What Types of Injuries Are Commonly Associated With T-Bone Accidents?
May 7, 2024 | Sagi Shaked | Car Accidents
One common way of describing Florida car accidents is to classify them according to how the vehicles collided. If an accident is a head-on collision, for instance, you know that the vehicles’ front ends collided while the cars were traveling in opposite directions. A rear-end collision indicates one vehicle struck the rear of another vehicle.
Another common type of collision in Florida is a T-bone car accident. Similar to any other type of car wreck, a T-bone accident can leave you with injuries, some of which may be particularly severe and require medical treatment.
Here is what you need to know about the types of injuries you can sustain if you are T-boned while driving in Miami.
What Is a T-Bone Car Accident?
T-bone accidents, sometimes referred to as side-strike wrecks, are named after the position of the vehicles involved in the wreck. One vehicle strikes either the driver’s side or the passenger’s side of another with its front or rear end. These collisions happen when traffic converges at a single point at 90-degree angles.
These accidents are distinct from sideswipe crashes. In a sideswipe, both vehicles drive nearly parallel to one another, and both vehicles hit the other on or near the side. In a T-bone crash, by contrast, one vehicle is hit in the side by another that hits the first one head-on.
Intersections are common locations where T-bone collisions occur. According to statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), over 300,000 car accidents occurred at intersections across the state in 2022, including over 1,000 that resulted in at least one death.
Liability for T-Bone Accidents
Unfortunately, you cannot determine who caused a T-bone crash just by the position of the vehicles alone. Eyewitness statements, video footage, debris from the crash, and other evidence will need to be reviewed to help reveal who is responsible for the accident. This determination is essential in those cases where one party suffered severe bodily injury.
A common reason T-bone accidents regularly happen at intersections is that one driver neglects Florida’s right-of-way laws. Right-of-way rules tell drivers at intersections who has the legal right to proceed ahead of others.
It is not unusual for both drivers involved in a T-bone crash to bear some responsibility for the collision. For example, one driver may have failed to yield the right of way at an intersection and was struck by another driver who was distracted by their cell phone.
In this case, if the severely injured driver seeking compensation is 51% or more responsible for the accident, they may not be able to recover any compensation from the other driver.
Common Injuries Experienced in T-Bone Accidents
The types of injuries you sustain following a T-bone crash will often depend on whether you were in the striking vehicle or in the vehicle that was struck. Take a closer look at the common injuries these crashes can cause.
In the Striking Vehicle
The striking vehicle is the one that hits the other vehicle with its front end. In this vehicle, there is a risk of the driver and any passengers suffering a concussion from blunt force trauma to the head. The rapid acceleration and deceleration in a crash can jolt the head backward and forward, causing it to hit the steering wheel, dashboard, or other fixtures inside the car.
Occupants of striking vehicles may also suffer facial injuries from airbag deployment. This safety feature has been present in cars for decades, and their use can help save lives. However, airbags inflate rapidly — in just fractions of a second. If someone is sitting too close to an airbag when it goes off, it can cause burns, bruising, and broken facial bones.
Finally, the seat belt of any driver or passenger in a striking vehicle will act to restrain that person in the event of a T-bone crash. However, the pressure this causes can be enough to break the clavicle bone, lead to internal bruising, and even perforate internal organs.
In The Vehicle That Is Struck
The driver and any passengers of the struck vehicle are also susceptible to injuries, albeit different ones. While you could hit your head on some part of the car and suffer a concussion, it may be more likely that you experience whiplash. Whiplash occurs when some external force causes your head to move rapidly in one direction and then the opposite.
Whiplash can cause damage to your brain as it jostles around inside your skull. You can also suffer a sore neck and damage to your shoulder and neck muscles.
While vehicles are equipped with front airbags, not all vehicles have airbags that inflate in the event of a side impact. Thus, drivers and occupants in a struck vehicle may not experience any airbag-related injuries if they are in the struck vehicle. However, they may bear the full brunt of injuries associated with the impact of the other vehicle due to this lack of protection.
Seat belts can also cause internal and external injuries to occupants of a struck vehicle. That said, the seat belt may not engage or lock in the same way it does during head-on and rear-end collisions. In a struck vehicle, you may have greater movement before your seat belt stops you. This can easily lead to bruising where your seat belt presses upon your skin.
T-Bone Accidents Can Cause Injuries to Everyone Involved
In Florida, it does not matter if you are in the vehicle that struck the other or in the vehicle that was struck. If you are involved in a T-bone accident, you are at risk of injury, especially an injury that can affect your brain. Determining the extent of your injuries and who caused the T-bone wreck is essential for knowing if you are entitled to compensation.A car accident attorney can be a valuable resource as you navigate your next steps following a collision.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Miami, FL
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Miami, FL and need legal help, contact our Miami car accident lawyers at Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers
20900 NE 30th Ave Suite 715
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 937-0191