[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/who-is-at-fault-in-a-t-bone-accident-in-arizona\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/who-is-at-fault-in-a-t-bone-accident-in-arizona\/","headline":"Who is at Fault in a T-Bone Accident in Arizona?","name":"Who is at Fault in a T-Bone Accident in Arizona?","description":"Car accidents that involve\u00a0one vehicle hitting\u00a0the side of another\u00a0at\u00a0a right angle are the most common type of fatal motor vehicle collisions in Arizona,\u00a0according to the Arizona\u00a0Department of Transportation\u2019s\u00a02019 Arizona Crash Facts Summary.\u00a0T-bone\u00a0accidents or side-impact collisions\u00a0are particularly dangerous because\u00a0the sides of a\u00a0vehicle offer less protection for\u00a0passengers than the front\u00a0and\u00a0rear of\u00a0a\u00a0vehicle. As...","datePublished":"2025-11-30","dateModified":"2025-12-01","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/author\/phoenixlawteam-zach\/#Person","name":"Zachary Mushkatel","url":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/author\/phoenixlawteam-zach\/","identifier":24,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd982df245bac5ca956f9a35879e7f3b6827ba255c2fba7b3af833bca79ccc76?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd982df245bac5ca956f9a35879e7f3b6827ba255c2fba7b3af833bca79ccc76?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Mushkatel-robbins-becker-pllc-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Mushkatel-robbins-becker-pllc-logo.png","width":459,"height":157}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/t-bone-accident-highway.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/t-bone-accident-highway.jpg","height":667,"width":1000},"url":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/who-is-at-fault-in-a-t-bone-accident-in-arizona\/","about":["Car Accidents"],"wordCount":1101,"articleBody":"Car accidents that involve\u00a0one vehicle hitting\u00a0the side of another\u00a0at\u00a0a right angle are the most common type of fatal motor vehicle collisions in Arizona,\u00a0according to the Arizona\u00a0Department of Transportation\u2019s\u00a02019 Arizona Crash Facts Summary.\u00a0T-bone\u00a0accidents or side-impact collisions\u00a0are particularly dangerous because\u00a0the sides of a\u00a0vehicle offer less protection for\u00a0passengers than the front\u00a0and\u00a0rear of\u00a0a\u00a0vehicle.As with most car accidents, T-bone accidents are typically caused by driver error. In most T-bone collisions, one driver has violated the other\u2019s right of way, often at an intersection. Many T-bone\u00a0accidents occur as one driver attempts a left turn\u00a0and misjudges the speed of an oncoming vehicle at an intersection.Who is at fault in a T-bone accident is important to us as\u00a0car accident attorneys. People\u00a0injured\u00a0in accidents\u00a0caused by another driver\u00a0deserve to be\u00a0fully\u00a0compensated for\u00a0their losses. The Sun City\u00a0and Phoenix\u00a0car accident lawyers of Mushkatel, Robbins & Becker\u00a0fight every day\u00a0for\u00a0the injured\u00a0to be\u00a0justly\u00a0compensated\u00a0after\u00a0serious\u00a0accidents.Table of ContentsHow Do Cars Get into T-Bone Accidents?What Injuries\u00a0are Commonly Caused\u00a0by T-Bone Accidents?How are Fault\u00a0and Liability Determined in a T-Bone Accident in AZ?What Should I Do After a T-Bone Accident in Arizona?How Do Cars Get into T-Bone Accidents?Envisioning\u00a0how a\u00a0T-bone accident\u00a0can happen\u00a0is not difficult, particularly\u00a0at\u00a0an\u00a0intersection\u00a0where\u00a0cars converge from\u00a0multiple\u00a0directions. As\u00a0drivers\u00a0attempt to\u00a0turn left\u00a0across one or more lanes of oncoming traffic, a driver may fail to see an oncoming vehicle or\u00a0be mistaken about\u00a0who has the right of way.\u00a0If\u00a0one vehicle violates another\u2019s right of way at an intersection,\u00a0a crash is likely to occur.In a T-bone accident, it is likely that one motorist has\u00a0run a stoplight, stop sign or yield sign and hit a passing vehicle or been broadsided by another vehicle.Often one driver\u00a0turned left across a lane of traffic running into the side of an oncoming vehicle.A\u00a0National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)\u00a0study of intersection accidents indicates ninety six percent (96%) of intersection crashes were caused by driver error. The most common errors cited are:Not looking adequately before turningTurning with an obstructed viewIllegal maneuvers\u00a0such as running a light\u00a0or\u00a0stop signDistracted drivingMisjudging the distance between vehicles or the speed of\u00a0an\u00a0oncoming vehicleFalsely assuming the other driver\u2019s action or intentionTraveling too fast for conditions or aggressive driving.What Injuries\u00a0are Commonly Caused\u00a0by T-Bone Accidents?In a T-bone accident, the driver or passengers in the car that is\u00a0struck broadside\u00a0are injured\u00a0initially by the impact of the collision.