Rear-End and T-Bone Collisions: How Fault Is Decided
Rear-end and T-bone collisions come up again and again in injury claims. The name of the crash describes how the vehicles met, but it does not decide who was at fault. An auto accident lawyer reviewing these crashes usually begins with the sequence of events, from each car's speed to the signals that controlled traffic.
Why rear-end crashes happen
Many state traffic laws bar drivers from following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, taking into account the speed of traffic and the condition of the road. Distracted driving is a common factor. NHTSA notes that sending or reading a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for 5 seconds, which at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with eyes closed. A car accident attorney may ask for the other driver's phone records when distraction is suspected.
In many rear-end crashes the trailing driver is found at fault, but that is not automatic. A vehicle that cuts in and stops short, brake lights that do not work or a vehicle backing up may shift part or all of the fault. In a multi-vehicle pileup, every impact is its own event, and a middle vehicle pushed forward may not be responsible for the second impact.
Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
Rear-end impacts are often linked to whiplash, a neck injury caused by the head snapping back and forth. Neck pain and headaches may not show up until hours after the crash, which is one reason prompt medical care matters. Insurers sometimes dispute injury https://franciscomrwk348.nexorafield.com/posts/nhtsa-traffic-crash-statistics-on-speeding-and-drunk-driving claims from low-speed rear-end crashes, citing minor vehicle damage. Photos of both cars and the medical records help respond to that argument, along with imaging such as an MRI when a doctor orders one.
Why side-impact crashes happen
A T-bone collision happens when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, usually at an intersection. Common causes include running a red light or a stop sign and failing to yield on a left turn. The sides of a car have less room to absorb crash forces than the front or rear, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluates side protection in its own side-impact crash test. People seated on the struck side can suffer serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury or pelvic fractures.
These crashes often turn on who had the right of way. Useful evidence includes signal timing records, intersection camera video, nearby business surveillance footage, dashcam video and witness statements, as well as the event data recorder (EDR) in each car, which may hold speed and braking data from the seconds before the crash. A car accident lawyer will usually try to collect video quickly, because many systems record over old footage within days or weeks.
When both drivers share fault
Fault is not always all or nothing. Most states use some version of comparative negligence, which reduces a recovery by the injured person's percentage of fault. In states with modified comparative negligence, a person whose fault reaches 50 or 51 percent, depending on the state, may be barred from recovery, while pure comparative negligence allows a reduced recovery at any percentage of fault. A few jurisdictions still apply contributory negligence, which can bar recovery for any fault at all. A motor vehicle accident attorney will know which rule applies in the state where the crash happened.
Deadlines and general information
Every state sets its own statute of limitations for injury claims, and claims against a government agency can require written notice much sooner. This article is general information, not legal advice, and it cannot predict the outcome of any claim.