A T-bone accident occurs when the front end of a car crashes into the side of another. In most cases, such accidents happen at intersections when a driver disregards a stop sign and drives through, oblivious to oncoming traffic. A bad judgment call at a green light can also lead to a T-bone accident. There are more scenarios in which these accidents can occur, and depending on the speeds of the vehicles involved, they are often deadly.
California is a comparative fault state. It means that even if you were at fault, you could still recover damages based on the extent of your contribution to the accident. In addition, multiple parties may be held liable based on the degree of negligence on their part.
Potentially liable parties
The circumstances of each accident are different, especially for T-bone accidents. It means that more than one party may be at fault, depending on the cause of the accident. Some of the possibly liable parties include:
- The drivers involved. Who had the right of way? Who acted irresponsibly? Either driver could be at fault, depending on the nature of the accident. Swerving to avoid a third driver then causing an accident could assign blame to the other driver if they were wrong.
- The vehicle manufacturers. Suppose a faulty component of either vehicle contributed to the crash, like failed brakes or a stuck accelerator that was not due to lack of maintenance. In that case, the vehicle manufacturers might share all or some of the blame.
Protect your legal rights
Even if you were at fault, you still need to protect your rights and get the compensation you deserve. T-bone accidents can be pretty deadly, and you could be staring at the high costs associated with health care and rehabilitation on top of lost wages in time spent recuperating.
It is therefore crucial that you are adequately compensated for your injuries. Knowing more about what the law says will put you at an advantage and secure your interests.