Skip to main content

Practice Areas

SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT LAWYER IN HUNTSVILLE AND DECATUR, AL

Best Lawyer Near Me

Side-impact car accidents kill between 8,000 and 10,000 people each year, more than rear-end and head-on collisions combined. These accidents are often called T-bone accidents, sideswipe accidents, or side-impact accidents. No matter if the other car hit your car or cut in front of you so that you hit them, without independent witnesses, you can expect the other driver to claim that he or she had the right of way and that you were at fault. If you have been in a side impact accident, call the police, get contact information from anybody who witnessed the accident, do not admit liability to the other driver, and take pictures of the scene and damage. Immediately get needed medical treatment and call Ferguson & Ferguson at 256-534-3435. We can help.

Side Impact Statistics

Did you know the following about side-impact accidents?

  • Over 3 million side-impact crashes occur each year in the United States
  • Side impact collisions are more deadly than front/rear impact accidents
  • The passenger or driver of a vehicle struck on the side will suffer more serious injuries
  • Over 9,000 deaths occur each year from t-bone, sideswipe, and side-impact collisions
  • In a side impact collision with an SUV, truck, or van, the struck driver/passenger is 30 times more likely to die than the other driver
  • Children and the elderly are at the highest risk of injury in a side-impact accident

Causes of Side Impact Accidents

There are many different causes of side-impact collisions, including the following:

  • Not stopping at a four-way intersection, including running a red light and rolling through a stop sign.
  • Not yielding to another car.
  • Turning across traffic lanes or driving into oncoming traffic when turning left.
  • Reckless or aggressive driving.
  • Driving while drunk or impaired.
  • Distracted driving, like talking on the phone, eating, or texting and driving.
  • Equipment failure.
  • Speeding.
  • Running red light.
  • Brakes and steering failure.
  • Bad weather that interferes with your driving ability and/or visibility.

Damages and Injuries From Side Impact Accidents

When a car is T-boned, there’s only a door and a window between them and the other vehicle. Since there is little protection for the driver or the passenger, there can be significant injuries or even death. Damages available to a personal injury plaintiff include economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages can include medical bills, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses, household services, and vocational rehabilitation. Noneconomic damages may include pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of consortium. If you have been involved in a side-impact accident in Huntsville or Decatur, Alabama, you could sustain the following injuries:

  • Concussion and other traumatic brain injuries
  • Cuts from shattered glass
  • Whiplash
  • Dislocations
  • Breakage of bones
  • Lacerations
  • Internal injuries
  • Crushed torso
  • Death
  • Head injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Back injuries
  • Chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries
  • Limb injuries
  • Soft tissue injuries

Alabama Side-Impact Collision FAQs

What should I do after a side-impact collision in Alabama?

Call 911, request medical assistance, move to safety if possible, and exchange identification and insurance information. Photograph the vehicles, damage, debris, skid marks, traffic lights, signs, lane markings, and visibility conditions, and obtain contact information from independent witnesses.

What is a side-impact or T-bone collision?

A side-impact collision occurs when one vehicle strikes the side of another. A T-bone is a near-perpendicular side impact, while a sideswipe involves vehicles contacting along their sides. The collision angle and location affect injury patterns and fault analysis.

Who is at fault in a side-impact accident?

Fault depends on right of way, traffic signals, stop signs, turning movements, speed, lane position, and driver conduct. One driver may have run a light or failed to yield, but video, witnesses, vehicle damage, electronic data, and signal records should be reviewed.

What commonly causes side-impact collisions in Huntsville and Decatur?

Common causes include running red lights or stop signs, failure to yield, unsafe left turns, distracted driving, impairment, speeding, aggressive driving, unsafe lane changes, poor visibility, bad weather, and brake or steering failure.

How do investigators determine which driver had the right of way?

Investigators may examine traffic-signal timing, intersection cameras, dash-camera video, witness statements, lane markings, vehicle damage, event data, phone records, skid marks, turn indicators, crash reports, and each driver’s direction of travel.

What if the other driver ran a red light or stop sign?

A signal or stop-sign violation can support negligence, but the violation must be proven. Independent witnesses, nearby surveillance, dash cameras, signal data, citations, vehicle positions, and electronic records may help establish what happened.

Can an unsafe left turn cause a T-bone accident?

Yes. A driver turning left must yield when required and judge the speed and distance of approaching traffic. Intersection video, sight-distance evidence, signal phases, vehicle damage, and event data can help determine whether the turn was unsafe.

Can both drivers share responsibility for a side-impact crash?

The evidence may show negligent conduct by more than one driver. However, Alabama’s contributory-negligence rule can make any alleged fault by an injured claimant significant, so each driver’s actions and the collision sequence should be investigated carefully.

Why are side-impact collisions often severe?

The struck occupant may have less space and vehicle structure between the impact and the body than in a front or rear collision. Intrusion into the passenger compartment and impacts involving taller or heavier vehicles can increase injury severity.

