T-bone accident victims often sustain serious injuries that require costly medical treatments and long recovery periods. Additionally, many victims are left dealing with mental trauma long after their bodily injuries are healed. While it is understandable to feel overwhelmed in the wake of a serious T-bone accident, keep in mind that you have legal options. Virginia’s personal injury laws allow injured victims to recover financial compensation from the at-fault party. However, proving liability for a T-bone accident is very challenging without the assistance of an experienced attorney. Personal injury liability laws in Virginia are extremely rigid and could potentially prevent the injured party from recovering compensation if there is any evidence that they contributed even 1% to the accident. If you would like to speak with someone about your T-bone accident, contact the skilled Virginia Beach car accident lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp.
What is a T-Bone Accident?
Side-impact collisions, also called T-bone accidents, happen when the front of one vehicle impacts the side of another, forming the shape of the letter T. Although multiple factors can lead to T-bone accidents, the most common causes among Virginia drivers include:
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Failure to obey stop signs or traffic lights
- Distracted, drunk, or fatigued driving
- Unlawful turns at intersections
- Improper merging, especially onto high-speed roadways
The injuries sustained by T-bone accident victims are often catastrophic due to where the impact occurs. These injuries can leave victims unable to work and facing a stack of medical bills. Victims could also be permanently injured and forced to adapt to a lesser quality of life.
If you were injured in a T-bone accident through no fault of your own, you are entitled to compensation from the at-fault driver.
Who is Liable for a T-Bone Accident?
In order to determine fault in a T-bone accident, you must first determine the cause. This means that evidence will need to be collected and studied in order to figure out exactly what happened in the moments before the collision. As mentioned above, the leading causes of these accidents are failing to yield the right-of-way, and running red lights and stop signs. So, establishing liability for a T-bone accident requires finding out which driver had the right of way when the crash occurred.
However, even if one party did cause the accident by failing to yield, the victim’s actions can still hinder their recovery. Virginia follows the laws of pure contributory negligence, meaning that the injured party is tasked with proving that the other party was entirely to blame for the crash. If the victim bears any degree of fault for the collision, even if it is just 1%, they will be barred from any recovery. Due to this, the at-fault driver and their insurer will try very hard to shift some of the blame for the accident onto the victim in an effort to avoid paying financial compensation. An experienced Virginia Beach car accident lawyer will anticipate this scheme and ensure you are not assigned fault for an accident if it isn’t fair.
What Damages Are Available for a T-Bone Accident?
Forms of economic and non-economic damages that you may be eligible for following a T-Bone car accident in Virginia include:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are objective, monetary losses. Although every case is different, they often include:
- Medical bills
- Lost earning
- Reduced earning capacity/Lost future earnings
- Property damage
Be sure to keep copies of all invoices, receipts, bills, pay stubs, and any other documents that validate your claim for economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are subjective, non-monetary losses usually arising from the emotional impact associated with a traumatic accident. They often include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Decreased quality of life
- Disfigurement, permanent scarring, and permanent disability
Assigning a dollar value to someone’s emotional distress is challenging, but these damages are just as real and just as significant as any physical injury. Partnering with a skilled attorney will help you recover a fair value for your non-economic damages.
Were You Injured in a T-Bone Accident?
The Virginia Beach car accident lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp have used their experience and knowledge to provide car accident victims with outstanding legal representation since 1985. In one recent case, we achieved a $300,000 settlement for a client who required numerous surgeries and months of hospitalization after the vehicle in which he was riding was T-boned by a negligent driver.
To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced car accident lawyers, call (833) 997-1774 or fill out our contact form. We have offices in Virginia Beach, Hampton, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.