Seattle T-Bone Car Accident Lawyer

T-bone car accidents, also known as side-impact collisions, are one of the most dangerous and deadliest types of car crashes in the United States. Causes of side-impact crashes vary from one case to another, and the fault is not always easily determined in this type of crash.

Our Seattle T-bone car accident attorney at Russell & Hill, PLLC, explains that depending on how the crash occurred, either the driver who was T-boned or the driver who did the T-boning can be held at fault. In fact, in some cases, other parties may be held liable as well (e.g., auto manufacturer, auto mechanic, public or government entity, etc.).

Determining fault in a T-bone car accident

Regardless of whether you were broadsided or you were the one who did the broadsiding, you may want to consult with one of our experienced T-bone car accident attorney in Seattle or elsewhere in Washington to establish liability. At this point, motorists tend to make either of these two mistakes:

1. They are absolutely certain that they are at fault for the crash (and the other driver only makes matters worse by constantly blaming them for the crash, and does so convincingly), even though the other party could have contributed to that crash or
2. They are absolutely sure that the other motorist is at fault and that his or her fault is so clear that they do not need a lawyer to represent them in their case

In the first scenario, you are making a huge mistake because the fault is not always easily established, particularly in T-bone or side-impact car accidents. In the second scenario, you, too, are making a big mistake because it only seems that proving fault in a T-bone accident will be easy. In reality, determining liability in a side-impact collision and proving the other motorist’s fault can be quite time-consuming and exhausting.

Why side-impact collisions are so dangerous

If you survived a T-bone car crash, consider yourself lucky, because this type of collision kills an estimated up to 10,000 Americans each year. “Why are side-impact crashes so dangerous?” you may wonder. It’s all about the driver or passenger’s exposure to the impact.

When your vehicle gets hit from behind in a rear-end car accident, you are protected by several feet of steel and metal, a trunk, and seats. When your vehicle is broadsided, on the other hand, there is nothing but a door and a window that protects you from the impact. No wonder why side-impact accidents claim thousands of lives each year. Even if you were lucky enough to survive a T-bone accident, chances are your bodily injury is so severe that you will require life-long medical treatment and may never fully recover.

Here at Russell & Hill, PLLC, our Seattle side-impact accident attorneys know exactly what it takes to prove the other motorist’s fault. Although the legal strategy that should be applied to your case depends on your particular circumstances, let’s review some of the most common techniques that will help you hold the other driver at fault for the crash:

1. If the time of the accident is known, it may be possible to compare this time against the traffic light’s automated programming to determine whether or not the other driver had the right of way when he or she T-boned your vehicle
2. If your T-bone accident was caused by improper maintenance of the vehicle, a lawyer may be able to investigate whether or not the driver properly inspected and maintained his or her vehicle prior to the crash or
3. If you think that the other motorist was distracted by his or her cell phone prior to the crash, which ultimately caused the T-bone crash, your lawyer may be able to obtain access to their cell phone to figure out whether or not the phone was used prior to the accident.

These are only a few techniques that a skilled car accident lawyer may use to help you prove the other motorist’s fault in a side-impact collision. Schedule a free consultation with our lawyers from Russell & Hill, PLLC, to establish fault in your case, calculate the value of your case, and figure out the most optimal legal strategy to win compensation. Call our offices at 206-516-2045 for a free case evaluation.