Intersections are a hotbed for car accidents. These are one of the few places where lanes of traffic cross. When errors and mistakes are made, cars can crash into each other in intersections, suffering sometimes tragic T-bone car accidents. If you or a loved one was the victim of a T-bone collision in an intersection in the Houston area, contact The Queenan Law Firm today.
Our Houston T-bone car accident lawyers may be able to take your case to court and work to get you the compensation you deserve. While the other driver’s insurance may be able to cover some of your damages, it is vital to talk to a lawyer before accepting any money to ensure that your damages are covered in full. For a free consultation on your case, call our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.
Determining Fault in T-Bone Collisions
T-bone car accidents occur when one car crashes into the side of another. In these cases, you cannot automatically determine which car is at fault. However, the other factors involved in the accident usually give us clues that help a judge and jury determine fault quite clearly in a T-bone car accident.
When two cars crash into each other at right angles, it usually means that one of the cars was not supposed to be in the intersection when the accident occurred. Sometimes cars can slide into an intersection against a red light because the road is wet or icy, but even in these accidents, they may have been speeding and contributed to the accident. More often than not, one of the drivers will have entered the intersection illegally by running a red light or a stop sign.
In a T-bone collision, the car that is lawfully in the intersection is usually the victim’s car, and the other driver is at fault. If the first car entered the intersection legally with a green light or after stopping at a stop sign, the second car’s driver will be at fault for the accident because they should not have entered the intersection while the other car was in the way. Alternatively, if the second car tried to enter the intersection and the other car pulled out in front of it, the driver whose car was struck on the side will be at fault because they should not have pulled out in front of the other car.
Typically, traffic control devices can help show who was at fault. If one driver pulled into the intersection against a red light, they are at fault. Similarly, if one driver entered the intersection after ignoring a stop sign or entered the intersection out of turn, they are typically at fault as well.
Other T-bone crashes occur when a driver makes a left turn across a lane of oncoming traffic and is struck in the side. Typically, cars making a left turn must yield to oncoming traffic, so the turning car is usually at fault. However, if the oncoming driver that struck them was speeding or ran a red light, they may be at fault instead.
Damages for Injury in a T-Bone Car Crash
When you suffer injuries in a car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation to pay you back for any financial damages you suffered and to compensate you directly for intangible harms like pain and mental or emotional suffering. If you lost a loved one to a T-bone car crash, you could also sue for additional damages like the lost income, lost companionship, funeral and burial expenses, and emotional harm from the loss.
Economic or financial damages for a car crash typically cover the costs you incurred because of the crash. These most commonly include damages for vehicle damage plus the costs of medical expenses the accident caused you and any wages you missed because of your injuries. You may use financial records, hospital bills, pay stubs, and other evidence documenting the financial cost to prove your damages in court. Your attorney can hire financial experts to project future lost wages you will suffer if your injury caused you disabilities or limits the job tasks you can perform, and you can claim these damages, too.
Damages for intangible harms are paid directly to you on account of those injuries and are separate from the damages for medical expenses or other financial harms. Many injuries take a serious toll on the victim, potentially limiting their physical abilities, causing long-term pain and suffering, and reducing their enjoyment of life and activities they participated in before the injury. These harms all contribute to the damages you can claim for pain and suffering, and these damages are typically far higher for permanent injuries and disabilities such as paralysis, brain injury, loss of limb, or other debilitating injuries.
If a loved one was killed in an accident, the damages you face could be substantial. The death of your family’s provider can have a detrimental impact on your family’s financial security and well-being when accounting for the future lost income, funeral costs, and burial expenses. In addition, the emotional effects and lost companionship, counsel, and services around the house can also be worth substantial compensation.
Call the Houston T-Bone Auto Accident Lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm Today
If you were injured in T-bone car crash or a member of your family was killed in one of these auto accidents, call The Queenan Law Firm today. Our Houston T-bone car accident lawyers may be able to represent you in your car accident lawsuit and work to get you just compensation for your injuries and other damages. For a free legal consultation on your case, call us today at (817) 476-1797.