A T-bone accident can leave both drivers with different accounts of who entered the roadway first. If you are wondering, “How is liability determined in a T-bone accident?” it usually depends on which driver had the right of way and whether either person failed to follow a traffic signal.
At Soloff & Zervanos, P.C., we could review the evidence surrounding your crash before assessing fault. Our proactive car accident attorneys could look at how the vehicles approached the point of impact and whether the records support one version of events.
A side-impact collision often occurs when one driver enters an intersection while another vehicle has the right of way. Common causes include failing to yield, running a red light, and turning unsafely across oncoming traffic.
Right-of-way rules usually decide liability. A driver turning left across oncoming traffic must wait until the turn is safe. A driver entering from a stop sign must yield to another vehicle that is lawfully approaching. If a signal controls the intersection, the timing and color of the light are often significant factors in determining liability after a T-bone accident.
Evidence showing which driver had the right of way is often the starting point for proving fault in a T-bone crash. Police reports may record driver statements, and witnesses can describe the signal phase or whether a vehicle failed to stop.
Physical evidence also matters. Vehicle damage helps show impact angles, and skid marks may indicate braking. Traffic camera or surveillance footage may show how your crash developed, and recorded electronic data may reflect speed near the time of impact. We could work to preserve that evidence before it disappears.
Pennsylvania follows a comparative-negligence approach when more than one person shares responsibility. You may generally recover if your share of fault is not greater than the other party’s, and your recovery decreases in proportion to your share of fault.
For example, an insurer may argue the other driver ran a red light but that you were speeding as you entered the intersection. If evidence supports both allegations, you and the other driver may share fault. That percentage of fault directly affects the amount you recover after your side-impact collision.
Our lawyers could help establish who had the right of way by gathering records and testing each driver’s account against the evidence. We may also address comparative-fault arguments raised by an insurer.
If you sustained injuries in a T-bone accident and need to learn how liability works, contact Soloff & Zervanos, P.C. to discuss your case. We could review the intersection controls and the remaining evidence, then explain the next steps under Pennsylvania law.
