T-Bone Car Accidents in Kansas City
A T-bone accident is precisely what you imagine: one car striking another in a perpendicular fashion making a “T”. Our Kansas City car accident lawyer speaks with crash injury victims every day, and other than head-on collisions, T-bone accidents are the most devastating.
The reason is these crashes involve a significant force and a dangerous point of impact -- often where a driver or passenger is sitting. Like a side-swipe collision, T-bone accidents can cause a car to move violently to one side, to spin out of control, or even to flip or roll.
Determining who is at fault in a T-bone car accident is important. To recover damages from another party or their insurance company, you must show they were negligent in causing the accident. This requires an investigation into how the accident occurred and what laws apply.
At our Kansas City car accident law firm, our team has experience in helping clients who have suffered serious injuries in T-bone accidents throughout Kansas and Missouri. If someone else caused your crash, you should be able to recover damages in a car accident claim. Call us today at 816-203-0143 for a free, confidential case evaluation.
Who’s at Fault for a Kansas City T-bone Accident?
The party who is at fault is not always the party who drove their vehicle into the side of a car in a T-bone accident. In general, one driver has the right of way, and the other driver does not. If another driver fails to yield to those who have the right of way, they are at fault for causing a T-bone collision. There are many circumstances where a T-bone accident may arise, including:
- failing to yield when turning left at an intersection,
- running a red light and proceeding into the intersection,
- failing to slow down and come to a full stop in the presence of a stop sign or yield sign,
- failing to follow right of way rules at a four way stop sign,
- failing to treat an intersection without traffic signals or traffic signs as an all-way stop, and
- failing to yield to oncoming traffic when attempting to cross a road from a side street or alley.
Documentation is key to establishing liability. Such documentation includes police reports, traffic citations, witness statements, photographs and videos. In more complicated cases, accident reconstruction can be used to establish how an accident occurred and who was at fault. An experienced T-bone accident lawyer will be able to assist you in proving liability so you can recover damages.
T-bone Accidents Cause Severe Injuries in Kansas City
T-bone accidents are dangerous because they usually result in a large force being inflicted on a vehicle where a driver or passenger is riding. This can cause severe catastrophic injuries or even death. In general, a T-bone accident will cause a more severe injury if:
- The point of impact is at the driver's side door,
- The impact is at the side of a vehicle where a passenger is sitting,
- The crash causes glass, plastic or metal to turn to shrapnel, which can result in cuts or laceration, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries or face/head trauma, and
- The T-bone accident involves a large commercial vehicle, truck, motorcycle or bike.
What Injuries Can Result from a T-bone Accident?
T-bone accidents can cause severe injuries including:
- traumatic brain injuries and facial injuries,
- spinal cord injuries,
- neck and back injuries,
- bone breaks and fractures,
- lacerations,
- whiplash, and
- contusions.
If you suffered any of these injuries due to the negligence of another driver in a T-bone accident, you have the right to pursue a claim to recover the damages caused by that crash.
How to Prove a T-bone Accident Claim in Missouri & Kansas?
Our car accident attorney in Kansas City will begin gathering important evidence related to your injuries, the other party's fault and the circumstances of the crash. This evidence may include the following:
- the police report,
- witness statements,
- statements from family members, medical providers or anyone else you spoke with soon after the crash,
- medical records and bills that document your injuries and the costs of treatment,
- employment records that substantiate any claim for lost wages or lost earnings capacity,
- any other relevant documents showing your damages from the crash.
After collecting this evidence we will develop a claims package and demand that we will submit to the at fault driver's insurance company. If that insurance company refuses to pay or denies your claim, we can then proceed with filing a lawsuit on your behalf.
What Should I Do After a T-bone Accident in Missouri & Kansas?
One of the most important things you should do after a T-bone accident is to call 9-1-1 and get prompt medical treatment.
After you have treated your injuries, you will likely begin getting calls from insurance companies. At that point it is important that you contact an experienced car accident attorney who can help guide you through the claims process and make sure you are doing everything possible to protect your rights and maximize the value of your claim.
Our Kansas City car accident law firm stands ready to assist you, to guide you through this process and to make sure that you recover what you are due under the law. T-bone accidents are scary events, but you do not have to go through them alone. Call our Kansas City law firm today at 816-203-0143 for a free, no obligation consultation. We would be honored to assist you.