\u00a0They can be\u00a0further\u00a0injured\u00a0if\u00a0their bodies\u00a0are\u00a0thrown against the internal structure of the car or against each other. A car that has been broadsided may be pushed into traffic and hit again\u00a0or pushed\u00a0into guardrails\u00a0or\u00a0utility poles.The driver and passengers in the car that hits the other in a T-bone crash are slammed into the internal structures of their vehicles (and\/or restraints) as the car comes to an abrupt stop. Unrestrained occupants might be thrown from the vehicle.A driver or passenger in a T-bone accident can suffer any kind of impact injury, including but not limited to:Traumatic brain injury (TBI)Spinal cord injuryBroken bonesDislocated jointsInternal organ damageInternal bleedingLacerations.These types of injuries require emergency care and\u00a0in many cases\u00a0hospitalization and surgery.\u00a0A serious TBI or spinal cord injury can\u00a0cause\u00a0a\u00a0lifelong disability.\u00a0Complications\u00a0from serious injury or surgery\u00a0can cause lifelong health issues.The\u00a0Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says\u00a0side-impact crashes account for about 25% of deaths among passenger vehicle occupants in the United States.\u202fSide airbags, which are standard on most new passenger vehicles,\u202fare helpful, but strong vehicle structures designed to work well with airbags are also crucial for safety. The IIHS says most current vehicle designs earn good ratings in side crash tests\u00a0simulating a T-bone\u00a0accident.How are Fault\u00a0and Liability Determined in a T-Bone Accident in AZ?To obtain compensation for\u00a0serious injuries\u00a0or the death of a loved one\u00a0in a T-bone\u00a0accident, you\u00a0would\u00a0need to\u00a0be able to\u00a0show that\u00a0the\u00a0other driver\u00a0was at fault.\u00a0This means proving the other driver:Owed a duty of care to youBreached their\u00a0duty of careThat breach caused or was directly related to your injuries andYou suffered actual\u00a0compensable\u00a0damages.Various evidence may demonstrate fault in a car crash including witness statements and the police report. The police may file charges against one driver for violations of the law such as running a traffic light or driving while impaired. Vehicle damage and the position of the vehicles at the crash scene in a T-bone crash often offer some explanation as to what happened.In some areas of Arizona, a collision at an intersection may have been captured by a traffic camera. Though many municipalities have done away with red-light cameras,\u202fMesa, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Chandler still have them. In Mesa, for example,\u00a0intersection safety cameras\u00a0at\u00a0nineteen (19)\u00a0intersections\u00a0photograph\u00a0red-light violations and speeding violations for straight-through traffic 24 hours a day.At intersections without red-light cameras,\u00a0 other security cameras may exist, such as at ATMs or convenience stores. Our attorneys and staff can verify whether other cameras captured the crash in which you were injured.What Should I Do After a T-Bone Accident in Arizona?If you were injured in a T-bone accident that someone else\u00a0caused,\u00a0then\u00a0you should speak to an attorney.\u00a0The\u00a0Sun City car accident attorneys\u00a0of Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C. \u00a0will review the circumstances of your accident and injuries and explain your options for seeking compensation. We offer an initial consultation\u00a0at no charge to you. If we can pursue a claim for you, we will develop an accounting of all of your costs and losses and fight for maximum compensation for you.Because Arizona car accident claims\u00a0are paid according to\u00a0the\u00a0comparative negligence of all parties\u00a0involved, it is best to have an\u00a0experienced Phoenix personal injury attorney\u00a0handle your claim. We can investigate your claim and fight to protect your right to the compensation you and your family deserve.If you have been in an accident\u202fin Phoenix,\u00a0Mesa,\u00a0Sun City, Scottsdale, Surprise City, Glendale, Peoria or elsewhere in Arizona,\u202fcall\u00a0(480) 428-0992\u00a0or\u00a0reach\u00a0out to\u00a0us online\u00a0today to\u00a0set up\u00a0a consultation about\u00a0getting\u00a0started on your case."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Who is at Fault in a T-Bone Accident in Arizona?","item":"https:\/\/www.phoenixlawteam.com\/blog\/who-is-at-fault-in-a-t-bone-accident-in-arizona\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]