T-Bone accidents happen every single day. These can be some of the most dangerous accidents on the roadway due to their intense amount of collision between the vehicles. Whatever driver is determined to be at fault for the incident will be responsible for the other party's damages. These can include medical bills, vehicle damage, and even lost wages.
Determining Who Is At Fault in a T-bone Accident
Determining who was responsible for the accident is the first step in figuring out if you're eligible for damages. In the case of a t-bone accident, there is a head-on collision between two vehicles. This type of accident is also commonly referred to as a side-impact crash or broadside collision.

Most of these accidents occur at intersections. Some occur because a driver loses control of their vehicle while driving down the roadway. Others happen as a result of one driver crossing a multi-lane highway. In all cases, these accidents tend to produce some serious injuries as the side of the vehicle provides only a narrow layer of protection for the one driver.
Negligence is very important to understand with a t-bone accident. Negligence is considered liability for injuries and damage that are caused to other parties. In most cases, negligence is proven when an individual driver violates the existing traffic laws or they don't practice a proper duty of care when driving on the roadway.
When determining fault, there are many factors that go into consideration. Some of the most obvious include traffic signals, vehicle defects, and road conditions. The best car accident attorney in Torrance will tell you that many t-bone accidents happen as a result of the following circumstances:
- Distracted Driving
- Texting While Driving
- Drunk Driving
- Failing To Yield
- Running A Red Light
- Speeding
The Elements Of Negligence
As you've learned, your Torrance car accident lawyer will need to prove that the other driver was negligent and that is what caused your injuries. There are three main elements that makeup negligence. By understanding what each of these is, you can better learn whether or not you have a case against another driver.
The first element is that that other driver owed you a duty of care. Every driver is expected to provide a duty of care for others on the roadway so that other people can drive safely. Second, the other driver must have breached their duty of care. This could be the simple act of not stopping at a stop sign. The final element is that the other driver's negligence must be the root cause of your injuries. If the other driver was neglectful but you didn't get injured, your auto accident lawyers in Torrance can't sue for damages.
What Types Of Damages Can You Claim?
Your T-bone accident lawyer Torrance will be able to supply you with a full list of the damages that you can claim in your legal suit. When filing a personal injury lawsuit, you're essentially trying to collect damages or money from the neglectful party.
There are two main types of damages that you need to be aware of. These are economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are things that have a dollar value such as medical bills. Non-economic damages are those things that don't have a clear dollar value such as pain and suffering. Here's a list of the common damages that you can file for:
- Lost Wages
- Medical Bills
- Vehicle Repairs
- Pain And Suffering
- Lost Earning Capacity
- Loss Of Consortium
- Wrongful Death
- Physical Therapy
- Emergency Medical Care
The list above is just some of the most common damages that can be claimed by a personal injury attorney in Torrance. There are others out there that get more specific to individual situations. It's best to check in with the best car accident attorney in Torrance to determine what damages you're eligible to receive from the offending party.
Common Injuries From T-Bone Collisions
As we discussed above, t-bones tend to be some of the most dangerous accidents out there. The angle of the accident on the vehicle is one very susceptible spot for a high level of damage to the driver and the vehicle. While no accident outcome can be fully predicted, there are some common factors that affect the outcome of the accident.
The main factor involved in most t-bone accidents is the speed at which the collision occurred. Second, the angle of the impact can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of both drivers. Some other common factors are the types of vehicles involved, whether the driver was wearing a seatbelt or not, and whether or not airbags were successfully deployed.
While cars these days have tons of safety features, they can't always protect against the various factors of t-bone collisions. As any Torrance car accident lawyer will tell you, every case is a bit different from the next. However, there are many common injuries that are experienced as a result of a t-bone accident. These include:
- Facial Trauma
- Internal Injuries
- Neck Injury
- Back Injury
- Head Injury
- Brain Injury
Comparative Fault Law
All auto accident lawyers in Torrance are highly familiar with the Comparative Fault Law. This is a law that governs all California accidents. It allows drivers who are partially at fault for an accident to still collect discounted damages from the other driver. The amount of damages that a person will receive will depend on each party's level of fault in an accident.
Your T-bone accident lawyer Torrance can help to better explain what amount of damages you'll be likely to file for. To make it simple, let's say you were found to be 20 percent at fault for the accident. The other party is still at fault for 80 percent of the accident. Therefore, any amount that your personal injury attorney in Torrance successfully proves that you're owed due to the accident will be reduced by 20 percent.