T-Bone Truck Accidents

Vehicle accidents pose a sizable risk to those who regularly spend time on the road. In fact, Texas did not have even one deathless day on its roads throughout all of 2018. On top of that, more than 1,000 individuals per month suffered serious injuries as a result of vehicle accidents. There’s no denying that the roadref can prove a dangerous place for both vehicle drivers and occupants, but what sorts of factors introduce additional risk to those traveling by car?

One of the most serious compounding factors in any vehicle accident is the size of the vehicles involved in the event. That’s just one reason why T-bone truck accidents often prove especially injurious (and often deadly). When large trucks—generally loaded with thousands of pounds’ worth of freight—collide with the average vehicle, the smaller vehicle tends to sustain serious damage.

But vehicle damage pales in comparison to the harm that can come to drivers and passengers during T-bone truck accidents. The serious nature of these accidents is why finding an empathetic and knowledgeable legal professional after a crash is so crucial. If you or a loved one has been injured in a T-bone truck accident, chances are you may be facing sizable medical bills and tremendous emotional distress. An attorney can help you fight for the compensation you deserve so you can focus on healing.

What Is a T-bone Accident?

T-bone accidents occur when one vehicle collides squarely with another vehicle’s side. Generally, this type of accident occurs in intersections. In fact, in a report penned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, intersections were deemed responsible for a sizable portion of all types of accidents, even though they account for a relatively small percentage of total roadway space.

While a T-bone accident may happen anywhere and at any time, they tend to happen most frequently in areas where vehicles are naturally positioned in such a way as to make a side collision more likely. In particular, roadway entries and exits of any sort pose a particular risk.

Injuries Caused by T-Bone Truck Accidents

Vehicles and their occupants may suffer severe harm during even the most minor car crash. It’s not difficult to understand how a collision with a massive freight truck or semi-truck could prove disastrous for those involved even at relatively slow speeds. Vehicle drivers and passengers alike may suffer catastrophic injuries as a result of a T-bone truck accident. A handful of the most common types of injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries such as concussions, contusions, and hematomas. According to the Brain Injury Resource Center, vehicle accidents are one of the leading traumatic brain injury causes. Because the brain serves as the central point for virtually every other bodily function, these injuries can prove especially grievous. Some T-bone truck accident victims who suffer traumatic brain injuries experience a wide variety of consequences, ranging from physical to mental.
• Spinal cord injuries can lead to paralysis, problems with bowel and bladder function, chronic pain, and infections.
• Broken bones are painful and take a long time to heal, especially if they break through the skin and cause surface wounds.

Who Is at Fault for the Accident?

More often than not, the driver who collided with the side of the other vehicle is legally responsible for the T-bone accident. An attorney will be able to help you determine true legal liability, but many T-bone truck accident victims find that they are not at fault for their accidents.

The reasoning behind this is relatively simple. Most T-bone truck accidents involve some failure to stop or yield on the trucker’s part. After running a stop sign, red light, or yield sign, the truck then collides with the side of a vehicle that had the right of way. Not only is this a blatant act of negligence, but it often puts vehicle drivers at a much higher risk than the truck driver.

Some other potential causes of T-bone truck accidents include:

• The truck losing braking capabilities.
• A tire blowout leading the truck driver to lose control.
• The other driver’s negligence (i.e. failure to stop when the truck had the right of way).

Most vehicle accident cases don’t have a cut-and-dried answer to this crucial question. This is just one of many reasons why seeking legal assistance can help victims gain a deeper understanding of their case and legal options. Even if you believe without a doubt that the other driver involved in your accident was at fault, there’s no way to know for sure without seeking out someone with legal knowledge.

Fault and Compensation in the Case of Parking Lot T-Bone Truck Accidents

Some T-bone truck accidents occur in parking lots where large trucks may be traveling to make stops or deliveries. This can prove to be an issue if the accident victim decides that they would like to seek compensation for damages. If the parking lot lacks the appropriate signage or markings to designate rights-of-way, it can present difficulties in establishing fault.

Most parking lots are also private property, and Texas police often elect not to investigate collisions (or even write tickets for crashes) that happen in these spaces. This presents a unique issue: who can be held at fault or considered negligent in an area with no rules?

Questions like these generally come down to a single controlling rule of law: drivers are tasked with the duty of remaining alert and avoiding accidents in parking lots. Victims in these cases stand to benefit from an attorney’s advice even more than those involved in roadway T-bone truck accidents.

Partner With an Attorney for More Information

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries as the result of a T-bone truck accident, seek legal guidance after attending to your physical wellbeing. A trustworthy and skilled personal injury lawyer may help you fight for the compensation you deserve.