Even modern cars with safety features like side airbags are still not designed to withstand the full force of a multi-ton vehicle hitting their doors or side paneling. Because of that, auto accidents that involve one car’s front or side impacting the side of another car tend to have especially devastating consequences for people inside the latter vehicle. This is true whether they happen at highway speeds, in suburban intersections, or while crawling through a crowded parking lot.
If you were recently injured in a side-impact / T-bone car accident in Palatine, the steps you take in the next few weeks and months to enforce your right to civil recovery could have a massive impact on what the entire rest of your life looks like. With help from our seasoned car wreck attorneys, you could build a strong claim against the people responsible for your injuries and demand compensation for all your ensuing losses.
Establishing Fault for a T-Bone Collision
Like other types of car accident claims, lawsuits and settlement demands built around side-impact crashes in Palatine are almost always built around the legal theory of “negligence.” In brief, everyone operating a motor vehicle on public Illinois roads assumes roughly the same “duty of care,” requiring them to follow traffic laws and act responsibly behind the wheel. Anyone who “breaches” that duty in such a way that they directly cause an otherwise avoidable wreck is legally “negligent” and may be held financially liable for losses stemming from that incident.
Sometimes, establishing fault for a T-bone or sideswipe crash in this way is as simple as referencing a police report generated by officers who responded to the accident scene, as it may include a citation for a traffic offense given to one or more people involved, which could serve as compelling evidence of their negligence. In other situations, it may be necessary to collect and incorporate evidence from multiple other sources to establish fault for a crash, such as:
- Witness testimony
- Photos of the crash scene
- Surveillance or dashboard camera footage
- Input from accident reconstruction experts
Common Obstacles to Effective Civil Recovery
In addition to proving someone else at fault for your T-bone car crash in Palatine, you may also need to actively contest allegations that you hold some “comparative fault” for causing your accident through your own negligent behavior. Otherwise, 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes § 5/2-1116 would allow a court to reduce the amount of money you can recover through your claim or even bar you from recovery altogether based on the percentage of fault you hold for your injuries.
Furthermore, you will need to start the legal process sooner rather than later since 735 ILCS § 5/13-202 restricts most people injured through the negligence of another to just two years at most after their injury occurs to file suit over it. This deadline applies even for people who have suffered permanent and debilitating harm, and people who fail to file within the deadline applicable to their claim will almost always be denied all compensation for that particular incident.
Discuss a Possible Side-Impact / T-Bone Car Accident Claim With a Palatine Attorney
Getting sideswiped, T-boned, or involved in any other type of side-impact collision is a frightening experience that can have long-lasting effects on your life. After suffering harm in a situation like this, help is available from dedicated legal professionals with years of experience assisting people like you through cases like yours.
Besides seeking necessary medical care, your first move after being involved in a side-impact / T-bone car accident in Palatine should be contacting a knowledgeable car crash lawyer. Call Kryder Law Group today to get started.
(312) 223-1700