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T-bone accidents often cause serious injuries that require emergency hospital treatment and absence from work. Some T-bone accidents lead to permanent disabilities. If you’ve been injured in a T-bone accident caused by another driver, you may be entitled to file an injury claim and seek financial compensation for your injuries and resulting financial losses.
An experienced Richmond T-bone accident attorney at Marks & Harrison can help you pursue maximum compensation. Since 1911, Marks & Harrison has represented accident victims throughout Virginia as one of the largest injury law firms in the state. Our firm has a track record of success, reflected in the numerous awards and honors that our firm and our attorneys have received, including having won all top three awards of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and having several of our attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.
Our team has the background and experience to investigate and vigorously pursue the most complicated motor vehicle accident cases. Contact a Richmond auto collision attorney at Marks & Harrison today for a free initial case review if you were injured in a T-bone collision. Learn how our firm can help you improve your chances for a full financial recovery if you were hit by a negligent driver.
What Is a T-Bone Accident?
A T-bone accident refers to a motor vehicle accident where the front of one vehicle collides into the side of another vehicle at a right angle, creating a “T” shape. These collisions also are known as broadside accidents or side-impact accidents.
T-bone accidents typically occur at intersections. One driver disregards a traffic light, yield sign, or stop sign and fails to yield the right-of-way. T-bone accidents also occur where driveways enter busy roadways.
What Injuries Are Caused by T-Bone Accidents?
T-Bone accidents often cause severe injuries, especially to the occupants of the vehicle that was struck in the side. Vehicles have less protection along their sides to absorb the impact of a collision. If the impact occurs at the door where a driver or passenger is sitting, the person sitting next to the door often receives the brunt of the force of the collision.
Examples of injuries that are commonly sustained in T-bone collisions include:
- Severe lacerations
- Broken bones
- Sprains and tears of soft tissues such as tendons, ligaments, or muscles
- Whiplash injuries
- Neck and back injuries, including herniated discs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions
How Is Fault Determined in a T-Bone Accident in Richmond?
Unlike accidents such as a rear-end collision, where one driver most likely caused the accident, either driver may potentially be liable in a T-bone accident. Typically, determining fault for a T-bone accident requires figuring out which driver had the right-of-way to proceed and which driver failed to yield.
In many cases, the driver that collides with another vehicle did so because they unlawfully entered the intersection and failed to give way to traffic in the intersection. In some cases, the driver of the vehicle that is struck broadside may be found to be at fault for the accident if the driver mistakenly entered the intersection.
Determining fault for a T-bone accident means looking for circumstances or factors that may have caused or contributed to the accident, such as:
- Whether either driver was speeding
- Whether either driver was distracted, such as looking at a cell phone
- Whether either driver may have been under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
- Which driver had the legal right of way
- Whether a driver was trying to speed through a red light
- Whether traffic controls were functioning properly at the time of the accident
- What the weather and lighting conditions were at the time of the accident
- Whether a stop sign was concealed by overgrown roadside vegetation
Evaluating these factors can help determine whether a driver may have been responsible for causing the T-bone collision and whether you have a valid injury claim against the at-fault driver.
What Do You Do If You Have Been in a T-Bone Accident in Richmond, VA?
If you’ve been involved in a T-bone collision, you may take the following steps to put yourself in a better position to pursue a claim for compensation for your injuries and losses:
- Get a copy of the police report filed for your accident. The police report serves as the official record of the accident and can provide valuable evidence in your case.
- Schedule a prompt medical examination with a physician to get checked out for any injuries you may have suffered in the crash if you did not require emergency treatment. Follow any treatment recommendations and instructions you receive.
- Keep records of all your bills, invoices, and receipts for any expenses you incur during the recovery from your injuries. Collect any documentation that may help support your case and show the extent of your injuries and losses, such as paystubs, tax documents, and vehicle repair estimates.
- Avoid discussing the accident on social media and avoid posting photos or videos of yourself on social media during your recovery from your injuries. An insurance adjuster may use your social media posts to challenge your injury and argue that you are not seriously injured.
- Make time to consult with a Richmond T-bone accident attorney about your legal rights and options for seeking compensation for your injuries and losses from the other driver.
Is There a Time Limit on Filing an Injury Claim Lawsuit for the T-Bone Accident?
Yes, there is a time limit. That time limit is two years. This is known as the statute of limitations. Should you not file your lawsuit within that time frame, you will have lost your opportunity to have your lawsuit heard in court. Two years may seem like a long time, but there is much research to be done to properly prepare for your lawsuit. Research such as interviewing witnesses, obtaining police reports of the accident, and other matters will help make for a better outcome for your case.
Contact a Richmond T-Bone Accident Lawyer today
If you were injured in a T-bone accident in Virginia, call or fill out our online form to contact Marks & Harrison today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Don’t wait to speak to a Richmond T-bone accident lawyer about your legal rights and options for pursuing compensation from the negligent or reckless driver at fault for your injuries and losses.
