Frederick Broadside/T-Bone Accident Attorney
Side-impact collisions killed more than 5,000 people in 2018 in the United States. Such crashes also injured many more people. Broadside collisions are typically more dangerous for the people in the car that was struck on its side.
If you sustained injuries in a side-impact crash caused by another driver, contact the experienced Frederick car accident attorneys at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP today to discuss your options for recovering compensation.
Why Side-Impact Crashes Are So Dangerous
Side impact crashes are some of the most dangerous collisions on the road because when a car collides with another vehicle on its side, the occupants cannot benefit from the vehicle’s safety features. The point of impact in a side-impact crash is often just inches away from the people inside of the car. While some newer vehicles have side airbags or curtain airbags to protect people injured in these crashes, those safety features are not mandatory. Some vehicles offer little protection from a side-impact.
The sides of cars do not have crumple zones either. Crumple zones are on the front and back of vehicles. Sometimes you might notice that a car that was in a crash crumples up like an accordion. While the damage can leave a striking image, the collapse is intentional. The reason for the crumple zone is that it slows the vehicles down substantially and reduces the amount of force on the occupants. The impact may total the car, but cars are replaceable.
In a side-impact, no such protection is present to slow down the other vehicle and reduce the impact on the occupants. Of course, with modern passenger cars often being giant SUVs, the level of impact is frequently at the head level of the people inside the vehicle. As SUVs have gotten bigger, the old crash safety tests became obsolete. Now, modern crash tests must account for larger, taller vehicles. The side impact ratings from just a few years ago are no longer truly representative of what one of these accidents looks like today.
Red Lights, Stop Signs, and Side-Impact Crashes in Frederick
Most side-impact crashes take place at intersections. Drivers often cause these incidents by running through a red traffic signal. When a driver runs through a red light, they can potentially strike a car on the side, or a vehicle that has a green light can hit the red-light-running car on its side. The results in either case can be devastating for everyone involved. Studies indicate that more drivers are now running through red lights in the United States. Many cities use red light cameras and have found that installing such features at intersections effectively reduces the number of red-light running crashes and all other accidents at those locations.
Filing a Claim in Frederick, Maryland
If you were injured in a T-bone accident that was caused by another driver, the first thing to do is to contact a Frederick, Maryland car accident attorney. Shortly after the accident, you may receive calls from insurance companies wanting to discuss the claim. Sometimes insurers will offer to settle an accident claim, but the amount that they offer you will not be representative of the damage caused in the crash. It is a good idea to have an attorney who can handle those phone calls and negotiate a settlement on your behalf. If attempts to settle the claim do not succeed, your attorney will file a lawsuit against the driver who caused your injuries. Most claims settle and never go to trial. If your claim does end up in trial, a jury will decide who is liable for the crash and how much compensation is owed.
Car crash claims in Maryland can be slightly more tricky than they are in many other states because courts here follow what is called contributory negligence. If a driver is found to have played a part in the cause of the crash that caused his or her injuries, the driver will not be eligible to receive compensation from another driver. This inability to recover will remain true even if the other driver is more at fault. Still, many crash victims in the state are able to succeed in their car crash claims against a negligent driver.
If you have questions about your claim, contact a Frederick, Maryland car accident attorney at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP.
Call Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP After a Side-Impact Crash in Frederick
At Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP, our dedicated personal injury attorneys understand how important your claim is to you and your family. Any car accident can leave people with severe, life-altering injuries. If those injuries were caused by a negligent driver, you have options to recover compensation. That compensation can help you and your family move past the crash and heal from your injuries. Call us today at 301-668-2100 to speak with an experienced Frederick, Maryland side-impact car crash attorney.
