A side-impact collision is any collision during which the front of one vehicle hits the side of another, such as a T-bone collision in an intersection. There may be impact to either the front, middle, or back of the vehicle that is struck.
Side-impact accidents in which a truck collides with a smaller vehicle can be particularly devastating. If you have been seriously injured as the result of being T-Boned by a commercial truck, consider speaking to a Western PA side-impact truck accident lawyer. A Western PA 18-wheeler accident attorney could collect evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and work toward full compensation.
Side-impact collisions often happen at an intersection when a driver fails to properly yield. If a truck driver misses a stop sign, for example, they may T-bone a vehicle that is legally moving through an intersection. Similarly, if a truck driver makes a dangerous turn across traffic, a car may collide with the side of the trailer, causing serious injuries.
The first step a person involved in a side-impact collision should take are to first determine whether anyone is injured. If so, they may need to be moved out of harm’s way to a safe location on the side of the road. Next, call 911.
Not only can police and emergency services aid injured drivers, they can also photograph the scene and the positions of the vehicles for use in a police report. Issues such as the precise location where the impact occurred relative to the intersection and the positions of the vehicles may be critical to a personal injury claim, and police officers will likely document those variables.
Next, contacting a lawyer as soon as possible could be helpful. An attorney could work quickly to gather and preserve evidence before it is lost forever. Most trucks have an electronic data recorder or black box, for example, that will record factors such as speed, braking, force of impact. If a personal injury lawyer does not make an effort to preserve that data, it may be automatically deleted.
The effects of side-impact collisions depend on the amount of speed and the location of the impact. Neck and back injuries are very common because the body, particularly the head and spinal column, are sitting vertically and may be jarred either to the left or right. Similarly, if a driver or passenger’s head makes contact with a side window, headrest, or the side of the vehicle, serious brain injuries may result.
In any truck accident claim, there are economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages include anything that is quantifiable, such as bills associated with medical treatment. A plaintiff might also miss time from work because of the injuries or because of the treatment or be unable to work in the same job that they did before the accident.
There are also non-economic damages, which are more intangible, such as pain and suffering and emotional distress. There are also non-economic damages for the injured person’s spouse, even if he/she was not involved in the collision, for loss of consortium as a result of the loss of the services and comfort of the injured spouse.
It is the role of the attorney to present the case in the most complete way possible, fully demonstrating the nature and extent of the injuries, the effects on the person, and the economic and noneconomic damages. A Western PA side-impact truck accident lawyer could piece those various aspects together and present the case in a coherent, persuasive way. Contact us at the Marcus & Mack Law Firm today to schedule a consultation and learn about your options.
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