Joliet T Bone Accidents

Joliet Lawyers for T-bone Accident Victims

Joliet is a city in Illinois that serves as the county seat of Will County, though it is in both Will and Kendall counties. Joliet is known as the home of a 1.5 mile race track, the Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway brings National Hot Rod Association events to the drag strip in the city. In 2021, there were 20 vehicle accident deaths in Joliet. Two major interstates provide access to the city of Joliet. Around 10 interchanges link to state routes 6, 30, 52, and 53, among others. Access to interstate 57 and 355 is also available. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has reported that in 2020, side-impact accidents made up 23% of deaths in car accidents. And across the United States around 13% of all car accidents are T-bone accidents. If you were injured in a side-impact or broadside collision, call the seasoned Joliet T-bone accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. We have more than 60 years of experience advocating for accident victims and seeking out all possible avenues of relief.

What are T-bone Accidents?

T-bone accidents occur when the front of a car hits another on the side such that the vehicles form a “T” shape. They are also known as broadside accidents, and they can be quite serious, particularly when an occupant is sitting inside the car on the side that is struck on its side. Unlike the front of the car and the back of the car, there’s very little to cushion the force from the side of a car. Determining fault in a T-bone accident can be complex, and when there are disputes about causation or there are more than 2 drivers involved in the accident, it may be necessary to retain an accident reconstruction specialist to determine what happened and who is at fault.

Liability for a T-bone Accident

In order to establish liability, our attorneys typically need to establish that the T-bone accident was caused by a negligent driver. We will need to show it’s more likely than not: (1) the other driver owed you a duty of care, (2) breach of the duty of care, (3) causing a T-bone accident, and (4) actual damages. We would likely be able to establish liability if, for instance, a driver was driving under the influence and thus failed to stop at a stop sign when you had the right of way, and then crashed into the side of your car.

Often a defendant alleges that a plaintiff was comparatively negligent. This means the defendant will be trying to show that you breached the duty of care and that this, too, contributed to the T-bone accident. For example, if you were driving while distracted at an uncontrolled intersection, and the defendant was also distracted, the defendant would try to show. You were more at fault than he or she was. Your damages will be reduced if the defendant can show you were partially or fully to blame; you are barred from recovering damages if you were 50% or more at fault for the T-bone accident.

Damages

The damages after a T-bone accident, particularly to the occupant in the car that’s struck, may be significant. Our lawyers can recover both economic and noneconomic damages arising out of an accident in which we are able to establish liability. These damages may involve past, present, or future losses, so long as they are sufficiently certain. In some cases, it is appropriate to present expert testimony about the losses. Damages could include medical bills, lost wages, out-of-pocket costs, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, emotional distress,

Consult a Joliet T-bone Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a T-bone accident, your injuries may be severe. Call the seasoned Joliet T-bone accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form. We have more than 60 years of experience advocating for accident victims in court, and we also represent clients in SSDI and disability claims.