Did you know that more than 38,000 people die every year in car crashes in the United States? If you were recently involved in a car accident and are trying to figure out who is at fault in a t-bone car accident, you are in the right place.
Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of t-bone accidents or side-impact collisions.
Who Is at Fault in a T-Bone Car Accident?
The truth is that it depends on the circumstances. Either one of the drivers involved might be found at fault for the accident, whether they were the ones that did the broadsiding or were broadsided.
An example of a t-bone accident is, if you are driving through an intersection and another driver cuts in front of you and causes you to hit another vehicle, they would be found at fault if you can prove the scenario. Sometimes the challenge is proving what happened.
Proving Fault
In some cases the driver at fault might admit fault at the scene and when they speak to the insurance company. If the other person involved admits to being at fault, it will make your job much easier.
Now, if they are adamant that this accident was caused because of you then you will want to find an experienced auto injury attorney. Some people will claim that they had the right of way and that they were in no way at fault and put all the blame on you.
This will become a case of your word against theirs. With a lawyer in your corner, you will have a better chance to prove that you were not at fault.
Proving fault will start at the scene of the accident. You will want to call the police right away because they will make a police report where they will write down a preliminary determination of whom they feel was responsible based on what they see.
Next, you want to write down the contact information of anyone that could be considered a witness. If possible, record their statement at the scene of the crime on your cell phone. Take the time to take pictures while you are at the scene of your vehicle, the other vehicle, and the intersection where the collision occurred.
Do not under any circumstances ever admit that you were at fault.
Traffic Lights
If you feel that the other driver will claim that they had the right of way but you know that you had a protected green light, take note of the time of the accident if possible. In some instances, the time of the accident can be compared to the traffic light’s automated programming.
With this kind of proof, they can see whether or not the oncoming traffic always has a red light at the time of the accident.
Keep in mind that sometimes this can help your attorney but sometimes it might not be a helpful tool. It still never hurts to write down the time the accident happened to give your attorney something else to work with when they are proving your case.
Other Driver at Fault
When a t-bone accident occurs it means that one of the two drivers was not supposed to cross through the intersection. Traffic should never under any circumstances cross an intersection at right angles at the same exact time.
Sometimes this can happen if one of the drivers is distracted or not paying attention. A driver might fail to notice that they have a red light and accidentally run through a signal or a light.
Drivers always have to slow down at an intersection to make sure that they are going the right way at the right time. Intersections are not the place to be distracted by other passengers in the car or by a cell phone or the radio.
Another reason the other driver can be found at fault is because they were driving while they were impaired. The police at the scene might notice the driver is either under the influence of alcohol or drugs or they might notice that they are fatigued.
Impaired drivers will make bad decisions while they are behind the wheel and they will also have trouble seeing and analyzing any hazards that are on the road. Their chances of ignoring stop signs and traffic lights are very high and will put everyone out on the road at risk.
Defective Parts
Soemtimes a t-bone accident can occur because of defective parts in a vehicle. This means that neither driver might be at fault in some circumstances. For example, if one of the drivers is approaching a red or yellow light and they begin to tap their brakes but nothing happens and end up hitting another vehicle.
If it is found that the brakes were a manufacturer defect, then the manufacturer of the vehicle will be held liable for the charges associated with the accident. A lawyer with experience will look into holding the manufacturer legally liable for making and selling defective brakes.
Feeling Like a T-Bone Accident Pro?
Now that you know more about a t-bone car accident, we hope that you have the knowledge to move forward after your accident. Any type of accident is stressful and overwhelming. Hopefully, you are feeling better prepared to fight your case if you were not the one at fault.
Did our article help you out today? Please come back soon to always stay in the know.
