Side-Impact / T-Bone Car Accidents in Pasadena

Although the average driver may operate their vehicle safely and with care, other drivers can still cause accidents and injuries.

Drivers can cause side-impact car accidents in Pasadena, also known as “T-bone” accidents, by crashing into the side of another vehicle. If the driver who caused the accident did not take enough care while driving, then an experienced car accident attorney could file a compensation claim on a victim’s behalf.

Causes of T-Bone Accidents and Possible Injuries

A side-impact crash could occur when a driver is distracted, such as by their phone or dashboard display, or if they are impaired while behind the wheel. Drugs, alcohol, and fatigue can all reduce a driver’s ability to react properly to their surroundings. These drivers could barrel through an intersection to T-bone another car or swerve into another vehicle’s path.

Injuries from car accidents can range from superficial to severe, depending on the speed and size of the vehicles involved. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord and nervous system damage, and organ damage can all come from a car accident. Bruises and lacerations can also result, both from the impact and from a victim being pushed against airbags, seatbelts, and the car’s interior.

These kinds of injuries, and the damage done to a car, can form the basis for a claim for compensation after a side-impact accident in Pasadena, TX. An attorney can work with a plaintiff to construct their claim and carry it through the legal process.

Recovering Damages

Accidents usually generate negligence claims, which hold a person responsible for causing someone else’s injuries, even if there was no intent to harm anyone. Negligence claims typically require evidence proving four elements—duty of care, breach of the duty, causation, and damages.

Suing a driver who hit a vehicle from the side might easily prove the first two elements, as all drivers have a duty of care to drive safely, and whatever the driver did (or did not do) to end up hitting another vehicle from side could be a breach. A plaintiff would then need to show that the driver’s breach caused the accident and their injuries, expressed as legal damages (medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among others).

Outside of the elements of a claim, however, there are other important rules to consider. First, a person must bring their claim within the statute of limitations, which Texas Code § 16.003 sets at only two years. If a claim does not begin within that time frame, the plaintiff can lose their right to compensation.

Plaintiff’s Negligence

They might also need to account for their own actions and possible negligence leading up to an accident, as Texas uses a system of negligence that assigns fault to anyone involved. A court can find a plaintiff partly to fault for their own injuries and reduce their compensation. If they are found to be more responsible than anyone else—over 50 percent—they could lose all damages they would otherwise be entitled to.

Navigating these rules for negligence claims alongside gathering evidence for the claim’s elements is where a Pasadena attorney can provide critical insight. A lawyer familiar with T-bone accidents can revisit the scene of the incident, interview eyewitnesses, and put together a claim within the statute of limitations.

Work with a Pasadena Attorney After a Side-Impact Vehicle Accident

The shock of getting hit by another car could cause mental and emotional trauma, in addition to physical injury and the damage done to your vehicle. A claim for compensation can help offset the effects of an accident, whether to pay for medical bills or make up for time spent out of work.

Side-impact car accidents in Pasadena can produce compensation claims that a personal injury attorney could bring to fruition. If this has happened to you, call our offices for a free case consultation.