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A side-impact truck accident occurs when the front end of a commercial vehicle collides with the side of a passenger car. These truck accidents are also known as T-bone collisions due to the “T” shape the vehicles make when they collide. When commercial vehicles are involved, the injury to occupants of the passenger car can be severe.
If you or a loved have sustained serious injuries in a side impact tractor-trailer collision, a hard-working truck accident attorney could be of assistance. Your attorney could carefully evaluate your case and determine if you have a viable claim against the truck operator. Recovering compensation in these cases can be challenging, but a Lancaster side-impact truck accident lawyer could improve your odds.
Liability in a Side Impact Crash
There is no set of facts that is certain to lead to a T-bone truck crash. These accidents can occur without warning on the roadways of Lancaster. However, these collisions are most common when two roads intersect. These accidents frequently occur when a truck operator disregards a stop sign or traffic light. This negligent act could cause the commercial vehicle to collide with another driver entering the intersection legally.
These accidents also result from a truck operator failing to keep a lookout before merging. When truck drivers merge into a lane with a vehicle established in it, the ensuing collision could be significant. Other factors in a side-impact crash could include:
- Intoxicated or fatigued drivers
- Missing stop signs
- Defective traffic signals
- Overloaded commercial trucks
- Running a red light
- Speeding
Each of these factors could cause a crash in different ways. An experienced Lancaster attorney could help build a winning case following any type of side impact truck accident. The most important factor in these claims is if the truck operator was negligent at the time of the crash. Truck operators owe other motorists a duty to drive safely, and they could face civil liability if they breach that duty.
Common Injuries in Side Impact Truck Crash
There are two factors in a side impact truck crash that could lead to severe injuries. While every collision between a commercial truck and a passenger vehicle is dangerous, these factors increase that risk substantially.
The first thing to consider is the area of impact. The sides of a passenger car are less likely to be reinforced compared to the front or rear. In most cases, the point where the commercial truck impacts the vehicle is only a few inches from the occupants of the vehicle. This lack of protection could lead to life-changing injuries.
The second factor to note is that these collisions often occur at high speed. Because the factors that contribute to a side-impact crash usually occur when both vehicles are traveling in opposite directions, the force is often much higher than if they were driving parallel. Some of the injuries that could occur in these cases include:
- Neck injuries, including whiplash
- Broken bones
- Cuts and bruises
- Brain injuries
- Eye injuries
- Back injuries
- Tendon and ligament sprains
Work with a Lancaster Side Impact Truck Accident Attorney
The cost of treating injuries from a side impact truck accident could be costly. In addition to the cost of hospital treatment, you could also face the financial burden of missing time at work.
You have the right to seek compensation for these injuries from the responsible truck driver. Let a Lancaster side-impact truck accident lawyer help. Discuss your case with an experienced attorney at Schiller & Hamilton today.