How Fault Works in Rear-End and T-Bone Car Crashes
Rear-end crashes and T-bone collisions are two crash types that come up often in injury claims. The label describes how the vehicles met, but it does not decide who was at fault. An auto accident lawyer reviewing these crashes will usually start with the sequence of events, from the speed of each car to the signals that controlled the intersection.
What causes rear-end collisions
Many state traffic codes prohibit following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, with attention to the speed of traffic and the condition of the road. Distracted driving is a common factor. NHTSA notes that sending or reading a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for 5 seconds, which at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with eyes closed. A car crash lawyer will sometimes request the other driver's phone records if distraction is suspected.
In many rear-end crashes the trailing driver is found at fault, but that is not automatic. A vehicle that cuts in and stops short, brake lights that fail or a vehicle backing up can shift some or all of the fault. In a chain-reaction crash, each impact is a separate event, and a middle vehicle pushed forward may not be responsible for the second impact.
Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
Rear-end impacts are often linked to whiplash, a neck injury caused by a rapid back-and-forth movement of the head. Symptoms such as neck pain and headaches may not appear until hours after the crash, which is one reason prompt medical care matters. Insurance companies sometimes challenge injury claims after low-speed rear-end crashes, citing minor vehicle damage. Photos of both cars and the medical records help respond to that argument, along with imaging such as an MRI when a doctor orders one.
Why side-impact crashes happen
A T-bone collision happens when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, usually at an intersection. Typical causes include failing to yield on a left turn and running a red light or a stop sign. The sides of a car have less room to absorb crash forces than the front or rear, which is why the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates side protection in a separate side-impact crash test. Occupants on the struck side can suffer serious injuries, including traumatic brain injury and pelvic fractures.
Disputes in these crashes often come down to who https://elliottacqj850.currentvale.com/posts/rear-end-and-t-bone-collisions-how-fault-is-decided had the right of way. Evidence can include signal timing records, intersection camera video, nearby business surveillance footage, dashcam video and witness statements, plus the event data recorder (EDR) in each car, which may hold speed and braking data from the seconds before the crash. An auto accident attorney will usually try to collect video quickly, because many systems record over old footage within days or weeks.
Comparative negligence in these crashes
Fault is not always all or nothing. Most states apply some form of comparative negligence, which reduces a recovery by the injured person's percentage of fault. In states with modified comparative negligence, a person whose fault reaches 50 or 51 percent, depending on the state, may be barred from recovery, while pure comparative negligence allows a reduced recovery at any percentage of fault. A small number of jurisdictions still follow contributory negligence, which can bar recovery for any fault at all. A motor vehicle accident attorney will know which rule applies in the state where the crash happened.
Deadlines and general information
Each state sets its own statute of limitations for injury claims, and claims against a government agency can require written notice much sooner. This article is general information, not legal advice, and it cannot predict the outcome of any claim.