Murfreesboro T-Bone Accident Lawyers
A T-bone accident occurs when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, creating a shape similar to the letter “T.” These collisions frequently happen at intersections, where one vehicle enters the path of traffic traveling in another direction.
For the person sitting closest to the impact, there may be only a door and a relatively small amount of vehicle structure separating their body from the force of the crash. Serious T-bone accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries, fractures, internal injuries, spinal damage, and permanent disability.
The Murfreesboro T-Bone Accident Lawyers at Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers help people pursue compensation when another driver’s negligence causes a serious side-impact collision. We work to secure a recovery that accounts for the medical, financial, and personal consequences of the injuries our clients have suffered.
Every client has a dedicated case manager and access to a lawyer from the beginning. We believe people facing serious injuries deserve attentive service as well as a legal team focused on achieving the best possible result for them.
T-Bone Crashes in Murfreesboro Frequently Occur at Intersections
Intersections bring vehicles traveling in different directions into close proximity. Traffic signals, stop signs, yield rules, and right-of-way laws determine when each driver can proceed. A serious accident can happen when someone disregards those rules.
Common T-bone scenarios include a driver:
- Running a red light
- Running a stop sign
- Failing to yield while making a turn
- Entering an intersection when it is not safe
- Pulling from a driveway or parking area into traffic
- Misjudging the speed or distance of an approaching vehicle
- Accelerating through an intersection in an attempt to beat a light
In many cases, the driver with the right-of-way has very little time to respond. A vehicle may enter directly in front of them when there is no longer enough distance to stop.
Side Impacts Leave Less Space Between the Collision and the Occupant
Modern vehicles are designed with numerous safety features, but the physical structure surrounding an occupant differs depending on where the vehicle is struck. In a frontal collision, there is typically substantial space between the front bumper and the occupants. In a T-bone crash, the person nearest the impact may have much less space separating them from the striking vehicle. Side airbags, reinforced doors, and structural improvements can reduce injuries, but they cannot eliminate the tremendous forces involved in a severe crash. When the striking vehicle hits near an occupied seating position, the risk of serious trauma can be substantial.
Driver-Side and Passenger-Side Impacts Can Produce Different Risks
The location of the impact can make an enormous difference. If another vehicle strikes the driver’s door, the driver may be positioned very close to the point of impact. The collision can cause direct trauma to the head, shoulder, chest, hip, and leg on that side of the body. Meanwhile, a passenger-side impact can be equally devastating for someone sitting in that position. Even occupants on the opposite side of the vehicle can suffer serious injuries. The impact can throw their bodies sideways against seat belts, other occupants, or the interior of the vehicle. A T-bone crash therefore needs to be evaluated based on what actually happened to each injured person rather than simply the overall appearance of the vehicle.
A T-Bone Impact Can Cause a Vehicle to Spin or Overturn
The initial side impact is not always the end of the collision. Because the striking force is applied to the side of the vehicle, a T-bone impact may cause the struck vehicle to rotate rapidly. It can spin into another lane, hit another vehicle, strike a fixed object, or leave the roadway. Some vehicles may also overturn.
These additional movements expose occupants to multiple forces and potential impacts. A person might be injured first by the direct side collision and then again when the vehicle strikes a pole, median, barrier, or another car. When pursuing compensation, the seriousness of the accident should reflect the entire sequence rather than only the first point of contact.
Red-Light Violations Can Cause Severe Side-Impact Crashes
Traffic signals are intended to separate conflicting streams of traffic. A driver who proceeds through a red light can place their vehicle directly in the path of motorists who have been given the right to proceed. The consequences can be especially severe when a driver enters an intersection at speed. A motorist traveling through a green light may reasonably expect crossing traffic to remain stopped. When another vehicle suddenly enters the intersection, there may be no meaningful opportunity to avoid the crash. Disputes can arise afterward when both drivers claim they had the green light. In those situations, determining which driver was entitled to proceed can become critical to obtaining compensation for the injured person.
