Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers | October 14, 2024 | Car Accidents
In 2022, side-impact car crashes (also known as T-bone accidents) accounted for 22% of all passenger vehicle car crash deaths. While all car accidents can be scary and lead to serious consequences, T-bone accidents are especially dangerous.
Vehicles have “crumple zones” in the front and rear, which are designed to absorb impact, lowering the chances of harm to the driver or passenger. Unfortunately, there’s very little room for placing more impact-absorbing material on the side of the car, which means there’s less surface to absorb a side impact.
The introduction of side airbags has been helpful, as they can reduce the risk of death by as much as 52%. However, the issue has not been eliminated altogether. Even if the crash isn’t fatal, T-bone accidents often result in serious injuries for the driver and passengers. These are some of the most common injuries that victims experience.
Bone Fractures
Because you have less protection in a T-bone car accident, it is more likely for you to suffer a bone fracture. The blunt force impact of another vehicle hitting the side of your car can result in fractures to sensitive areas like the skull, clavicle, neck, pelvis, ribs, legs, and even wrists. If the fracture is complex, you may need surgery.
Whiplash
Whiplash occurs when your head suddenly moves back and forth. This movement is common in T-bone accidents. An injury like this can cause neck pain and stiffness. In serious crashes, it may result in dizziness, neurological problems, or even vision or hearing changes.
Be aware that other soft tissue injuries can also occur in a T-bone crash, such as torn ligaments, muscles, and tendons. These areas of the body absorb as much impact as the bones, so injuries like these are common.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
The sheer force of impact in a T-bone accident can cause your head to hit nearby parts of the car, such as the window or steering wheel. This usually results in what is known as a closed brain injury, which occurs when there is no penetrating object causing the injury.
Instead, your brain shakes inside your skull, resulting in the tearing or bruising of your brain tissue. These injuries can be as mild as a concussion, but they can also be severe enough to lead to seizures, neurological issues, cognitive problems, and even death.
Spinal Injuries
Your spine supports your body and absorbs a lot of the lateral impact from a T-bone collision. Because the spine is fragile and sensitive to impact, it’s easy for this part of the body to suffer injury during the accident.
When an impact occurs, the spine can compress or jerk, causing fractures, dislocation, or crushing. This can also result in bruising, tearing, herniated or ruptured discs, and even a severed spinal cord, which can cause permanent paralysis.
Aortic Dissection
Aortic dissection is a chest injury that involves the tearing of the inner aortic wall. The aorta’s inner and middle layers are then separated by blood flow. In turn, blood flow to other organs decreases. The result is severe pain, shortness of breath, and other life-threatening symptoms.
Don’t Face the Aftermath of a T-Bone Accident Alone
Your first move after a T-bone collision should be to seek medical attention right away. Even if you don’t yet feel like you have an injury, the medical treatment and tests you receive after the accident can serve as evidence of your injuries if you decide to bring a personal injury case.
Once you’ve been treated, consider contacting an attorney. As you’re working to heal, an attorney will be fighting on your behalf to hold the responsible party accountable. They’ll help you understand your legal options, properly value your case, and gather the evidence and witness testimony needed for the best chance of a successful outcome.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in New York City
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Manhattan, NY, and need legal help, contact our New York City car accident lawyers at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers
100 Wall St 24th Floor
New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007
