According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were 5,345 deaths due to side impact accidents, also known as t bone accidents, in the United States in 2013. Side impact crashes are the second deadliest types of vehicle accidents, following only front-end collisions.
Understanding what causes side impact crashes and the injuries that can be sustained by vehicle occupants may be helpful should you or a loved one be involved in such an accident.
Common Causes of T-Bone Accidents
A side-impact accident occurs when one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle. It can also occur if a vehicle slides into an object, such as a tree or guardrail. Many times, side-impact crashes occur when one driver fails to stop at an intersection when another vehicle is already in the intersection. They may also occur when a driver loses control due to wet or ice road conditions, travelling to fast or over-correcting when they make a lane change that causes them to slide into another vehicle or object.
Side impact accidents are often the result of a negligent driver. When reviewing this type of collision, there often is a factual pattern that involves:
- Aggressive driving (e., road rage);
- Distracted driving, including texting while driving;
- Violating traffic rules; or
- Driving under the influence of drugs/alchohol.
Injuries Caused by Side Impact Car Accidents
T bone car accidents are dangerous because the sides of a vehicle have less space to absorb energy. Often, portions of the car are pushed violently against the vehicle’s occupants, causing significant damage and, if they are not properly restrained, tossing them about the car.
Newer model cars are coming equipped with side air bags that offer additional protection, but even these do not protect occupants from all injuries that can be sustained in a side-impact crash.
Head, neck, rib, shoulder, arm, hip or leg injuries are common in side-impact crashes. Ear injuries are also common due to broken glass and airbag deployment. Neck and back injuries are the most common complaints after a side-impact crash and these injuries can lead to chronic pain.
Occupants on the side of the vehicle that was struck by another vehicle or object sustain more neck, chest and leg injuries while those on the opposite side head and chest injuries are more common. In addition, the occupants on the side of the vehicle that is struck can be thrown into passengers on the opposite side. This often causes chest and limb injuries to the person on the unstruck side of the vehicle.
Contact Our Side Impact Collision Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been injured in a side impact accident, or a loved one has died of injuries sustained in such a crash, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware, contact one of the personal injury attorneys at Lundy Law today to see if you are eligible for a personal injury claim. You can reach us through our simple query form online or call us at 1-800-Lundy Law to learn whether you are eligible for compensation for your injuries.
