​Get Free Legal Advice After a T-bone Truck Accident

Truck accidents have devastating consequences for all victims. A T-bone commercial truck accident, otherwise known as a broadside impact accident, is especially dangerous. Victims who survive these accidents will have years of medical treatment and pain, resulting in overflowing bills.

Accident victims wonder how they will heal and pay for the expenses that they now have. You will likely have a debilitating injury that will lead to home modifications, medical devices, and surgeries. You might also lose your ability to work and earn a living.

Medical treatments are costly, so you might wonder how you can afford to discuss your options with a local T-bone truck accident attorney. The good news is that you can find a lawyer with a “no win, no fee” arrangement, so it can cost you nothing to set up a free consultation.

Why are truck T-bone accidents worse?

A broadside accident is worse when it involves a truck because of the size difference. Large trucks like semis, tankers, and tractor-trailers are not only larger than cars, but they also have cargo. During a truck collision, the load often spills onto the road, which leads to a secondary accident.

Other vehicles may collide with the cargo even when the truck did not strike them. Innocent bystanders can suffer exposure to dangerous material. The worst instance of truck accidents was when the shipment was hazardous.

What causes T-bone collisions?

You might assume that these accidents are few and far between, but they are not. Truck T-bone accidents are so rampant that there are common ways they happen, and even in high-risk areas, drivers can be aware of where these accidents can happen.

A truck T-bone accident can occur from:

• Driving while intoxicated: Driving while under the influence alters the mental state of the person. When you combine an altered mind state with a large vehicle like a truck, many victims will suffer from this negligence.
• Distracted driving: A driver can become distracted on the road in many ways. The main reason is due to cell phone usage. There are distractions in the cabin and outside of the cabin. In 71 percent of truck accidents, the truck driver paid attention to something other than the road.
• Failure to yield or stop: Various traffic signs and signals require all vehicles to stop. When that happens, a truck does not stop and collides with any vehicle in its path. Intersections require drivers to yield the right of way to each other. When a truck does not correctly render the right of way, the other driver will suffer the consequences.
• Defective brakes or tires: All truck parts need appropriate maintenance; if not, this can cause a tire blowout or brake failure. There are some failsafe available during such a case, but it can be difficult to avoid any injury. Try as they might, the truck driver will be unable to control the vehicle.
• Improper turns: A truck requires additional space to maneuver when turning. When a truck driver makes an improper turn, the vehicles in its path will sustain substantial damage, leading to a T-bone accident.
• Not considering weather conditions: In addition to the road conditions around them, truck drivers must also consider the weather conditions. The roads are slippery, and visibility is lower, leading to deadly mistakes, especially in such a large vehicle. Truck drivers must change how they drive the truck when there is fog or rain.
• Speeding: The leading cause of T-bone truck accidents and most traffic accidents is speeding. When a vehicle is going too fast, it makes it more challenging to maneuver. Truck drivers have strict schedules and delivery times to follow. The pressure to meet these deadlines will cause many drivers to speed.
• Malfunctioning traffic controls: There are rare cases where a truck driver is not the at-fault party. The government can be the liable party instead. If a traffic light is not working as it should, then vehicles can all go simultaneously, causing confusion and accidents.

Where do these accidents happen?

While a T-bone truck accident can occur anywhere, there is a truck or another vehicle; there are some well-known places where these accidents happen.

T-bone truck accidents tend to happen in higher-risk areas, including:

• Stoplights: Heavy traffic intersections will require there to be a stoplight. An accident is unavoidable when drivers ignore these stoplights and place themselves in front of oncoming traffic. When a truck driver ignores the light, oncoming traffic can crash into the truck because they do not have enough time to maneuver around the truck.
• Stop signs: In low traffic areas, stop signs take the place of stoplights. Truck drivers do not typically go through these areas, but if they do, they must take extra care since there is much less space to maneuver and complete a safe turn. Stop sign intersections leave traffic control to approaching vehicles.
• Uncontrolled intersections: There are intersections where there are no stop lights or stop signs. These intersections act as four-way stops and require each driver to yield the right of way to the vehicle that got there first. If a truck driver thinks they have the right of way or forces themselves through the intersection, a T-bone truck accident will ensue.

Who is liable for a T-bone crash?

The cause of the accident and who the at-fault party was is critical to filing a T-bone truck accident claim. The police will conduct a preliminary investigation and file an official accident report. During the examination, they can determine whether the other driver was under the influence, which can help your case.

If there are tickets issued, this can also help your case. These and other factors will be crucial to determining who was at fault and should be liable for your accident and injuries. A T-bone truck accident claim will rely heavily on who the at-fault party was.

