What You Should Know About Broadside Collisions

 Broadside collisions typically come out of nowhere. One moment you may be driving through an intersection and the next moment a negligent driver runs a red light and hits the side of your car.

A broadside collision, also called a T-bone or side-impact accident, is when the front end of one vehicle collides with the side of another. These types of car accidents can cause a lot of damage and injuries – especially to the occupants of the car that receives the side impact.

Side-impact collisions can happen almost anywhere, in almost any way. However, there are a few common types of broadside collisions we see here in Nashville and throughout Tennessee:

• Parking lot broadside collisions. Parking lot car accidents can end up being quite complicated, especially where there's no (or not enough) signage marking right of way. Sometimes, in private parking lots, police may not even issue a ticket, or consider it no-fault, and leave it to the drivers – or their attorneys – to sort out. All drivers have a duty to be alert and follow all signage in parking lots.

• Intersection side-impact collisions. Typically, determining who is at fault in an auto accident involving an intersection comes down to which vehicle had the right of way. It's easy to establish if there was a traffic light at the intersection, as well as other drivers and witnesses. However, it can get a bit more contentious if both parties claim they had the right of way.

• T-bone collisions from left turns across traffic. Fault in these types of accident typically lies with the driver who turned into traffic, for failing to yield right of way as well as failing to properly look out. When making a left-hand turn, drivers must yield right of way to oncoming traffic. However, this doesn't relieve other drivers of their responsibility to properly look out and avoid collisions when it's possible to do so.

As you might expect, in a broadside collision, the victims who tend to suffer the most injury are the ones on the side of the vehicle that's hit. However, people on the opposite side of the car can be injured as well. Typical injuries from T-bone accidents include:

• Head injuries – Cuts and abrasions from broken glass, concussion, or traumatic brain injuries.
• Neck and back injuries – Whiplash, herniated discs, nerve damage, spinal cord damage, paralysis.
• Chest and abdominal injuries – Crushing or "caught-between" injuries from a buckled car frame.
• Limb injuries – Fractured and broken bones, dislocations, or amputations.
• Soft tissue injuries – Muscle/tendon/ligament sprains, strains, and tears.

Broadside collisions and other types of car accidents can cause injuries that may affect your well being for a considerable amount of time. When your accident wasn't your fault, you shouldn't have to deal with medical bills and losses alone. Call a car accident attorney to help you with your claim.