Rear-End and T-Bone Collisions: Fault, Injuries and Evidence

Rear-End and T-Bone Collisions: Fault, Injuries and Evidence

Rear-end crashes and T-bone collisions are two crash types that come up often in injury claims. The name of the crash describes how the vehicles met, but it does not settle who was at fault. An auto accident lawyer reviewing these crashes usually begins with the sequence of events, from the speed of each car to the signals that controlled the intersection.

Why rear-end crashes happen

Many state traffic laws bar drivers from following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, with attention to the speed of traffic and the condition of the road. Distraction is a frequent factor. NHTSA notes that sending or reading a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for 5 seconds, which at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with eyes closed. An auto accident attorney may ask for the other driver's phone records when distraction is suspected.

In many rear-end crashes the trailing driver is found at fault, but that is not automatic. A vehicle that cuts in and stops short, brake lights that fail or a vehicle backing up may shift part or all of the fault. In a chain-reaction crash, every impact is its own event, and a middle car pushed into the car ahead may not be at fault for that second impact.

Whiplash and soft tissue injuries

Rear-end impacts are often linked to whiplash, a neck injury caused by the head snapping back and forth. Neck pain and headaches may not show up until hours after the crash, which is one reason a prompt medical evaluation matters. Insurers sometimes dispute injury claims from low-speed rear-end crashes, citing minor vehicle damage. Photos of both cars and the medical records help respond to that argument, together with imaging such as an MRI when a doctor orders it.

What causes T-bone crashes

A T-bone collision happens when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, usually at an intersection. Common causes include running a red light or a stop sign and failing to yield on a left turn. A car's sides have less space to absorb crash forces than its front or rear, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluates side protection in its own side-impact crash test. People seated on the struck side can suffer serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury or pelvic fractures.

Disputes in these crashes often come down to who had the right of way. Evidence can include signal timing records, intersection camera video, nearby business surveillance footage, dashcam video and witness statements, as well as the event data recorder (EDR) in https://caraccidentlawyers.wiki/reference/lawyers-and-fees/ each car, which may store speed and braking data from the seconds before impact. A car accident lawyer will usually try to collect video quickly, since many systems overwrite footage within days or weeks.

Comparative negligence in these crashes

Fault is not always all or nothing. Most states use some version of comparative negligence, which lowers a recovery by the injured person's share of fault. In states with modified comparative negligence, a person whose fault reaches 50 or 51 percent, depending on the state, may be barred from recovery, while pure comparative negligence allows a reduced recovery at any percentage of fault. A few jurisdictions still apply contributory negligence, which can bar recovery for any fault at all. A car accident attorney can explain which rule applies where the crash happened.

Deadlines and general information

Each state sets its own statute of limitations for injury claims, and claims against a government agency can require written notice much sooner. This article is general information, not legal advice, and no article can predict how a claim will turn out.