Some parties that can be liable for your accident include:

• Truck driver: The truck driver is the most apparent party that can be held liable. When The truck driver was negligent while driving, they will be solely responsible for the injuries and damage they caused.
• Trucking company: While the truck driver was the cause of the accident, the trucking company can also bear some responsibility. The trucking company carries a lot of responsibility in the truck operation. Additionally, the trucking company can have also contributed to the T-bone truck accident in another manner.
• Manufacturers: When a defective part is to blame for the accident, the product manufacturer can be the liable party. You will often see this in cases where there is a brake failure or the tires on the truck blow out.
• Government agencies: Traffic signals guide all drivers where they can and cannot go. When the signal says go, and the vehicle does, but there is a malfunction, and another car goes, this causes an accident. When a T-bone truck accident is the cause of a traffic signal malfunction, the local government agency is the liable party and will need to pay both drivers for the damage the agency caused.

Truck driver regulations

One reason a truck driver can cause a T-bone truck accident is inexperience or lack of training. Federal and state regulations on who can be a truck driver and the requirements they must meet.

Among those regulations are:

• Vehicle inspections, repair, and maintenance
• Secure cargo practices
• Noise emissions
• Hazardous waste transportation guidelines
• Driver qualifications

If there is a violation found to cause an accident, then the penalties will be much harsher.

Injuries from a T-bone accident

A broadside truck accident will change your life forever. A T-bone truck accident results in various catastrophic injuries, many of which are life-threatening.

The most common T-bone truck accident injuries include:

• Brain injuries: The brain is sensitive, and while the skull can be difficult to penetrate, the severity of these accidents leads to traumatic brain injuries.
• Head injuries: While the skull is tough to crack, with severe trauma, you can suffer an open head wound or a closed head wound which can cause mental and physical deficits.
• Spinal cord trauma: Any damage to the spinal cord can lead to partial or total paralysis.
• Amputations: The loss of a limb leaves victims with the inability to use that limb. You will not suffer a permanent disability from the negligent actions of another party.
• Internal bleeding: When victims do not see blood, they assume they are doing just fine, but the truth is there can be internal damage that is not visible to the naked eye.
• Internal organ damage: Your organs play vital roles in your body, and if even one suffers an injury, it can throw your entire system for a loop.
• Lacerations: A deep cut can cause a permanent scar. When you suffer a facial scar, it can cause a great deal of psychological trauma.
• Neck injuries: The neck is a susceptible area. You can suffer neck injuries such as whiplash.

Many other injuries are less severe than the ones listed here. While they seem less harsh than the ones above, that does not mean you should not seek treatment or compensation for your accident expenses.

Compensation for a truck T-bone accident

Truck T-bone accidents result in devastating injuries and other consequences.

When your T-bone truck accident lawyer determines who the liable party is, they will seek compensation for:

• Property damage: Your car is a total loss, and you will have other items in the vehicle that the accident will have destroyed. Through an accident claim, you can recover these expenses.
• Lost wages: You will take time off for doctor’s appointments and medical care. Many cases leave victims unable to work or earn a living which leaves the victim with extensive financial burdens. Families will also suffer from this financial loss.
• Medical bills: All injuries mentioned above will require substantial medical treatment. Accident victims do not have the means to pay for these expenses but can recover the compensation from doing so from a T-bone truck accident claim.
• Pain and suffering: The accident has likely been the cause of a lot of emotional and physical pain. While medical bills are a form of compensation, you can also obtain damages for the pain and suffering that do not have a receipt attached.

Wrongful death

The worst outcome of a truck accident is when there is a death. This outcome is sadly prevalent in T-bone truck accidents. The next of kin can file a wrongful death claim and obtain compensation for the losses the loved one suffered.

Some payment is similar to a catastrophic T-bone accident claim, but there is additional compensation the family can recover, such as:

• Loss of companionship
• Loss of guidance
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of financial contributions to the household

How does a T-bone accident claim work?

After an accident, you will have many confusing communications. The insurance company will attempt to contact you, and while you think it is to resolve the claim, it is actually to shift the blame and lower the compensation you can obtain. You will need protection after a T-bone truck accident.

Contact a local truck accident attorney who handles all of these communications on your behalf. Learn about a law firm’s no win, no fee arrangement today.

Nathan Hughey

Nathan Hughey, an attorney and fourth-generation South Carolinian, founded Hughey Law Firm in 2007. Before that, he spent five years defending nursing homes and insurance companies. Leveraging his experience, he now advocates for those injured or wronged by such entities, securing over $220 million in verdicts and settlements.