T-Bone Accidents

Many accident victims are surprised to hear how many potentially at-fault parties there are when a t-bone accident happens. Let’s look at some of the potential liable parties.

The Other Driver

The most basic premise is that in a t-bone collision, at least one of the drivers is going to be at fault for the accident. Traffic should never cross an intersection or traffic light at right angles at the same time, so one or the other drivers clearly should have never entered the intersection.

What may cause the other driver to enter the intersection wrongfully?

Here are the most common factors, many of which usually occur in conjunction with one another:

• speeding
• impaired driving
• distracted driving
• aggressive or reckless driving

We’ve already discussed how other drivers can cause a t-bone crash, but you can see how the varied explanations all fall under the umbrella of negligent driving.

Others Legally Responsible for At-Fault Driver’s Negligence

Sometimes, when t-bone accidents occur, it is beyond the at-fault party’s control.

For example, while we all know that driving under the influence is dangerous, what happens when the other driver was prescribed a new medication but wasn’t warned about the adverse side effects of that medication? When the other driver loses control of his or her vehicle, should they be held responsible?

Or, what happens when a company hires one driver with an established unsafe driving record and that driver causes a broadside collision? Shouldn’t the company be held responsible, as well?

What about the 15-year-old that took their parent’s car without permission?

An experienced Houston personal injury lawyer knows how to look beyond the scope of the actions of the negligent driver. Our ability to do so allows us to see damages from all at-fault parties, not just the driver.

Road Engineers

We all share this intuitive sense that there are some intersections that are inherently more dangerous than others. While many believe this is based on a gut instinct, there are actually researchers that analyze traffic accident data and clearly identify those intersections where car accidents happen much more frequently than they should.

The more difficult task comes with figuring out what specifically makes that intersection more dangerous and who should have acted more quickly to prevent those accidents from occurring.

There are many features of intersections that road designers and engineers have control over. The features that contribute to making an intersection unreasonably susceptible to t-bone crashes include:

Confusing Layout

Drivers should be able to quickly determine where they are permitted to drive or turn at an intersection. So, confusing traffic patterns, especially at a traffic light, can result in a driver making a mistake and entering an intersection when they shouldn’t.

Drivers should never assume that a red light or intersection is well-designed. Every Houston intersection presents a dangerous point that requires the driver’s undivided attention.

Inappropriate Signs

The more traffic that flows through an intersection, the more robust road signs and signals should be.

Sometimes, a traffic engineer makes a bad decision that doesn’t anticipate the adequate time needed for a driver to see the traffic sign or traffic light and have time to react correctly.

Poor Sightlines

When a driver approaches an intersection, he or she should be able to properly assess oncoming traffic. However, sometimes road engineers make a poor judgment call on where to locate an intersection. This results in what’s called a “point of conflict” between the crossing traffic that dramatically increases the risk of a vehicle mistakenly entering the intersection and causing a side impact collision.

Automobile Manufacturers

A shared driving fear is approaching a red light, tapping the brakes, and nothing happening. Or, the opposite, driving through an intersection, only for your car to completely stop in the middle of the intersection.

If a t-bone accident occurred because of a mechanical failure, then the auto manufacturer or the auto parts manufacturer may be held liable for producing and distributing a defective auto product.

Unlike other personal injury claims, proving that a defective product caused one drive to hit another, results in a strict liability claim. This means that your personal injury lawyer only needs to prove that the manufacturer sold you the defective product in order to prove they were at fault. However, determining how and why an automobile failed and proving that the auto failure caused the accident does present a number of complications. An experienced personal injury law firm will have the resources to get to the bottom of it.

How Our Houston T-Bone Accident Lawyers Can Help

Car accident victims aren’t expected to identify or know which at-fault parties they can make a claim against. The process of investigating car accident claims and pursuing justice against the other car or parties that contributed to the t-bone car accident is a job for an experienced Houston personal injury attorney.

The experienced lawyers at Reich & Binstock can help by:

• identifying all legally responsible parties for your t-bone accident;
• investigating which of the negligent parties has the resources to pay you the damages you deserve (whether this is through their insurance company or assets);
• negotiating a fair settlement with each of those negligent parties, and
• if necessary, take the appropriate legal action against those parties in court.

Houston T-Bone Accident Attorneys