Over the past several decades, motor vehicle manufacturers have made significant strides in the safety and security of their automobiles, and features like side airbags that are specifically designed for T-bone wrecks are now standard in many modern cars. Unfortunately, even the most well-designed vehicle in the world cannot completely protect occupants from every crash of this nature, especially one where the car generating the force of the impact is traveling at high speed.
This means that side-impact and T-bone car accidents in Peoria can be uniquely dangerous even compared to other types of motor vehicle wrecks. Fortunately, though, you have help available from capable and compassionate car accident attorneys who have over 30 years of experience getting positive case results on behalf of people like you all over the local area. Reach out to Phillips Law Group today to learn more about how our team can help.
Common Causes of Side-Impact Car Wrecks
The term “side-impact car accident” can actually refer to two distinctly different types of crashes: a “T-bone” crash, or a “sideswipe” crash. The former type of wreck is generally the more dangerous of the two, as it involves the front end of another car crashing perpendicularly into the doors or side paneling of another. Crashes like these generally happen at intersections and in parking lots, often due to negligent behaviors like:
- Advancing through a red light
- Failure to yield the right-of-way properly
- Drunk or high driving
- Distracted driving, especially due to cell phone use
Sideswipe collisions, on the other hand, involve the side of one car colliding with the side of another, often at places like highway entrance and exit ramps where multiple lanes of traffic merge together. This kind of side-impact car accident most commonly happens in Peoria and elsewhere in Arizona when someone fails to use their turn signals or fails to check their “blind spots” around their vehicle before turning or switching lanes.
Proving Someone Else Liable While Avoiding Comparative Fault.
Anyone who directly causes a car crash of any kind by doing any of the reckless or careless — and in many cases, illegal — things mentioned above can be considered legally “negligent,” which in turn may make them liable to pay for any injuries and subsequent losses someone else suffers due to that crash. Importantly, though, the person filing suit over a T-bone or sideswipe car accident in Peoria is not immune from civil liability just because they sustained an injury.
In fact, Arizona law gives courts authority to assign a percentage of “comparative fault” to any injured “plaintiff” who shares part of the blame for causing their own injuries through negligence of their own. Then, the court — or an insurance company that knows how a court would rule on a possible civil claim — could reduce the total compensation awarded to that plaintiff in proportion to their share of the total fault.
This makes working with a knowledgeable attorney from Phillips Law Group even more vital. Our team is not afraid to stand up against insurance companies and is willing to take matters to court to help ensure the best possible outcome for your claim.
Contact a Peoria Attorney for Help After a Side-Impact / T-Bone Car Accident
For various reasons, successfully recovering financially from the effects of a side-impact or T-bone car accident in Peoria can be more challenging in practice than many people initially expect. Put simply, if you try to pursue a civil claim or even an insurance settlement by yourself after a wreck like this, you may have very slim odds of getting all the compensation you need for your damages.
Instead of taking that risk, you should strongly consider contacting a knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible after getting the necessary medical care for your crash-related injuries. Call Phillips Law Group today to discuss your legal options. Consultations are free and you are under no obligation to work with us after your first meeting.
We look forward to helping you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our caring team to begin working with a legal advocate as soon as possible!
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