T-bone accidents routinely inflict serious injuries on the occupants of vehicles. Also known as side-impact accidents, these accidents occur on Georgia roads when the front of one vehicle hits the side of another one. Although people in both vehicles have a high risk of injury, the occupants in the vehicle that suffered the side impact have the greatest exposure to the forces of the accident. The impact can crush doors and fold the side of the vehicle inward to smash and cut passengers.
Common T-bone accident injuries
Many motor vehicle accidents produce whiplash injuries, and T-bone accidents are no exception. The sudden jolt of the impact causes passengers’ heads to flop back and forth quickly. This produces soft tissues injuries throughout the neck. Although you might recover from a minor whiplash in a week, more serious whiplashes could force you to stay home in pain for several weeks.
Of even greater concern is the damage that your spine or brain could suffer in a T-bone accident. These accidents can involve tremendous forces, such as when a distracted or intoxicated driver misses a stop sign and moves at full speed into traffic.
Spinal or traumatic brain injuries force people out of work or school for months or perhaps permanently. The extent of damage to the spine or brain dictates the possibility of recovery. Total disability and death are possibilities. Even if you have a good chance at recovery, you will spend months or over a year struggling through rehabilitation.
T-bone accidents and negligence
Most T-bone accidents result from a failure to yield the right of way, which represents a negligent act on the part of a driver. Speeding, distractions due to smartphone use or intoxication routinely emerge as causes of side-impact collisions after accident investigations.