A T-bone accident occurs when a vehicle slams into the side of another vehicle, typically at an intersection. The vehicles form a “T,” giving rise to the name: T-bone. Another name is side-impact collision, which describes the same kind of accident.
T-bone accident can cause serious injuries and leave many of our clients unable to return to work. If you’ve been injured, you need someone in Grand Junction who understands what you need to prove to win these cases. Contact Cimarron Ridge Legal Group today.
Why T-Bone Collisions Happen
A side-impact crash should be fairly easy to avoid. However, these accidents usually are caused by some degree of 
negligence or recklessness:
- Distracted driving, such as when a driver is looking at her phone as she approaches an intersection and forgets to hit the brakes
- Aggressive driving, such as running a red light or failing to stop at a stop sign
- Impaired driving whether by alcohol or drugs
- Drowsy driving, such as when a motorist falls asleep and rolls through an intersection
- Illegally passing and T-boning a car that is pulling out of a parking lot or driveway
To receive compensation, you will need to show that the driver who struck you was at fault. Typically, this means showing that they were negligent or reckless. Remember to document the accident as much as you can with photographs, a police report, and summary of what you remember happening.
T-Bone Accident Injuries
Cars have less protection at their sides, so it is not surprising that T-bone collisions cause more damage than other types of crashes, like a rear-end collision. For one thing, your car does not have a bumper on the sides, nor do many vehicles have side airbags. As a result, a motorist can be knocked sideways after a T-bone crash and collide with other passengers or with the side of the car.
We have seen some serious injuries, including:
- Brain injuries. If your head shakes side to side, then the brain can jiggle around as well. This movement can cause tears in the brain and change how it sends and receives signals. As a result, many people experience confusion, memory loss, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and impaired mobility.
- Facial injuries. Fractures, cuts, and nerve damage on the face are more devastating than injuries on other parts of the body, principally because they are so visible. Many clients with facial injuries suffer severe emotional distress.
- Fractures. Our clients have suffered broken bones in the neck, chest, or back. Fractured ribs can spear organs and lead to pneumonia.
- Shoulder injuries. Our shoulders are complicated, and an accident can badly damage this joint, requiring surgery to fix.
- Nerve damage. Any pressure on a nerve can cause chronic pain and lead to permanent nerve death if not addressed quickly.
- Spinal cord injuries. Our clients have suffered herniated discs as well as bruising or tears to the spinal cord, leading to partial or total paralysis.
Remember to obtain medical treatment as soon as possible after your accident. This will give you the best chance to make a recovery.
Compensation after a T-Bone Collision
After a T-bone accident, you will probably want to bring a claim for compensation. Under Colorado law, you can receive money as compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost income (including self-employment income)
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Disability
In some situations, you might also qualify for exemplary damages, also called punitive damages, where the at-fault driver engaged in very risky or dangerous actions.
How to Hire an Attorney
Obtaining compensation after a car accident is supposed to be straightforward. You file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company and they investigate. If they agree their insured is at fault, you make a demand for compensation that they promptly pay.
Unfortunately, obtaining a full and fair settlement for your injuries is harder than many of our clients expected. Insurance companies are not eager to pay out settlements, and some of them drag their feet unnecessarily or disagree that their insured is to blame for the crash.
A seasoned Grand Junction T-bone accident attorney can meet with you to discuss your case and then negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. We have seen many unrepresented accident victims make critical mistakes in the days after a T-bone collision, such as giving a recorded statement when they were feeling unwell or were still on painkillers.
To protect your rights, contact us today. One of our T-bone accident lawyers in Grand Junction will be happy to negotiate on your behalf. Please call 970-230-7662 to schedule a free consultation.
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