Common Injuries from Side-Impact Car Accidents
Side-impact car accidents often result in serious injury or death, particularly in vehicles lacking side air bags. Side-impact car crashes are also called broadside crashes or T-bone accidents because of the perpendicular shape the cars make upon impact. In many cases, side-impact crashes happen unexpectedly for the victim as the at-fault car comes careening into the side of the victim’s vehicle after running a red light or blowing through a stop sign.
T bone car accident injuries are often deadly
A T-bone car accident is deadlier than other types of car accidents because there is no “crumple zone” like a trunk or engine; a car door is not very thick. According to statistics released by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) from a study conducted in the year 2000: in crashes between passenger cars, 51 percent of deaths occurred in side-impact car accidents. In cases that involved an SUV or truck as the at-fault vehicle, the death rate rose to 60 percent. With the increase in SUVs on the road in the last couple of decades, side-impact car accidents have become that much more deadly.
If you or a loved one is suffering from T bone car accident injuries, contact an experienced car accident lawyer today. The attorney will ease your mind as they take on the investigation of the car crash and gather evidence to support your claim. He or she may be able to help you fight for damages for medical expenses, physical therapy, pain and suffering, lost wages and more.
Common causes of side-impact car accidents
In most cases, side-impact car accidents happen because of reckless, impaired or other negligent driving. When a driver runs a red light or misses a stop sign and crashes into another vehicle because they were racing, intoxicated, texting and driving or for any other reason; they are negligent and the victim deserves a settlement to help cover losses for their recovery.
Common side impact collision injuries
The person sitting next to the door that is hit in the T-bone crash typically endures far worse injuries than other passengers in the vehicle. In some cases, though, another passenger may be severely injured because the person on the impact side is thrown into a person on the non-impact side.
Common side impact car crash injuries include:
- Herniated discs in the back and/or neck
- Concussion and other traumatic brain injuries are particularly common
- Cuts from shattered glass
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Dislocated limbs
- Nerve and/or spinal cord damage with possible paralysis
- Crushing injuries
- Soft tissue injuries such as muscle, tendon and ligament sprains, strains or tears.
How to reduce your risk of being injured in a side-impact car accident
Choose a car with the following safety features:
- Side-curtain airbags
- Torso airbags
- Good side-impact rating (look for the model’s side impact crash rating here)
- Structural soundness; heavier cars may be better able to withstand a heavy impact.
Seek the help of a T bone car accident lawyer
If you or a loved one is dealing with an accident or injury, you have enough on your plate. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
