Side impact crashes, also known as t-bone accidents, unfortunately often involve serious injuries and may even be fatal.
T-bone car accidents happen when two cars collide transversally against each other. In simpler words, if a car hits you from the side, it’s a T-bone accident. Car accidents vary a lot in severity and the type of injuries they cause.
Cars have been fitted with safety devices and features since the beginnings of the auto industry. Modern cars have advanced systems that are designed to prevent accidents and to minimize injuries in case of a crash. Still, people do get hurt even when using safety devices properly. Others ignore safety rules and get more severe injuries.
When it comes to side crashes, the severity of injuries is higher, unfortunately. In the case of T-bone accidents, here are the 4 most common types of injuries that you can get.
Head Injuries
Head injuries like concussions, contusions, lacerations, and skull fractures occur in T-bone accidents when the driver or passenger hits the dashboard or door or the car with high force. It might also happen when being hit by flying debris.
Traumatic brain injuries can lead to serious symptoms like memory loss, cognitive changes, paralysis, and others. The life of a TBI victim that has been in a serious accident can be affected tremendously by such injuries.
Neck Injuries
One of the most common neck injuries suffered in a car accident is called whiplash. It is caused by the sudden movement of the head from one side to another. In T-bone accidents, the neck will move from left to right, making the injury more severe than it would be in a forward-backward movement. Unfortunately, many victims overlook the symptoms of whiplash and it gets worse with time. Some may have already signed a release form before they get to receive full compensation.
Other neck injuries are strains, sprains, or broken vertebrae. As you might suspect, some fatalities are caused by extreme neck injuries.
Back Injuries
Lateral forces from a T-bone accident can also lead to back injuries, like broken vertebrae, herniated discs, pinched nerves, or other injuries. Victims can be left with chronic pain, disabilities, or in need of costly surgery to recover.
Bone Fractures
Open or closed bone fractures are quite common in T-bone crashes. Because of the physics involved, your body is more exposed to the forces of an impact than it would in a frontal or rear-side one.
Broken arms, ribs or pelvic bones are all quite serious injuries that could leave you off work for weeks, or even lead to temporary or permanent disability. Other dangers of bone fractures in car accidents are the risk of bleeding to death, potential infections, and injuries to the soft tissues surrounding the bone.
Speak With an Attorney to Ensure Your Legal Right to Compensation is Protected!
If you have been injured in a T-bone accident, speak with a St. Louis car accident attorney as soon as possible, so they can start gathering evidence and help you build a strong case for your insurance claim.