According to the United States Office of Health, Safety and Security, side-impact collisions cause over 9,000 fatalities nationwide, with the only type of auto accident that has a higher fatality rate being head-on collisions. In addition to the increased risk of wrongful death, side-impact crashes are likely to cause debilitating personal injuries, which often cause great hardship for those involved.
If you or someone you love has been the victim in a side-impact crash that was caused by another motorist, you may be entitled to compensation for losses related to your accident, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Here at Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, we strongly believe that negligent drivers must be held accountable for their actions, and will fight for your MAXIMUM compensation benefits.
To find out more, simply fill in and submit the Free Case Evaluation form.
Causes of Side-Impact Collisions
A side-impact collision is usually the result of negligent or reckless driving. Also known as broadside collisions or T-bone crashes, these types of motor vehicle crashes usually happen at busy intersections, where vehicles are crossing in front of each other.
Some common causes of Connecticut side-impact collisions can include (but are not limited to):
- High speeds
- Disregard of another driver’s right of way
- Ignoring “no turn on red” traffic signs
- Failure to yield
- Failure to obey traffic signals
- General driver negligence
- Vehicle malfunction or defects
- Texting and driving
With busy roads like SR-6001, Canal St, Park Ave S, SR-8009 and Fulton St being hotspots for major accidents in Connecticut, it’s very important to drive defensively at all times – simply by being aware of your surroundings and alert of other vehicles that are near you.
The Different Types Of Side Impact Crashes
While there can be many factors that contribute to side-impact crashes, in most instances they are considered as either broadside or sideswipe type of collisions.
- Broadside Collisions: These types of side-impact crashes are often referred to as t-bone crashes, where a vehicle is hit flush with either the front or rear end of the other vehicle. As you may imagine, the amount of damage that is incurred by both vehicles depends on the force of the impact (directly related to speed), however as most modern cars are being designed to crumple in order to absorb some of that impact, the chances of passengers surviving an accident have greatly increased over time. With this in mind, in cases where a victim may have been killed in a t-bone accident years ago, they may survive a similar accident by being in a newer, better engineering vehicle. By adding side pillar and seat-belt airbags, motorists are given an even better chance of surviving a potentially fatal crash.
- Sideswipe Collisions: This type of incident occurs when two vehicles are traveling side by side and they brush against each other. Visually, these types of accidents often look very bad – as often paint is deeply scratched, mirrors are broken, door handles are torn off, windows can be smashed and panels badly dented. However, it can often only take a minor impact for a driver and / or passenger to suffer a serious injury. Simply due to the force of the initial impact, victims can receive head injuries, whiplash and even lacerations caused by smashed glass and other flying debris.
The Devastating Injuries Of These Accidents
Side-impact collisions typically result in severe injuries due to the very nature of vehicle design. Car doors lack the substance to absorb the energy of a high-impact, high-speed crash. The lack of substance often causes the front end of one car to end up entering the passenger compartment of the other. Passengers who are sitting at the point of impact will suffer the most severe injuries as they absorb most of the energy from the collision. In more extreme cases, when a vehicle is struck at high speeds, the car that is hit can rollover or spin out, causing it to ricochet off nearby objects and vehicles.
How To Contact Our Injury Lawyers For Free
Here at our firm, our team of lawyers has decades of experience handling auto accident injury cases – having won MILLIONS in successful verdicts and settlements for our clients – and work on a contingency-only basis. What that means is that we only charge you for our fees and services if we obtain a settlement or verdict for you. With offices in Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford, we proudly serve most of Connecticut and are licensed to practice law across the entire state and are ready to help you today.
To find out more, please contact us on 800-PERKINS; a member from our intake staff will quickly collect some details about your case and then refer you to one of our attorneys – it’s that easy. To reach us online, simply send an email. If you prefer to start immediately, fill in and submit the Free Case Evaluation form.