One of the more dangerous types of accidents is the T-bone type collision. Compared with other collisions, the fatality rate for T-bone collisions is much higher. There is very little protection offered by the doors of your vehicle compared with the distance between you and the force of impact in other types of collisions.
The most common cause of a broadside collision is a driver’s failure to yield for a red light. Busy intersections are often the scene of these deadly accidents as a car careens through passing traffic until colliding with the side of another. Running a red light is a flagrant violation of our traffic laws and creates a scenario of clear liability for the opposing side. Nonetheless, almost never will the other side admit they were at fault and may actually try and state they had a green light or that it was yellow when they entered the intersection.
One of the most common injuries that occur when a driver is involved in even minor T-bone type collision is a painful tear of the shoulder. This is known as the rotator cuff. If you have sustained such an injury you should consult with an attorney asap. Why? Well, insurance companies generally offer far less for this type of claim despite the real lasting issues and extensive damage that can result. Part of this is because the insurance company is going to try and use the argument that this type of injury can often happen not by accident.
So who else suffers this type of injury?
The degeneration of the rotator cuff area is often seen as a natural part of the aging process. Additionally, anyone who does a large amount of overhead repetitive lifting is also likely to have a rotator cuff injury. The insurance company will have a team of people including their own doctors and nurses to try and use these factors against you and convince you that your claim does not deserve as much compensation as others.
However, what is also clear is that the abrupt motion which results from a T-bone collision causes the joints to be forced into unusual positions so as to cause injury.
What if I have other injuries as well?
Head, brain, back, injury, chest and torso injuries, and fractures to the pelvis and femur are also all common from this type of collisions depending on the severity of the collision and the type of vehicles involved. For example, head trauma is a growing concern as the size of SUV’s makes the impact point higher that other vehicles. Occupants of automobiles involved in side-impact crashes are three times more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury than people involved in head-on or other types of collisions.
What should I do if I’ve been injured?
First and foremost, get the medical help you need. Many injuries can have a debilitating and long-term impact if not properly treated. Limitations in movement, chronic pain, stiffness, irritation and weakening are all possible long-term effects. Once you’ve seen a doctor and received treatment, start making notes of everything that has happened to you from the moment of the accident that caused your injury. Then give us a call. We will listen to you, assess the evidence and give you a good indication of the kind of settlement you can expect.
At our office, you get to speak directly with the lawyer, not a case manager or paralegal. Get a team on your side to fight the one put up by the insurance company. We have a group of lawyers, a registered nurse, and other staff across two different states with years of experience who are ready, willing, and able to fight for the compensation you deserve. We also regularly hire expert witnesses including doctors, professional engineers, and others to do what it take to win the fight and secure justice for our clients.
Call Travis today at 727-793-7619 on his cell or if you prefer to call the office, the Indiana office is 260-446-2414 and the Florida office is 727-323-4759.
- http://home/travismc/public_html.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/ratings-info/side-test
- https://home/travismc/public_html.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4004132/
- https://home/travismc/public_html.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3584736/
- https://home/travismc/public_html.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217542/
- https://home/travismc/public_html.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/599/highway-data-ties-side-impact-crashes-to-brain-injury.aspx
