What a Car Accident Attorney Looks at After a Rear-End or T-Bone Crash
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. A car accident attorney looking at either type of crash 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. Distracted driving is a common factor. NHTSA explains 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 will sometimes request the other driver's phone records if distraction is suspected.
The trailing driver is often found at fault in a rear-end crash, yet that result is not automatic. A vehicle that cuts in and stops short, brake lights that do not work or a vehicle backing up can shift some or all of the fault. In a chain-reaction crash, every impact is its own event, and a middle vehicle pushed forward may not be responsible for the second impact.
Neck injuries after a rear-end crash
Rear-end impacts are often linked to whiplash, a neck injury caused by the head snapping back and forth. Symptoms such as neck pain and headaches may not appear until hours after the crash, which is one reason a prompt medical evaluation matters. Insurance companies sometimes challenge injury claims after low-speed rear-end crashes, citing minor vehicle damage. Medical records and photos of both vehicles help answer that argument, along with imaging such as an MRI when a doctor orders one.
Why side-impact crashes happen
In a T-bone crash, the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, usually at an intersection. Typical causes include failing to yield on a left turn and running a red light or a stop sign. 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. Useful evidence includes signal timing records, https://griffinbgcb514.clarionvale.com/posts/choosing-an-auto-accident-attorney-questions-to-ask intersection camera video, nearby business surveillance footage, dashcam video and witness statements, as well as the event data recorder (EDR) in each car, which may store speed and braking data from the seconds before impact. An auto accident attorney typically moves quickly to collect video, because many systems record over old footage within days or weeks.
When both drivers share fault
Fault is often shared. Most states use some version of comparative negligence, which reduces a recovery by the injured person's percentage of fault. Under modified comparative negligence, a person found at least 50 or 51 percent at fault, depending on the state, may recover nothing, while pure comparative negligence allows a reduced recovery at any level of fault. A few jurisdictions still apply contributory negligence, which can bar recovery for even slight fault. A motor vehicle accident attorney can explain which rule applies where the crash happened.
A note on deadlines
Every 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.