T-Boned in Chicago? Our Accident Attorneys Can Help
A side-impact collision, sometimes called a T-bone crash, often comes out of nowhere. You were following the rules, but someone else ran a red light or a stop sign and slammed into the side of your car. These kinds of collisions can result in serious injuries and damage. Unlike head-on or rear-end collisions, where the front or back end of your car may crumple and absorb some of the impact, there’s little between you and the impact when you’re hit from the side. Much of that force hits you directly, and the results can be very painful.
If you’ve been injured in a T-bone crash by either another car or a commercial truck, your injuries may require a lengthy recovery. Medical bills are likely more than your family can manage, and you may not know where to turn for help.
Chicago T-Bone Accident Lawyers
A Chicago car accident attorney may be the answer. A t-bone car accident lawyer can help you get compensation for your medical bills, wages you lost because of time away from work, pain and suffering, any disability or disfigurement you suffered, and your loss of normal life. A no-win no fee attorney can investigate your crash and gather the evidence to support your claim, and then negotiate to get you the compensation you deserve.
Call a Chicago T-bone accident lawyer at (312) 236-2900 to schedule a free, initial consultation to discuss your situation.
What Causes T-Bone Crashes in Chicago?
Most of the time, side-impact crashes are caused by negligence. A driver runs a red light or a stop sign because they’re driving aggressively or were distracted by talking or texting on a cell phone and didn’t see the light or stop sign before entering the intersection where you had the right of way.
If your crash was caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness, you have a legal right in Illinois to recover compensation for your injuries and other damages. An experienced lawyer can go over the facts of your case and determine whether you might have a claim.
Common Injuries in Side Impact Auto Accidents
In a side-impact collision, people on the side of the car that is hit tend to have more serious injuries than those on the opposite side because the people on the side where the impact happens absorb more force from the crash. However, people on the opposite side can also be injured, sometimes because the people on the impact side are thrown against them.
Some of the most common injuries seen in Chicago-area T-bone crashes include:
- Head injuries — Can include concussion and other traumatic brain injuries, or cuts from shattered glass.
- Neck injuries — Can include herniated discs or whiplash, where the neck extends unnaturally as the head snaps from the force of the impact.
- Back injuries — Can include herniated discs, nerve damage, spinal cord damage, or paralysis.
- Chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries — Can include crushing injuries to the chest from a buckled car frame.
- Limb injuries — Can include broken bones or dislocated limbs.
- Soft tissue injuries — Can include muscle, tendon, and ligament sprains, strains, and tears.
Side Impact Collisions with Trucks
When a commercial vehicle like an 18-wheeler hits the front or back of a car, there are several feet of steel, bumper, engine, and internal seating protecting the driver. But when a car is T-boned by a truck, there is only a door and a window between you and the truck or another commercial vehicle. Given that scenario, it’s not surprising that side-impact collisions kill up to 10,000 Americans annually.
This is an even more dangerous scenario when you consider that a commercial truck like an 18-wheeler can weigh up to 80,000 pounds fully loaded. While all cars sold in the United States are required to meet federal side-impact safety standards, those rules go out the window when a commercial truck hits a car.
At best, the truck is going slow enough to only tap the car from the side, which can still break limbs and cause whiplash. But when a truck collides with another vehicle, it can run over the car and its passengers entirely or collapse the vehicle within its own structure.
Fault & Liability in Chicago T-Bone Collisions
There are a variety of reasons that a car may strike another vehicle from the side. Here are some common scenarios where T-bone collisions happen as a result. Not coming to a complete stop at a four-way intersection. The famous “California roll” is common for many drivers who choose to roll through a stop sign instead of coming to a halt.
It’s also a wildly illegal practice. When a driver fails to come to a complete stop at a four-way, it’s a violation of the traffic code. Big commercial trucks are also famously difficult to bring to a stop, so any truck driver who chooses to blow an intersection to save time will be found negligent for his or her actions.
Failure to Yield in T-Bone Accidents
We all had to learn those complex rules that require one driver to yield to another when two or more cars arrive at a four-way stop at the same time. Most states’ traffic laws (including Illinois) require drivers who stop at intersections simultaneously to permit the driver on the left to proceed through the intersection.
Side Impact Car Crashes due to Running Red Lights
Running a red light is patently illegal and can be life-threatening. Because most drivers pick up speed to race through a light before it turns red, a driver-side collision from a tractor-trailer can kill everyone in the car that is struck instantly.
T-Bone Accidents from Turning Against Traffic
Five of the twenty most congested roads in the United States are in the Chicago area, so it’s tempting for drivers to cut corners to get where they are going. When a driver is in a turning lane and can safely and legally make a turn across traffic, it’s important to wait until it’s safe to make that turn. Drivers who cut across traffic and fail to make the turn in time rarely escape liability.
T-Bone Collision from Failing to Assess Oncoming Traffic
Most drivers look both ways before taking a turn. Very often, that’s not enough, especially in busy traffic scenarios where cars may appear suddenly. Drivers usually can’t see speeding cars coming from the right side until it’s too late. Drivers must wait until it is safe to join the traffic flow or face the consequences.
Recklessness & Aggressive Driving Causes Side Impact Collisions
Because most truck drivers drive their commercial vehicles for a living, reckless driving is less common among this demographic. However, if a truck driver loses his temper and starts using a large commercial vehicle to scare or intimidate other drivers, the situation can quickly get out of hand and result in a collision.
T-boned by an Impaired Driver
Intoxicated drivers more often than not will fail to look for other vehicles coming from the side. If they do see other vehicles, their condition often causes them to miscalculate the oncoming driver’s speed and location.
Inclement Weather or Traffic Conditions
During severe weather, it can be more difficult for a driver to successfully stop their vehicle. Sliding past a stop sign or traffic signal into an intersection is a real risk to other drivers who may experience a T-bone crash firsthand.
How to Prove Fault in a Chicago T-Bone Crash
Establishing liability after a side impact collision requires a thorough investigation, including:
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Police Reports: Official reports often contain officer opinions about fault.
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Traffic Camera Footage: Video evidence from nearby cameras can be crucial.
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Eyewitness Testimony: Bystanders may confirm which vehicle ran a light or failed to yield.
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Accident Reconstruction Experts: Professionals can analyze vehicle damage and crash dynamics to determine how the impact occurred.
An experienced Chicago car accident lawyer can gather and present this evidence to build the strongest case possible on your behalf.
Comparative Fault in Side-Impact Collisions
Illinois uses a modified comparative negligence system, meaning you can still recover compensation if you were less than 51% at fault. However, your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of your fault. This is why having a skilled attorney fight back against unfair blame is critical.
Contact a Chicago T-Bone Accident Lawyer Today
Car and truck accident cases involving side-impact collisions are complex and can prove confusing to their victims. Proving negligence in a crash that involves a T-bone crash takes an investment of time, experience, and resources.
If you have been injured in an accident involving any type of side collision, give the experienced Chicago personal injury lawyers at Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. a call today at (312) 236-2900 for a free consultation. We can pursue the compensation you need and deserve.
