T-Bone Truck Accident Lawyers in Tuscaloosa

The legal weight of semi-trucks within the United States is 80,000 pounds. The sheer weight and size of these vehicles are precisely why drivers have no room for error when behind the wheel. However, due to a mixture of undertraining and overworking, errors do happen frequently, quite often ending in fatality for involved parties in smaller vehicles, which tend to weigh no more than 5,000 pounds on average. While nearly all collisions with large trucks have a high chance of fatality for other drivers and pedestrians alike, few are quite as catastrophic as a side collision, more commonly known as a T-bone. 

In 2018, 23% of fatalities resulting from traffic accidents throughout the United States involved T-bone collisions, making them the second most common type of fatal crashes across the country, just behind head-on collisions. T-bone collisions are fatal enough on their own but paired with the pure power of a semi-truck they are completely devastating to smaller vehicles of all types. Occupants are highly likely to face fatality or become permanently disabled in this type of accident.

Working with T-bone truck accident attorneys is crucial to getting the liability compensation you deserve after a tragic collision of this nature. As is the case with many big truck accidents, establishing liability can be difficult, and having a thorough investigation by experienced professionals is the best way to ensure you’re getting the most out of the process.

A Critical Investigation

At Prince Glover Hayes, we start every truck accident lawsuit with a thorough investigation. Establishing facts is a must in order to support your case and establish responsibility. In order to build a solid case, we’ll start by asking a number of questions to all parties involved in order to establish:

• The truck driver’s driving record and past violations

• Measures are taken to stop and avoid the crash

• Ambient issues that might hinder visibility

• Maintenance and upkeep of the truck

• Drug use or exhaustion as a factor

These points can be established using physical evidence at the site of the crash, witness testimony, testing, and driving records. Establishing these facts upfront ensures we’re able to build a strong case for you and that no evidence is overlooked.

Common T-Bone Injuries

T-bone crashes often cause more serious injuries than other accident types, even when those involved are both in smaller cars. However, when a semi-truck is added to the equation, the list of potential injuries becomes even longer. Some of the most common injuries associated with T-bone accidents and with large trucks include:

• Concussion

• Whiplash

• Broken bones

• Paralysis

• Injury to the spinal cord

• Severe brain injury

• Internal bleeding

• Death

Causes of T-bone Accidents

Because of the nature of side-collisions, they almost always occur at intersections, either at a red light or at a place in the road where one lane is expected to yield to another. Failure to yield or stop in these situations is the most common cause of T-bone accidents. However, when it comes to accidents with large trucks, there are often many underlying causes that lead to these severe accidents, some of which include:

• Fatigue from overwork

• Underqualified drivers

• Drug or alcohol use

• Defective equipment

• Poor truck maintenance

Lawyers will need to uncover the cause of your specific crash in order to build a solid legal case, which is precisely why the initial questioning and case-building steps are so critical to getting the results you want. Establishing cause can be tricky, but it’s a task you can accomplish with the right team of attorneys on your side.

Work With a Team of Experts

If you’ve experienced injury or lost a family member as a result of a T-bone accident with a large truck, contact us at Prince Glover Hayes to ensure you’re getting the solid legal case you need to get the compensation you deserve. Dealing with the aftermath of collisions like this is never easy, but with the right team on your side, you can at least rest assured knowing you have an attorney that never cuts corners and that is willing to go the extra mile to get you the financial support you need during these stressful times.