T-Bone Accidents

Trucking Injury Law Group is a specialized truck injury law group that focuses on one of the most dangerous types of truck collisions: T-bone accidents.

If you’ve been anywhere near a T-bone accident, you are fully aware of how devastating they are—and why we believe it is so important to stand up for the rights of those injured in T-bones that never should have happened.

You may hear these types of collisions referred to as:

  • T-bones
  • T-bone accidents
  • T-bone collisions
  • T-bone crashes
  • T-bone wrecks
  • Broadside accidents
  • Side-impact accidents

A T-bone truck accident lawyer from Trucking Injury Law Group can help you take legal action if you or someone you love has been injured in a T-bone wreck caused by negligence.

You may not know us yet—but the trucking industry does.

We’ve earned a reputation as a nationwide, joint venture trucking injury law group that is passionate about advocating for victims’ rights. Read more about why our mission lies at the heart of everything we do, then contact our office for a free case consultation if you believe we’re the right attorneys to help you.

Trucking Injury Law Group Handles T-Bone Accident Cases

T-bone truck accidents

A tractor-trailer is the largest, heaviest, most dangerous vehicle on the road. A semi-truck weighs roughly 40 tons when fully loaded. To put this number in context, that’s the weight of 20 to 30-passenger cars.

And most of us share the road every single day with these giant machines traveling at 70 miles per hour or more. When you put it in these terms, it’s not surprising to realize that thousands of people die in truck crashes every year.

When large trucks of this mass crash into the side of smaller vehicles like cars, pickups, and SUVs, any survivors who are able to leave the crash site with their life will likely do so with very severe injuries.

Trucking Injury Law Group exists to protect and fight for the victims of preventable side-impact accidents caused by trucking negligence.

Our work in the field of truck injury litigation not only upholds individual rights but also works to promote and enforce better safety measures that can protect us all.

Large commercial trucks have the potential to cause serious harm. When drivers and companies defy this fact and engage in behaviors that put the lives of all motorists at risk, our truck accident attorneys do what we have trained for decades to do—hold at-fault parties accountable for dangerous trucking practices.

Did you suffer injury or the loss of a loved one in a T-bone accident with a commercial vehicle? We have the resources to help. A free, no-obligation consultation is available for you now.

How Are T-Bone Accidents Defined?

A T-bone accident is named for the shape of a capital “T” formed when one vehicle collides with the side of another at a 90-degree angle.

It is considered one of the most serious types of crashes because the point of impact is often directly where the driver or passenger is seated. It is not uncommon for the striking vehicle to shatter the driver or passenger window and crumple the door, pinning the victim inside.

Collisions are particularly catastrophic when a smaller car is struck by a larger vehicle like a semi-truck.

Where Are T-Bone Accidents Most Likely To Happen?

T-bone accidents are most likely to happen at intersections. A common example of how an intersection T-bone can occur is if a tractor-trailer proceeds through the intersection when the other driver has a green light or the right of way.

T-bone truck accidents are most likely to occur at:

  • An intersection controlled by a traffic light
  • An intersection controlled by stop signs
  • The junction where a driveway, parking lot, or smaller street enters a roadway
  • An uncontrolled intersection where drivers must follow right-of-way rules
  • A highway entrance ramp merging area
  • Any roadway where a truck driver loses control and crosses into oncoming traffic

What Is Negligence in a Truck T-Bone Collision Case?

In order to prove to a court or the insurance company that you (the plaintiff) are entitled to compensation, you must demonstrate that the potentially liable party’s (the defendant’s) negligence caused the accident and your injuries.

In a truck accident case, like other types of personal injury cases, there are four elements of negligence that must be proven:

  • The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care
  • The defendant breached the duty of care
  • The plaintiff suffered provable injury or loss
  • The defendant’s breach caused the plaintiff’s injuries

When it comes to T-bones involving large trucks, it is most often the negligent actions of the truck operator that causes the accident.

Most T-Bone Crashes Are Caused by Truck Driver Negligence

Truck drivers are professional vehicle operators who have been trained to—and are paid to—take their duty to drive safely seriously. When a truck driver fails to uphold their professional duty to act in a safe manner, it’s the occupants of the other vehicle who usually pay the highest price.

A side-impact accident may result from one of the following types of truck driver negligence:

  • Texting and driving
  • Other forms of distracted driving
  • Running a red light or stop sign
  • Failing to make sure the road is clear before pulling into traffic
  • Failing to yield the right of way
  • Making a left turn into oncoming traffic
  • Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Improper lane changes or merging
  • Speeding

Of course, there may be other parties responsible for a side-impact crash.

A negligent mechanic who failed to fix a braking issue, a negligent trucking company that hired an unqualified driver, or a negligent auto parts manufacturing company that produced a defective steering component are just a few examples of potentially liable parties.

No matter the cause of your collision, your T-bone accident lawyer from Trucking Injury Law Group will pursue the evidence needed to prove your case.

