St. Louis T-Bone Accident Lawyer
Request Free ConsultationT-bone accidents are the deadliest of two-car collisions. Sometimes called angle collisions or broadside accidents, T-bone accidents make up about 44.9% of two-car collisions and caused About 8,800 car accident deaths in a single recent year. If you or a close family member were injured in a T-bone accident in St. Louis or the surrounding area, it’s important to know your rights. Call the St. Louis car accident attorneys at Miller & Hine for experienced representation. We achieve optimal results for injured clients.
Why You Can Trust the St. Louis T-Bone Accident Attorneys at Miller & Hine
Miller & Hine Attorneys at Law have a long history of advocating for injured clients against accident defendants and their powerful insurers who protect profits at the car accident victim’s expense. We offer the following significant advantages:
- Free consultations and contingency-based payment so we assume all financial risks during the investigation and you only pay if and when we obtain your compensation
- A five-decade history of success and notable wins for our injured clients, including a recent $610,000 recovery for a car accident client
- A St. Louis personal injury attorney dedicated to your case who takes time to get to know you so they can make a more compelling claim tailored to your needs, goals, and the unique circumstances of your case
- The collaborative skills, knowledge, and resources of an entire legal staff behind your case
With representation by Miller & Hine, you’ll have access to the best medical experts and crash forensics specialists to help prove your damages and the at-fault driver’s liability.
What Is a T-Bone Accident?
T-bone collisions occur when the front end of one car collides with the side of another car, forming a crash shaped like a T. Motorists in both vehicles can suffer injuries in a T-bone accident but the occupants of the car hit broadside typically experience the most serious injuries, particularly those on the side where the impact occurs. The side of a vehicle offers the least substantial protection in a crash.
Common Causes of T-Bone Car Accidents in St. Louis
St. Louis is a bustling city full of busy, hard-working residents and tourists enjoying the many cultural and historic attractions. Unfortunately, this often leads to congested roadways, busy intersections, and aggressive drivers. Common causes of T-Bone accidents in St. Louis and the surrounding area include the following:
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Disregarding or intentionally running red lights
- Rolling through stop signs
- Distracted driving
- Intersection left turn accidents
- Obstructed vision at intersections
- Failing to look both ways when exiting a parking lot or driveway
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Brake failures and mechanical problems
St. Louis has 40,000 intersections. Most T-bone accidents result from driver error or reckless driving, but poor intersection planning sometimes leaves city road-planning agencies liable or partly liable for an injury victim’s damages after a T-bone collision in St. Louis.
Proving Liability In St. Louis T-Bone Accidents
The insurance companies of involved drivers in T-bone collisions investigate the accident to determine which driver was at fault or if each driver contributed to the cause of the accident. Without an assertive attorney investigating on your behalf, the insurance company could shift fault to you as the injury victim. Under Missouri’s pure comparative fault insurance system, they may reduce the compensation they pay on your claim by your percentage of fault—a system that incentivizes them to find YOU at fault or assign an undue percentage of responsibility to you. A proactive T-bone accident lawyer investigates the accident and documents clear and compelling evidence showing the following:
- The at-fault driver owed a duty of reasonable care to you and others on the road
- They breached this duty through negligent or reckless actions
- The breach of duty directly caused the accident and injuries
- You suffered significant economic and non-economic damages from the injury
It may seem as though the person who hits a car broadside is always at fault, but suppose the driver already in the intersection was there because they ran a red light or stop sign or they were speeding? A T-bone accident lawyer in St. Louis investigates the accident by examining the police report, speaking to eyewitnesses, and reviewing photos and videos of the accident scene to defend your best interests.
What Types of Injuries Occur In St. Louis T-Bone Accidents?
The front and rear ends of cars have built-in buffers from the bumpers, hood, and engine in the front, and the trunk in the rear. The side of a vehicle is its thinnest point, with car doors only around six inches thick. This puts motorists inside at a high risk of injuries in a T-bone collision. For back-seat passengers—often children—a T-bone accident is the most dangerous type of collision. Common injuries in St. Louis T-bone accidents include the following:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Fractures, including of the limbs, clavicle, hips, ribs and pelvis
- Soft-tissue injuries to shoulders and knees
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
- Internal organ injuries
- Facial trauma
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic limb loss
In the worst cases, a serious T-bone accident in St. Louis causes fatal injuries. If a loved one died in a T-bone collision, a St. Louis wrongful death claim can recover compensation such as funeral expenses and the lost income of a provider for the number of earning years they would have had remaining to them.
What Damages are Recoverable in a St. Louis T-Bone Accident Claim?
Injuries in T-bone collisions are often serious or even catastrophic with temporary or permanently life-altering consequences. A successful claim can recover common car accident damages such as the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future income loss
- Diminished future earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Compensation for pain and suffering
Depending on the circumstances of your case, additional compensation could be available, such as for the loss of a limb, the loss of vision or hearing, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and PTSD.
Contact Miller & Hine, the Experienced T-Bone Accident Lawyers in St. Louis
A T-bone accident claim in St. Louis is a challenging legal undertaking, sometimes requiring court litigation to obtain the compensation you deserve. Call the trial-ready T-bone collision lawyers at Miller & Hine for proactive legal representation in your car accident claim.