What injuries are common in side-impact accidents?

Injuries may include traumatic brain injuries, concussions, fractures, dislocations, spinal injuries, neck and back injuries, chest, abdominal and pelvic trauma, internal bleeding, crushed limbs or torso, lacerations, soft-tissue injuries, disability, and death.

Can side airbags or vehicle defects affect a claim?

Potentially. A defective side airbag, door latch, seat belt, seat, fuel system, structural component, brake, steering system, or other part may contribute to the crash or worsen injuries. The vehicle and electronic data should be preserved for inspection.

What evidence should be preserved after a T-bone collision?

Preserve photographs, video, witness information, the crash report, signal and intersection data, vehicle event data, phone records, repair and inspection records, medical records, insurance policies, damaged personal property, and proof of lost income.

Should I give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement?

Use caution. Side-impact cases often involve conflicting right-of-way accounts, and an insurer may seek statements that limit fault or damages. Report the crash to your own carrier as required, but consider advice before giving a recorded statement to another insurer.

Can a passenger make a claim after a side-impact collision?

Potentially. An injured passenger may have claims against one or more negligent drivers and may also have access to applicable uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Available claims depend on the facts, relationships, and insurance policies.

What if a commercial truck caused the side-impact accident?

The driver, motor carrier, employer, vehicle owner, broker, maintenance provider, cargo company, or another business may be responsible depending on the facts. Driver logs, electronic data, inspection records, dispatch information, and company policies should be preserved promptly.

Can uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage apply?

It may when the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient limits. Coverage could arise through the injured person’s policy, the occupied vehicle, or another applicable household policy, subject to policy terms, Alabama law, and notice requirements.

How does Alabama’s contributory-negligence rule affect a side-impact claim?

Alabama generally follows a strict contributory-negligence rule. A defendant may argue that any negligence by the injured person bars recovery, making evidence about signals, speed, lane position, braking, distraction, and right of way especially important.

What damages may be available after a side-impact collision?

Depending on liability and proof, damages may include medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, rehabilitation costs, household services, pain and suffering, mental anguish, disability, disfigurement, loss of consortium, property damage, and other documented losses.

How long do I have to file a side-impact accident lawsuit in Alabama?

Many Alabama personal-injury claims are subject to a two-year limitations period, but exceptions and shorter notice requirements can apply. The exact deadline should be evaluated promptly based on the parties and facts.

Which Ferguson & Ferguson office handles Alabama side-impact collision cases?

Ferguson & Ferguson serves side-impact collision clients through its verified Huntsville office at 303 Williams Avenue SW, Suite 321, Huntsville, Alabama 35801, and Decatur office at 211 Oak Street NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601. The Huntsville office is the primary service location for this page.

Why Hire an Attorney?

If you, a family member, or a friend has been injured or killed in an accident in Alabama, we invite you to call us today. We can meet with you at your home, in the hospital, or at our office. If you have been injured in an accident involving any type of side collision, give the experienced Alabama personal injury lawyers at Ferguson & Ferguson a call today at (256)534-3435 for a free, no-obligation consultation. We are to help you through this difficult time.

Huntsville Office Location:
303 Williams Avenue SW
Suite 321
Huntsville, AL 35801

Decatur Office Location:
211 Oak Street
Decatur, AL 35601

You cannot get any better than Jackie.

“You cannot get any better than Jackie. Completely professional, fair, understanding and trustworthy. We were facing an almost impossible situation but with Jackie’s tenacity and God’s grace it all turned in our favor. I highly recommend Jackie Ferguson Graham.”

- Shane

Very professional and courteous.

“Very professional and courteous. They kept me informed and walked things through step by step. Took care of my case in a timely manner as well. I’m very pleased.”

- Joshua

He is nothing but the best.

“Randy took good care of our son in his case. He is nothing but the best. If You ever need someone who you can count on to do his best for you, he is the one to pick. Thank You for your fine job!”

- Steph

I would highly recommend working with this firm.

“I can’t say enough good about working with Ms. Jackie Graham Ferguson. She was very professional, personable, and seemed to really care. Her knowledge within her field of expertise, coupled with her years of experience, are evident from the first minute you begin talking to her. I would highly recommend working with this firm. A+++++”

- Michael Matthews

She always made herself available.

“Mrs. Ferguson is a outstanding , knowledgeable, and honest attorney. She was there when my family was at its lowest and has never wavered. She always made herself available. She was dedicated to our case and worked hard. I would recommend Jackie with out hesitation for any legal matters. My family will always turn to her, and will be as dedicated to her as she was to us.”

- Joseph Morgan
Request Free Consultation

Send Us a Message

Attorneys available 24/7 to answer your legal questions.

Send a Message

Call our office today At

(256) – 534 – 3435

We Will Be Able To Answer Any Questions You Have

Call Us Today