Are You More Vulnerable in a Side-impact Crash Than a Head-on Collision?

No one wants to suffer either a side-impact crash or a head-on collision, but of the two, the driver and passengers are less vulnerable when vehicles hit head on. That is because most vehicles have airbags deploying in a head-on collision, and there is only a thin barrier of metal and glass between the car’s occupants and a side-impact vehicle.

These two types of collisions are responsible for the bulk of automobile fatalities. While more people die in head-on crashes, the front of the vehicle makes up a considerable “crumple zone,” which offers more protection than a side-impact, or T-bone, crash.

A car accident lawyer for Rockland and Bergen Counties at Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. can help you receive the maximum amount of compensation for serious injuries sustained in broadside crashes caused by the other driver’s negligence. We protect your rights during this difficult time.

Side-Impact Crashes

When it comes to automobile design, the weakest parts of any vehicle are the sides. If a car door was truly protective, it might prove too heavy for the average person to open. Much of the car door is devoted to the window, which offers no protection whatsoever, and can cause serious injury when the glass shatters upon impact.

Even worse is a situation where a larger vehicle, including SUVs, hits the side of a smaller car. In this scenario, the grill of the large vehicle may collide at the window level of the smaller car, resulting in even more devastation.

Side-impact crashes occur most often at intersections. A reckless driver going through a red light or stop sign may broadside another car at a high rate of speed, increasing the intensity of the impact. Drivers making left-hand turns or failing to yield may also strike another car in the side. 

Another issue with t-bone crashes is that the impact may cause the vehicle to spin off the road or out of its lane, where it collides with a stationary item such as a telephone pool or tree, or another vehicle. Rollovers are frequent in these secondary impacts.

Head-on Collisions

Head-on collisions, when the front of one vehicle strikes the front of another, most often occur when one driver crosses over the center line on a two-way roadway, or when one vehicle passes another without realizing there is a car coming right at it. A driver may cause such a crash by going the wrong way on a one-way road. Head-on collisions often happen due to driver fatigue, distracted driving, or driving under the influence.

Head-on collisions have a high injury and fatality rate.

Injuries

Injuries sustained in either type of accident are usually serious and may result in permanent impairment. Such injuries include:

• Burns
• Internal organ damage
• Loss of limbs
• Multiple fractures
• Paralysis
• Quadriplegia
• Traumatic brain injury

After suffering such severe injuries, many people can no longer work again, and may need long-term care.

Damages

While both New York and New Jersey are no-fault states when it comes to automobile insurance, these types of serious injuries and their long-term consequences generally allow the accident victim can go outside the no-fault system and file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Damages, or compensation, for serious injuries suffered in a side-impact or head-on collision may include:

• Medical expenses, present and future
• Lost wages
• Future lost earnings
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Side impact and head-on collisions are among the most deadly types of car accidents. If someone succumbs to their injuries, the family may file a wrongful death lawsuit. The statute of limitations for filing such a lawsuit is three years from the death date, not the date of the crash.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer for Rockland and Bergen Counties

If you or a loved one were injured in a side-impact crash or a head-on collision, you need the services of an experienced car accident attorney at Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. Schedule a free consultation by submitting our online form or calling or texting us 24/7. Our dedicated attorneys work on a contingency basis, so there is never a fee unless we win.