T-Bone Accidents Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries
Because of the location and force of the impact, T-bone crashes can cause injuries requiring extensive medical treatment.
Possible injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and spinal injuries
- Rib and chest injuries
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Shoulder and arm injuries
- Hip and pelvic fractures
- Leg and knee injuries
- Nerve damage
- Permanent disability
Recovery may involve emergency surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and substantial time away from work. Some people never return completely to their pre-accident health. When an injury is permanent, the compensation sought should address more than the medical treatment already received.
Serious Injury Claims Must Consider the Future
A catastrophic T-bone accident can affect decades of a person’s life. Someone with a severe orthopedic injury may need future surgeries. A brain injury can affect memory, concentration, personality, and employment. Spinal injuries can cause chronic pain, mobility restrictions, or permanent neurological problems.
The accident may also change what a person is capable of earning. An individual who can no longer perform the same job may lose significant income over the course of a career. Others may need assistance with activities they previously handled independently.
Depending on the case, compensation may include medical expenses, anticipated future treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent impairment, and other losses. Weir & Kestner works to pursue a recovery that considers what our client will need going forward, not simply what has already happened.
Insurance Companies May Dispute How the Accident Happened
T-bone collisions can produce sharply conflicting stories. One driver may say the other ran a red light. Both may insist they had the right-of-way. A turning driver may claim the approaching vehicle was speeding, while the approaching driver says the turn happened directly in front of them. Insurance companies rely on these disagreements when attempting to avoid or reduce payment. The details of the crash can therefore have a direct effect on an injured person’s ability to recover compensation. Witness accounts, available video, vehicle positions and damage, traffic controls, and other information may help address disputed versions of the accident.
At Weir & Kestner, resolving those issues serves a larger purpose: putting our client in the strongest position to obtain the financial recovery they deserve.
Personal Representation After a Serious Side-Impact Crash
A severe T-bone accident can create medical, financial, and personal challenges all at once. Your legal representation should make that period easier, not more complicated. Every Weir & Kestner client receives a dedicated case manager and access to an attorney from the start. You will have people who know your case and understand what the accident has meant for you.
Both partners also began their careers representing insurance companies. That background gives us firsthand insight into how insurers approach serious accident claims and make decisions about compensation. Today, we use that experience to pursue results for injured people while providing the responsive, personal service we believe every client deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions About Murfreesboro T-Bone Accidents
Who is usually responsible for a T-bone accident at an intersection?
Responsibility depends on which driver violated the applicable traffic or right-of-way rules. A driver who runs a red light, disregards a stop sign, or turns across another vehicle’s path may be responsible for the resulting collision.
What happens if both drivers say they had a green light?
Conflicting accounts do not necessarily prevent an injury claim. Witnesses, available video, the sequence of traffic signals, vehicle damage, and other information may help determine which driver had the right-of-way.
Why do T-bone accidents cause such serious injuries?
The occupant nearest the collision may have relatively little vehicle structure separating them from the point of impact. A side collision can also cause the vehicle to rotate, overturn, or experience additional impacts.
Can a passenger recover compensation after a T-bone accident?
An injured passenger may have a claim against whichever driver or drivers were legally responsible for causing the collision.
What compensation is available after a serious T-bone accident?
Depending on the injuries and their consequences, compensation may include medical expenses, future healthcare needs, lost income, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent impairment, and other accident-related losses.
Contact a Murfreesboro T-Bone Accident Lawyer
A T-bone collision can leave you dealing with serious injuries long after the intersection has been cleared. If another driver’s negligence caused the crash, you deserve the opportunity to pursue compensation that reflects what the accident has taken from you.
Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers helps injured people seek meaningful financial recoveries after serious side-impact accidents while providing personal attention throughout the case.
Contact Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Murfreesboro T-bone accident lawyer. You do not pay us an attorney’s fee unless we obtain a recovery for you.