Broadside Collisions

Quincy Lawyers for T-Bone Accidents at Intersections

Broadside collisions are also called T-bone accidents. They occur when the front of a car hits the side of another car. Often they happen at high speeds. The injuries may be devastating, and there may be multiple accident victims. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a broadside collision caused by someone else, you should discuss whether you have a viable basis to sue with the seasoned Quincy car accident attorneys of Brabant & Huynh, LLP. We also handle property damage claims.

T-Bone Accidents

Broadside collisions are often very serious. There is not much to protect a driver and passenger from the impact of another vehicle hitting their car from the side, particularly if the impact occurs on the side where they’re sitting. This type of accident is often caused by the negligence of one or both drivers. Sometimes the force of the collision results in a vehicle getting propelled into other vehicles, resulting in multiple accident victims. A T-bone accident may be caused by a left-turn accident, running a stop sign or red light, failing to yield, texting while driving, distracted driving, or drunk driving. For example, if a driver assumes that another driver traveling through an uncontrolled intersection is going to yield, and the other driver makes the same assumption, there may be a broadside collision. For another example, if a driver is drunk and stops in the middle of an intersection in the night, a car driving perpendicularly could T-bone him, causing catastrophic injuries.

Liability

In order to establish liability for a broadside collision, we will need to prove: (1) the other driver owed you a duty of fault, (2) breach of the duty of fault, (3) causation, and (4) damages. Drivers can breach the duty to use reasonable care in numerous ways. In some cases, drivers deny what they were doing just prior to the accident to avoid liability. However, in the course of litigation in Quincy, we can make discovery requests to determine whether there is evidence beyond a driver’s testimony to figure out precisely what contributed to the accident and your injuries. It may be appropriate, for example, to ask for records related to the traffic lights. There may be video surveillance footage of a particular intersection or portion of a parking lot. Phone records may show whether a driver was texting or talking on a cell phone just before the time of collision.

There are situations in which two or more drivers’ negligent acts combine to cause an accident. In that case, it may be necessary to retain an accident reconstruction expert to determine percentages of fault for the accident. Usually, a defendant will raise the plaintiff’s own fault under the doctrine of comparative negligence, and this will also be considered as part of the calculation.

Your damages can be reduced by an amount equal to your percentage of fault. Under Massachusetts law, you will be barred from recovering damages if you were 51% or more at fault for your own injuries. If a jury determined, for instance, that you were 52% at fault for the accident because you took your eyes off the road to settle your pets in the backseat, you would be unable to recover damages at all. Knowing this, defendants’ insurers and attorneys will scrutinize plaintiffs’ conduct carefully, to find some way to pin the blame on them. It’s wise to consult a lawyer before speaking to the other side about what happened in the time leading up to the accident.

Consult a Seasoned South Shore Intersection Accident Attorney

The Quincy car attorneys of Brabant & Huynh may be able to represent you in a lawsuit for damages arising out of broadside collision. We also represent those injured in Dorchester, Mattapan, Milton, Dedham, Canton, Stoughton, Randolph, Holbrook, Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham, Brockton, Bridgewater, Avon, Hanover, Abington, and Norwell. Call us for a free consultation at (617) 934-0913 or complete our online form.