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Side-Impact Accidents

Motor Vehicle Collision Attorneys Helping Injured Individuals in Chicago

Side-impact accidents, also known as T-bone collisions, take place when one vehicle hits another vehicle at a 90-degree angle.  The cause of the collision may be careless or reckless driving, such as a failure to yield.  In some locations, such as an intersection, a speeding car may hit another vehicle if the driver has miscalculated the time required to cross the intersection.  At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we handle motor vehicle collision cases on behalf of injured individuals and their families. Our Chicago car accident lawyers are skilled at investigating and analyzing each case in an effort to hold any at-fault party accountable for causing an accident and injuries.

Hold a Negligent Driver Accountable for Damages After a Side-Impact Collision

Side-impact accidents may lead to catastrophic harm for victims, including substantial property damage and life-altering injuries. When a collision is caused by the negligent or reckless conduct of another driver, they may be held liable for the losses incurred by victims. In side-impact collisions, two vehicles that are perpendicular to each other may enter an intersection at the same time, and the driver who failed to yield or follow the right-of-way rules may cause a collision.

Depending on how a crash occurs, demonstrating legal fault for a side-impact collision may be straightforward. In legal claims following a side-impact crash, the victim typically asserts that the defendant did not exercise reasonable care while driving.  As the basis of a negligence claim, the victim would try to show that the defendant owed them a duty of care and breached this duty, and the breach directly resulted in the accident and injuries. Breaking traffic laws by failing to yield at an intersection is likely to be deemed negligent by a judge or jury.

If a victim successfully shows that another driver was at fault for the accident, they may be entitled to collect damages ranging from medical bills to pain and suffering or emotional trauma. In order to recover the full extent of compensation, it is necessary to prove the current and future nature of the harm.  Gathering all relevant evidence and, in some situations, relying on qualified medical and vocational expert testimony to interpret this evidence may help provide a full picture of the victim’s harm.

After demonstrating the fault of another driver or entity, a plaintiff in a personal injury lawsuit may recover economic and noneconomic damages.  As financial compensation, this form of recovery is intended to return the injured individual to the position in which they would be had the accident never taken place. Medical care, property damage, and lost wages from missed work are examples of economic damages. Non-economic damages include emotional suffering and diminished quality of life.

Punitive damages, which are occasionally awarded in addition to compensatory damages, are available in situations in which a driver has caused an accident in a particularly egregious or grossly negligent manner, such as by driving drunk.  This type of damages serves as a form of punishment, deterring the defendant and others from engaging in similar conduct.

Discuss Your Side-Impact Accident Case with a Skilled Attorney in Chicago

After a car crash in the Chicago area, the lawyers at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca can explain your legal rights and assist you in bringing a claim against any parties that may have caused your harm.  Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation with a motor vehicle collision attorney. We also represent people in Aurora, Champaign, Springfield, Quincy, Rockford, and other communities throughout Cook, Kane, Winnebago, Sangamon, and Adams Counties.