Evidence To Prove a T-Bone Crash Was Caused by Negligence

Telling the insurance company that your side-impact accident happened because the driver was texting is not sufficient to prove your right to compensation. Plaintiffs in a trucking accident injury case have the burden of proving that negligence was the cause of the crash and injuries.

But most truck accident victims have neither the time nor legal knowledge to hunt down, preserve, obtain, and analyze evidence—especially when the commercial vehicle company is actively working against them to hide or falsify the facts.

This puts injured victims in a highly unfair situation.

The legal representation we offer at Trucking Injury Law Group restores justice where it is needed most. Because most T-bone accident victims don’t have the legal resources to win a case against a major corporation, but we do.

Acting quickly and taking whatever steps necessary to prevent the loss of vital evidence, we secure the proof needed to substantiate your claim for you, whether it is:

  • Eyewitness statements
  • Traffic camera footage
  • Electronic logging device (ELD) records
  • Truck maintenance and inspection reports
  • Driver mobile phone records
  • Truck event data recorder (EDR) or “black box” files
  • Traffic reconstructionist and other expert witness testimony
  • Records showing past driver violations and traffic citations
  • Drug and alcohol test results

The Dangers of T-Bones to Passenger Vehicle Occupants

When a commercial vehicle like a semi-truck makes an impact with the side of a car, it’s not the big rig we need to worry about. Broadside collisions put car and other small vehicle occupants in a highly vulnerable position. These types of crashes are very likely to result in a fatality or catastrophic injury to those inside the car.

Common Injuries to Victims of a T-Bone Wreck

After a T-bone crash, many injury victims face life-shattering changes. Many never walk, go to work, drive, play sports, or hold their children again. When semi-trucks are involved, car occupants often suffer:

  • Whiplash and other neck injuries
  • Broken bones, fractures, bruises, cuts, and abrasions
  • Burns
  • Chest, lung, and rib injuries
  • Spinal cord and nerve damage
  • Trauma to the face and head
  • Crushing injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Arm, shoulder, and leg injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Wrongful death

How Common Are T-Bone Truck Accidents?

Federal trucking accident data shows that T-bone accidents (in which the front of the truck collides with the side of the passenger vehicle) account for roughly one out of four car occupant deaths in a truck accident.

Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) statistics show that in 2020:

  • 4,014 people died in large truck crashes
  • 97% of people killed in two-vehicle crashes involving a passenger vehicle and a large truck were occupants of the smaller vehicle
  • 25% of all passenger vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes with a large truck were killed when the car was side-struck by the truck

What To Do After an Accident With a Semi-Truck

If your car was struck by a commercial vehicle in a T-bone accident, it’s normal to feel completely helpless. One of the best ways to advocate for yourself in the aftermath of a crash is to align yourself with an experienced T-bone truck accident attorney who shares your goals. But there are also steps you can begin taking right away to secure your future.

Keep these tips in mind and try to follow the steps below as much as your physical condition allows.

  • Call 911
  • Do not leave the accident scene until help arrives
  • Allow yourself and your passengers to be examined by EMTs
  • Speak to the police and ask how to obtain a copy of the accident report
  • Take pictures and video of the accident scene and surrounding conditions
  • Obtain name, contact, insurance, and employer information from the driver
  • Notify your insurance company
  • Seek medical care, either at the emergency room right away or with your primary doctor soon after
  • Schedule a consultation with a personal injury law group focusing on truck crash cases

At Trucking Injury Law Group, our practice is devoted exclusively to truck accident victims. If you were injured in a T-bone collision, a free case evaluation to discuss your rights and legal options is available.

Are You Eligible for Financial Compensation?

When the actions of a commercial vehicle driver, trucking company, or other involved parties cause you harm, you have the right to file a claim with their insurance company to seek compensation. Your truck accident lawyer can evaluate your case to determine your eligibility for financial compensation.

Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to economic damages for the cost of things like medical bills, noneconomic damages for losses like pain or PTSD, and even punitive damages if state jurisdiction allows for this category of non-compensatory damages.

Recoverable Damages After Being Struck by a Large Truck

Examples of damages you may be eligible to recover after a truck accident include:

  • Medical bills
  • Property damage
  • Lost wages and benefits
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional anguish
  • Disfigurement or disability
  • Lost potential for future earnings
  • Wrongful death damages after the loss of a family member

How a T-Bone Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You

While the trucking corporation is looking out for itself, who’s looking out for you?

You deserve the help of an experienced injury lawyer who values you as a person who sees you as more than just a legal case.

At Trucking Injury Law Group, we want to understand the life you had before your T-bone accident, so we can fully understand the losses you’ve endured because of it. Then, we’ll put our years of experience to work, getting you the fair outcome you deserve.

Come speak to a board-certified trucking accident attorney with expertise in complex interstate commercial trucking cases. We’ll start by scheduling a no-obligation consultation at no cost to you.