Taylorsville, UT t-bone accident lawyer

Side-impact collisions, or “T-bone” accidents, occur when one vehicle slams into the side of another. The side-impacted vehicle usually takes the brunt of the damage since there is only a door and a window to absorb the impact of the entire front end of the other vehicle. Even modern safety features such as side airbags may not offer enough protection to prevent serious injury or death in these types of accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a T-bone accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. While you focus on healing and moving forward with your life after the accident, our personal injury lawyers can investigate your case, file all necessary paperwork, and negotiate a settlement for you on your behalf.

Contact a personal injury attorney at Fielding Law to schedule a free case review. We will book your appointment at a time and location convenient to you. Call us 24/7 at (877) 880-4090 to get started today.

Common Causes of Utah T-Bone Accidents

Side-impact collisions are among the most severe auto accidents, accounting for a large percentage of passenger vehicle occupant deaths. These types of accidents may be contributed to by driver negligence or environmental factors.

Note the following common causes of T-bone accidents:

Distracted driving: In the seconds it takes for a driver to look down at a text message, he or she may fail to notice a stop sign or red light. Many T-bone accidents are caused by distracted drivers who were looking down and didn’t even see the passing vehicle.
Running a red light or stop sign: Drivers failing to obey traffic lights or signs at an intersection are one of the most common causes of side-impact collisions.
Drunk driving: In Utah, it is illegal to drive if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .05 or higher. Alcohol can inhibit a motorist’s coordination, judgment, reaction time, and reasoning ability.
Weather and road conditions: A motorist who is overdriving weather or road conditions can lose traction and control of his or her vehicle. If the vehicle begins to slide sideways into the other lane, it could be T-boned by oncoming traffic.
Multi-vehicle accidents: In some situations, a T-bone accident may be part of a chain reaction. For example, a motorist on the highway may fail to check all blind spots before changing lanes and thereby sideswipe a vehicle in the adjacent lane. This can cause the impacted vehicle to lose control and cross into the path of a third vehicle that may collide with it.

The Physical and Emotional Effects of a Utah T-Bone Accident

While some injuries incurred in a side-impact collision may be apparent right away, others may not be noticeable immediately after the accident. In the aftermath of a T-bone accident, emotions and adrenaline will likely be running high and may mask a person’s pain and symptoms for several hours. For this reason, it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible after the accident to diagnose and document all physical effects of the crash.

The following are some physical injuries commonly sustained in car accidents:

Lacerations
Burns
Broken bones
Tissue damage
Internal organ damage
Head injuries
Neck and back injuries
Paralysis
Loss of a limb
Wrongful death

A severe car accident can not only affect a person’s physical well-being, but it can also have a lasting impact on his mental and emotional health. Some of the psychological effects of a serious motor vehicle collision can burden a person for years to come.

The emotional repercussions of a T-bone accident may include:

Anxiety
Depression
Fear
Behavioral changes
Insomnia
Mood swings
Mental anguish
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Should You Contact Your Insurance Company After a T-Bone Accident?

After being involved in any sort of motor vehicle collision, you should always call your insurance company and inform them of what has taken place. However, keep in mind that an insurance adjuster will rarely present a fair settlement offer on the first try. It’s recommended to keep from accepting a settlement until you have first consulted with a Utah car accident lawyer.

If you have hired a personal injury attorney, you won’t have to worry about filing a claim. Your attorney will file all necessary paperwork and negotiate a settlement on your behalf. The lawyers at Fielding Law are familiar with the tactics that insurance companies use to deny claims or lower their worth. Despite their efforts, we have the skills and resources needed to negotiate a just settlement for our valued clients.

The majority of car accident cases are handled out of court. However, if a fair settlement cannot be reached during negotiations, your attorney may want to file a lawsuit on your behalf. Often, the simple fact that a lawsuit was filed is enough for an insurance company to raise their settlement offer – if not, your case could be taken to trial and presented before a judge. Fielding Law is prepared in either case.

When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

Your priority after a T-bone accident should be seeking medical care and following the treatment plan provided by your doctor. Once you seek proper help for your physical well-being, you can better focus on your financial recovery.

At the same time, you must seek legal representation as soon as possible after a Utah car accident. Working with an attorney can help ensure that you do not jeopardize your case.

For instance, your lawyer will warn you to keep from discussing your collision with anyone or on social media. Insurance companies may take advantage of innocent statements you made over the phone or at the accident scene and use them to deny your claim. Insurance representatives may even go through your social media profile to try to contradict a victim’s statement or disprove his or her claim of injury.

Instead, leave the communication and negotiations in your attorney’s capable hands. When you have an experienced lawyer with Fielding Law on your side, you won’t have to deal with any harassing phone calls from the insurance company; all calls will go through your legal counsel.

Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Case Evaluation

At Fielding Law, our legal team has helped many Utah accident victims move forward after being injured. We can investigate the cause of your accident, determine fault, and help you recover the compensation you and your family need.

Your initial consultation is free, and this appointment in no way obligates you to retain our services. If we take on your case, you won’t be charged a fee unless we recover money for you. Schedule an appointment today, and we will book your appointment at a time and location convenient to you.