What a Car Accident Lawyer Looks at After a Rear-End or T-Bone Crash
Rear-end crashes and T-bone collisions are two crash types that come up often in injury claims. The name of the crash describes how the vehicles met, but it does not settle who was https://tysongjlp006.bearsfanteamshop.com/nhtsa-car-crash-statistics-on-speeding-and-drunk-driving at fault. A car accident lawyer reviewing one of these crashes will usually start with the sequence of events, from the speed of each car to the signals that controlled the intersection.
How rear-end collisions happen
Many state traffic laws bar drivers from following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, with attention to the speed of traffic and the condition of the road. Distraction is a frequent factor. NHTSA explains that sending or reading a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for 5 seconds, which at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with eyes closed. A car crash lawyer may ask for the other driver's phone records when distraction is suspected.
In many rear-end crashes the trailing driver is found at fault, yet that result is not automatic. A car that cuts in and brakes suddenly, brake lights that do not work or a vehicle backing up can shift some or all of the fault. In a chain-reaction crash, every impact is its own event, and a middle vehicle pushed forward may not be responsible for the second impact.
Neck injuries after a rear-end crash
Rear-end impacts are often linked to whiplash, a neck injury caused by the head snapping back and forth. Neck pain and headaches may not show up until hours after the crash, which is one reason prompt medical care matters. Insurance companies sometimes challenge injury claims after low-speed rear-end crashes, pointing to light vehicle damage. Medical records and photos of both vehicles help answer that argument, along with imaging such as an MRI when a doctor orders one.
What causes T-bone crashes
In a T-bone crash, the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, usually at an intersection. Common causes include running a red light or a stop sign and failing to yield on a left turn. A car's sides have less space to absorb crash forces than its front or rear, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluates side protection in its own side-impact crash test. People seated on the struck side can suffer serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury or pelvic fractures.
These crashes often turn on who had the right of way. Evidence can include signal timing records, intersection camera video, nearby business surveillance footage, dashcam video and witness statements, as well as the event data recorder (EDR) in each car, which may store speed and braking data from the seconds before impact. A car accident lawyer typically moves quickly to collect video, since many systems overwrite footage within days or weeks.
Shared fault and comparative negligence
Fault is not always all or nothing. Most states use some version of comparative negligence, which reduces a recovery by the injured person's percentage of fault. In states with modified comparative negligence, a person whose fault reaches 50 or 51 percent, depending on the state, may be barred from recovery, while pure comparative negligence allows a reduced recovery at any level of fault. A few jurisdictions still apply contributory negligence, which can bar recovery for even slight fault. A motor vehicle accident attorney can explain which rule applies where the crash happened.
Deadlines and general information
Every state sets its own statute of limitations for injury claims, and claims involving a government vehicle or agency can require written notice much sooner. This article is general information, not legal advice, and it cannot predict the outcome of any claim.