Do I Need a Lawyer After a T-bone Truck Accident?

March 7, 2024 / Truck Accidents

If you have been involved in a severe T-bone collision with a commercial truck, having an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side is vital. Suffering extensive injuries in a truck crash can derail your life in many ways. You may rack up enormous medical bills, lose income from missed work, and battle pain and emotional trauma.

This article will explain what a T-bone accident is. We’ll cover the potential damages you may incur and critical reasons why you need a lawyer after a T-bone truck accident to maximize your injury claim settlement.

What is a T-bone accident?

A T-bone crash is also called a broadside collision or side-impact crash. It occurs when one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle at a perpendicular or right angle. For example, a semi-truck driver could run a red light or stop sign and violently T-bone the side of a passenger car in an intersection.

Unlike when a rear-end collision occurs, there is little to no cushion between the struck vehicle’s door and the occupants inside. The force of a T-bone crash transmits directly to the victims, heightening the risk of severe or even fatal injuries.

In a commercial truck T-bone accident, the weight discrepancy between the massive semi and the smaller passenger car also intensifies harm. With over 117,300 truck accidents per year, according to the National Safety Council, these happen more often than you might think.

Potential for Damages

Being T-boned by a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle can wreak havoc on crash victims in many ways, including:

• Medical Expenses – Costs of hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and follow-up appointments can skyrocket into six figures after a major truck collision. Spinal cord injuries, brain trauma, broken bones, internal organ damage, and other catastrophic harm may require intensive, long-term treatment.
• Lost Income – Inability to work because of injuries suffered in a truck crash can hamper earning power for months or even permanently. Missed wages from time off for medical care also add up.
• Pain and Suffering – Coping with constant agony and emotional distress from disabling injuries takes an immense physical and mental toll.
• Property Damage – If your vehicle is totaled in the truck T-bone collision, replacing it is a significant added expense.
• Loss of Quality of Life – Serious crash injuries often alter a victim’s mobility and ability to enjoy everyday activities. Severe trauma may require assisted living care.

Having an attorney helps truck accident victims recoup these extensive damages so financial burdens do not overwhelm them during recovery.

Key Reasons You Need an Attorney After a Truck T-Bone Crash

Following an accident, many people hesitate to hire a truck accident lawyer. Yet, it can be hard to be fairly compensated for a truck accident claim without proper legal guidance. An attorney levels the playing field against corporate insurance carriers. They are by your side to uncover evidence and build a maximum-value injury claim.

Determine Liability

Liability means legal responsibility for damages caused by negligence or reckless behavior. Truck drivers must adhere to strict Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. These pertain to training requirements, load limits, driving hours, vehicle maintenance, and more. So, when a trucker violates these rules and causes a T-bone collision, the trucking company or owner bears liability.

A truck accident attorney may also conduct a rigorous investigation. They can identify and prove all liable at-fault parties. The process includes scrutinizing maintenance records and gathering crash data recorder evidence. If any eyewitnesses were present, a statement could prove helpful. Finally, consulting crash reconstruction experts can cement the proof presented in the courtroom.

Building an ironclad liability claim is crucial for securing a substantial settlement.

Maximize Compensation

As mentioned above, suffering harm in a truck T-bone collision often extends past the event in question. You may need extensive medical treatment, vehicle repairs or replacement, home accessibility modifications for disabilities, and other expenses. Lost income from time off work also strains household budgets.

However, crash victims may instinctively want to quickly settle their insurance claim and move on after the trauma of a truck collision. This mindset leaves money on the table by underestimating long-term costs.

An attorney thoroughly calculates both economic and non-economic damages to develop a complete picture of losses. Demanding full and fair compensation is essential to help restore quality of life after a devastating crash.

Handle Insurance Companies

Insurance carriers for truck companies, fleet owners, manufacturers, and other liable entities are known to play hardball. They aim to deny or minimize payouts on substantial injury claims. Their hope is that unprepared victims will accept lowball offers rather than “lawyer up.”

Maneuvering complex commercial insurance policies and regulations is tricky without proper guidance. Insurance providers also often dispute the extent of damages or try to shift partial blame onto the victim.

However, an attorney who has proven success handling truck insurers compels them to offer maximum settlements. Insurers realize experienced lawyers have the resources to take cases to trial and know how to win large verdicts from juries.

Get Proper Legal Representation After a Truck T-Bone

Legal assistance from a law firm is invaluable after suffering injuries in a tractor-trailer crash. Trying to handle accident claims alone against insurance companies is sure to result in less than full compensation. An attorney levels the playing field to fight for your best interests.

If you or a loved one got T-boned by a semi-truck or commercial vehicle, take action now. Consultations at Stephenson Rife are free, and you pay no attorney fees unless they successfully resolve your case. Call today at (317) 680-2350 or contact us online to schedule your appointment.

Attorney Mike Stephenson

Attorney Mike Stephenson has 40 years of experience and is a trusted advisor to many individuals and companies. His current practice is dominated by civil litigation in state and federal courts. He focuses much of his time on handling catastrophic injuries caused by all types of accidents, including motor vehicle, trucking, workplace injuries, product liability, just to name a few. Mike is a proven advocate and trial attorney. He has served as lead trial counsel in more than 100 civil jury trials, and has handled litigation in 18 states. [ Attorney Bio ]