection has become more perilous. Frequently referred to as side-impact collisions, these t-bone accidents kill thousands of individuals every year. Unfortunately, authorities often find it difficult to determine which driver was at fault in this type of collision. For this reason, any person involved in an accident of this type should reach out to mayfirm.com.

What Makes Side Impact Collisions So Deadly?

Why are so many individuals injured or killed in t-bone accidents? When a person is hit from either the front or the rear, they have the hood of the vehicle or the trunk to help protect them. If they are hit from the side, however, the only protection they have is the door and the window. As a result, the victim of the collision is more likely to suffer traumatic injuries.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 23 percent of passenger vehicle occupant deaths in 2019 resulted from side-impact collisions. Even those who managed to survive the accident might find they have injuries that last a lifetime.

Most t-bone accidents involve two vehicles. The driver who has the right of way will move through the intersection without slowing their speed, as they believe they are clear to do so.

Other drivers accelerate from a stop when their light turns green, assuming other vehicles at the intersection will stop as they should. The other driver then hits them at a high rate of speed because they failed to see a light that turned red, attempted to beat the light, or were distracted in some way.

Who is Responsible for the Accident?

Individuals may believe the driver who t-boned another vehicle is responsible for the accident. However, this person might attempt to shift blame to the victim. How can they do so?

Both parties may be found negligent in certain situations or both drivers might be cleared in the accident. For instance, a vehicle defect may lead to an accident. When brakes fail, the driver cannot stop the car before causing an accident.

This serves as only one example of a situation in which neither driver is at fault. An experienced Car Accident lawyer will then pursue compensation from the vehicle manufacturer responsible for this defect rather than the driver who hit the victim. They will also pursue a thorough investigation to gather evidence, such as inspection reports, expert testimony, and maintenance records, to prove that the accident was caused by the defect.

It may be that the mechanic responsible for inspecting the brakes and ensuring they were safe was actually responsible for the accident. There was no defect that led to the accident. It was actually negligence on the part of the mechanic responsible for identifying any potential issues.

If you are the victim of a t-bone accident, seek medical help right away. Injuries may not be readily apparent. An examination by a medical professional allows these injuries to be identified in a timely manner. In addition, take other steps to document the circumstances surrounding the accident for future reference as the claim moves forward.

Once these steps have been taken, speak to a personal injury attorney. These attorneys work on behalf of clients to determine who is responsible for a t-bone collision and seek compensation for the victim.