Getting involved in a T-bone car accident in Las Vegas, also known as a side-impact crash, can change your life in a matter of seconds. This is one of the most serious types of motor vehicle collisions in Nevada.
Unfortunately, even if you were not at fault for the accident, you may find it difficult to recover fair compensation from another driver's insurance provider. As a victim of a T-bone accident, you can benefit from hiring an attorney to help you with the claims process.
What Is a T-Bone Accident?
A T-bone accident is a motor vehicle crash where the front of one car collides with the side of another, forming a “T” shape at the point of impact. These crashes often occur at intersections, where one driver illegally enters the intersection at the same time as a driver coming from a different direction.
Why Do T-Bone Collisions Happen in Las Vegas?
Like the majority of car accidents, T-bone collisions are caused most often by driver error. Drivers in Las Vegas are required to operate their vehicles safely and prudently. This means in accordance with all applicable traffic laws and an appropriate amount of care and attention. When drivers make careless and reckless mistakes, T-bone collisions happen.
Top causes include:
- Failure to yield the right-of-way at an intersection
- Red light and stop sign violations
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Driving while distracted or texting and driving
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Excessive speeding
- Misjudging the speed or distance of another vehicle
- Misunderstanding the rules at an uncontrolled intersection
- Poor road or intersection design
- Vehicle mechanical failures
If another driver, the City of Las Vegas or a vehicle manufacturer contributed to your devastating T-bone accident, that party may be held financially responsible for your related losses. Identifying the cause of your side-impact crash is one of the first steps toward seeking justice and fair financial compensation.
Common Injuries Suffered in Las Vegas T-Bone Collisions
T-bone car accidents often inflict serious injuries, particularly for the people inside the vehicle that is struck from the side. The side of a motor vehicle is not designed to withstand the force of an impact like the front or rear of the car. For this reason, the injuries suffered by a driver or passenger can be severe.
Examples include:
- Broken bones and compound fractures
- Lacerations and permanent scarring
- Head and brain injuries, including concussions
- Neck injuries and whiplash
- Damage to the spinal cord and paralysis
- Broken ribs and punctured lungs
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
- Wrongful death (fatal injuries)
If you get involved in a T-bone accident, seek medical care right away. Even if you initially feel “fine,” you may have hidden injuries with delayed symptoms – especially if your adrenaline is masking pain. Prompt injury diagnosis and medical treatment are important for your health as well as to protect your right to recover benefits from a car insurance provider.
Who Is Liable for a Las Vegas T-Bone Accident?
Since Nevada is a fault state, the driver or party most at fault for causing a T-bone car accident can be held responsible for paying for the victim’s losses, including medical bills and property damage repairs. It is the victim’s responsibility to prove fault using the evidence available.
Proving fault and establishing liability, or financial responsibility, for a T-bone accident typically requires proof of negligence, meaning the failure to act with an appropriate amount of care for the situation.
Negligence has four parts:
- Duty of care: a legal obligation that requires individuals and entities to act with a reasonable level of care and caution to avoid causing harm to others.
- Breach or violation of the duty of care: an act or omission that falls short of the duty of care, such as a driver breaking a traffic law.
- Causation for the accident: proof that the breach of duty was a direct or proximate cause of the accident or injury suffered by the victim.
- Damages: specific and compensable losses sustained due to the accident, such as physical injuries or emotional distress.
It must be shown using evidence that the accused party acted in a way that a reasonable and prudent person would not have in the same situation, and that this is what caused the T-bone accident. The evidence used to establish a claim may include a police report, eyewitness statements, photos and videos, expert testimony, and accident reconstruction.
When Should You Contact a Las Vegas T-Bone Accident Lawyer?
After a T-bone accident in Nevada, you must prove fault to recover compensation from the other driver’s car insurance provider. Unfortunately, this is not always easy – especially if the other driver or an insurance company is trying to blame you. You may need to hire an experienced car accident lawyer in Las Vegas to represent you during the claims process.
An attorney can investigate the T-bone accident to determine fault and search for evidence that can help you prove your case. If necessary, your lawyer can hire highly qualified accident or medical experts to strengthen your claim. An attorney knows how to go up against car insurance providers in and out of the courtroom to achieve the best possible results – all while giving you the mental peace to heal.
It is especially important to contact a lawyer if your car accident case has any complications. If you suffered severe or catastrophic injuries, for example, an attorney can be instrumental in helping you negotiate a fair settlement from an insurance claims adjuster. Without a lawyer, you may settle for less than you deserve for your future foreseeable losses.
How Much Time Do You Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Las Vegas?
Don't waste any time in contacting an attorney and seeking assistance with the legal process after a T-bone accident in Las Vegas. A law in Nevada known as the statute of limitations (Nevada Revised Statute § 11.190) places a strict deadline of two years from the date of an accident to file a related personal injury claim. This is the time limit for a lawsuit only; a car insurance claim should be filed much sooner, in the days following the crash.
Contact a car accident lawyer at Edward Bernstein & Associates as soon as possible to discuss a recent T-bone accident and how we can help you recover not only financially, but physically and emotionally, as well. Call (702) 240-0000 24/7 for a free case review in Las Vegas.