What To Do If You Have Been T-Boned
If you have been involved in a t-boned collision the first thing to do is remain calm if possible. Car accidents are always jarring events, but the more you can remain calm, the better off you will be. After the accident occurs, whether you were t-boned at 40 mph or 4 mph it is important to seek medical attention. T-boned accidents force a person’s body to quickly absorb an enormous amount of energy in an unnatural way since they are being hit from a perpendicular direction to the way they had been moving. Sprained muscles in the back, neck, arms, and legs are all common, as are broken bones, or lacerations from broken glass from the vehicle’s doors. Even if the accident was at a slower speed and not much damage was done to the vehicle a person should still be fully checked out by a medical professional and given an all-clear.
If possible the next step is to get as much information from all parties involved as well as any witnesses that you can. Exchange insurance information as well as contact information so that follow-up can be conducted when trying to sort out insurance claims and settlements. Once this step is done it is important to document the scene of the accident and any pertaining facts surrounding the accident. Take pictures of the vehicles involved from many angles, of the road conditions, of any street signs, even capturing the weather at the time of the accident can be helpful in the future.
After a side-impact accident, it is always best to contact the police to report the incident. Even if there has been minimal damage and doesn’t appear to be any injuries an official report is always advised. The police officer is going to fill out a report that goes over all the pertinent facts of the accident including the distance the vehicles were from different landmarks and each other, the names and contact information for all involved parties, drawn diagrams of the accident, and occasionally the responding officer’s impressions of how the accident happened and who it at fault. It is best to get your hands on this police report both for your insurance company and for any future use for a personal injury claim. If you haven’t gotten the police report yourself many insurance companies or lawyers are able to get this information themselves.
Once the police report is dealt with it is important to contact your insurance company and inform them of the incident. Regardless of fault, your insurance company needs to know that an accident happened so they can begin the claim process. Most insurance companies require you to contact them within 30 days of the accident, it’s important not to miss that window as it can complicate things down the road or even negate your ability to move forward with a claim. It is also important when speaking with your insurance company to avoid making statements that could negatively impact your claim. Make sure to only answer their questions with factual answers and never claim fault or responsibility for an accident when speaking with an insurance agent.
If you have been injured in a T-bone accident the next advised step is to speak with an experienced car accident attorney near you. They will go over the details of your incident and discuss whether you have a legitimate case and grounds for seeking compensation to cover the costs involved with the accident.
There are many different types of car accidents that a person could be involved in. Some are minor such as fender benders, while others are quite serious and can lead to severe injuries. T-boned car accidents tend to be of a more serious nature. But what exactly is a T-boned car accident? A T-boned car accident, also known as a side-impact collision, occurs when one vehicle runs into another vehicle head-on into the side panels of the vehicle where the doors are found on either the driver or passenger side. In this type of accident the two cars collide in a way that creates a T shape, hence the name T-boned.
