Oklahoma City T-Bone Accidents

All car accidents have the potential to cause serious injury, but T-bone accidents—also called angle collisions or broadside accidents—are one of the most catastrophic car accident scenarios and pose a greater risk to backseat passengers than any other type of car accident. In a T-bone accident, the front end of one car crashes into the side of another vehicle, forming a T-shape. Because the side of a vehicle is its thinnest point and lacks the buffer of the car’s hood and engine or trunk, motorists are much closer to the point of impact in a T-bone collision. T-bone accidents make up nearly 45% of two-car accidents in the United States and caused 8,800 car accident deaths in 2022, the most recent full data year. If you or a loved one were injured in a t-bone accident, make sure to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City.

Common Causes of T-Bone Accidents in Oklahoma City

T-bone collisions most commonly occur in intersections but may also happen in places where a driveway or parking lot exits onto a roadway. Some T-bone accidents happen due to inclement weather conditions such as poor visibility or slipper roadways, but motorists have a duty of care to adjust their speed and pay vigilant attention to avoid an accident in bad weather or road conditions. The most common causes of T-bone accidents in Oklahoma City include the following:

  • Failure to yield the right of way in an intersection
  • Running a red light or stop sign
  • Failing to yield the right of way when exiting a parking lot or driveway
  • Misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle while attempting to cross an intersection or exit a driveway or sidestreet onto a main road

Motorists in both vehicles may suffer injuries in a T-bone accident, but injuries are typically more severe to the occupants of the vehicle hit broadside.

What Types of Injuries Occur in Oklahoma T-Bone Accidents?

Injuries in T-bone collisions range from mild, fully recoverable injuries that result in a single emergency room visit and a few days of lost wages, to catastrophic injuries with life-altering impacts like disability. Common injuries in Oklahoma T-bone collisions include the following:

  • Head injuries/traumatic brain injuries
  • Shoulder injuries
  • Hip fractures
  • Fractures of the limbs, ribs, or pelvis
  • Neck injuries
  • Back injuries
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Lacerations, bruises, and abrasions
  • Internal organ damage
  • Facial trauma
  • Spinal cord injury

In the worst cases, a catastrophic T-bone accident may result in the wrongful death of one or more motorists. In these cases, a close family member can recover compensation through an Oklahoma City wrongful death claim if the accident occurred due to another driver’s actions.

Who Is Liable for a T-Bone Collision Under Oklahoma’s Fault-Based Insurance Laws?

Many motorists assume that the driver of the car that hits another vehicle broadside in a T-bone accident is automatically at fault. While this is often the case, such as when the driver collided with another vehicle because they ran a red light or failed to yield the right of way, it isn’t always an accurate assessment. For instance, what if the car that a driver hits on the side in a T-bone accident was in the intersection because they ran a red light?

Like other car accidents in Oklahoma, the state’s fault-based insurance laws require both parties in a collision to investigate the accident and document evidence of liability before filing a claim for compensation. Under Oklahoma Title 23§23-13, investigators assign a percentage of fault to each driver in a two-car accident. A driver may recover compensation minus their percentage of fault from the other driver’s insurance as long as they are less than 51% at fault.

How Can a T-Bone Accident Attorney in Oklahoma City Help?

Under comparison negligence insurance laws in Oklahoma, the insurance companies may assign an undue percentage of fault to injury victims to lower the amount they must pay out on a claim. For instance, if they determine that you were 20% at fault because you were speeding when another driver hit you in a T-bone accident, they can reduce a $100,000 claim to $80,000.

You need assertive legal representation defending your best interests throughout the process of an insurance claim or lawsuit for damages.

Contact Dan Davis Law in Oklahoma City for a free evaluation of your T-bone accident case so we can begin strategizing your recovery.