A side-impact collision in Pennsylvania is a collision where the front end of a vehicle collides with either the driver’s side door or the passenger’s side door of the other vehicle. Traditionally, this is referred to as a T-bone collision. If you have been injured in an accident, a Western PA side-impact collision lawyer could help you recover compensation. Reach out to a car accident attorney at your earliest convenience.
The common fact patterns that are surrounding a side-impact collision are often pull-out collisions where somebody is moving through an intersection and does not see the cross-traffic, or they fail to notice the traffic signals in the area. Side-impact collisions are similar to head-on collisions and are often very serious because they occur at higher speeds.
The first steps a person involved in a side-impact collision should take is to assess themselves and make sure that they seek medical treatment. One of the first steps, of course, is to call the police, call the ambulance, and get first responders on the scene to help with anybody who is dealing with serious injuries. After those immediate needs are taken care of, it is important for the injured person to reach out to an personal injury lawyer so that they can help collect evidence, present the case, and maximize their recovery.
Side-impact collisions either involve driver side or passenger side. This affects the people that are in the car by moving them side to side instead of forward to backward. Depending on whether the vehicle has side airbags or whether those airbags deploy, the injuries can be quite significant. The damages in these types of scenarios are usually disabling damages because both doors can be completely crushed shut.
The first category of damages is economic damages. This includes lost wages, loss earning capacity, medical expenses that are not covered by insurance, and out of pocket expenses.
Non-economic damages are the pain and suffering type damages. These damages include physical pain, mental suffering, embarrassment and humiliation, and loss of the ability to enjoy life’s pleasures. All of those are non-economic damages that can be compensated under Pennsylvania law.
Finally, the last category is punitive damages. These are damages that are awarded to punish the at-fault party for conduct that rises to a level that is outrageous, malicious, wanton, willful oppressive, or in reckless disregard for the safety of others. The purpose for punitive damages is to deter others from behaving in the same way or for engaging in similar conduct.
If you have been involved in a side-impact collision, an attorney could reach out to any potential witnesses and conduct a thorough investigation to establish fault and to establish the circumstances that led to the collision to support the case. A Western PA side-impact collision lawyer could then present this to the insurance company and, if necessary, present the same evidence to trial. Contact our attorneys today to schedule a no-cost consultation to see how we can help.
Marcus & Mack
