T-Bone Accidents in San Diego

In a T-Bone accident, the front end of one vehicle collides with the side of another vehicle. In busy cities like San Diego, T-Bone accidents are frequently seen at intersections, stretches of road under construction, and in bad weather conditions when road surfaces are slick. T-Bone car accidents typically happen because a driver is impatient, distracted, under the influence, or falls asleep at the wheel.

Since the sides of passenger vehicles aren’t designed to offer much protection in a crash, occupants of a vehicle that’s broadsided can sustain serious, potentially life-threatening physical injuries. These injuries can cause excruciating physical pain and disability, severe emotional distress, and unmanageable financial costs. As a victim of a T-Bone accident in San Diego, it’s imperative that you take action and demand the compensation you’ll need to move forward with your life.

That’s where Singleton Schreiber can help. We’re top-rated San Diego car accident lawyers known for individualized, attentive legal representation and a multi-billion-dollar track record of success. We’ve won over $3 Billion for injury victims and families across the nation, and now our local litigators are prepared to help you win big, too.

We offer a free consultation, so contact our San Diego personal injury lawyers for assistance today.

How Common Are T-Bone Car Accidents in San Diego, California?

Nationally, T-Bone collisions account for about 13 percent of all car accidents. In San Diego, more than 20 percent of the city’s auto accidents are classified as T-Bone accidents, or broadside collisions, every year.

According to California car accident data, there were 1,157 broadside collisions in the city of San Diego in 2023, which represented 20.1 percent of all crashes. Only rear-end crashes happened more often, accounting for 31.5 percent of the city’s wrecks.

For perspective, this means that one out of every five car accidents in San Diego is a broadside crash. These accidents tend to be quite devastating, too.

In 2023, broadside collisions caused:

• 1,688 injuries, and
• 14 fatalities.

Roughly 10 percent of San Diego’s broadside collisions happened on state roads and highways, particularly at intersections in San Ysidro, Nestor, Imperial Beach, Hillcrest, North Park, City Heights, and Downtown. 

Broadside collisions don’t just affect occupants of passenger cars and trucks. Bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists are involved in about 20 percent of San Diego’s T-Bone accidents. 

What Are the Most Common Contributing Causes of T-Bone Car Accidents?

Broadside collisions are an avoidable type of crash that typically happen because a driver is negligent. Some of the most commonly cited contributing factors include:

• Violating traffic signs and signals: Running red lights and stop signs are leading causes of broadside collisions in San Diego. When a driver enters an intersection improperly, they may strike another vehicle that’s legally moving through the crossroads or risk being struck by a vehicle that has the right of way.
• Failing to yield the right of way: San Diego has strict rules about when a motorist (or another party) has priority to move through an intersection or enter a roadway. If a driver ignores these rules by merging too aggressively, attempting to cut across several lanes of traffic, or trying to “beat” another vehicle through an intersection, the chances of a T-Bone accident occurring increase significantly.
• Improper turns: Drivers have to time left-hand turns properly by judging the amount of time they have to execute the turn safely in front of oncoming traffic. Errors in judgment, miscalculations, and aggressive maneuvers can backfire and lead to devastating T-Bone crashes.

Ultimately, broadside accidents are most likely to involve distracted drivers, drunk drivers, drugged drivers, drowsy drivers, drivers experiencing road rage, speeding drivers, and aggressive drivers. Fortunately, California law allows victims to seek compensation from an at-fault party when they’re injured in a broadside collision.

What Types of Compensation Can I Get After a Broadside Collision in San Diego?

Maybe you were moving through an intersection legally and couldn’t hit the brakes in time as another driver ran a red light. Or, maybe your car was struck squarely on the side as you moved through an intersection because another driver didn’t notice they had a stop sign. When you’re injured or experience the wrongful death of a family member in a T-Bone crash because someone else was negligent, you’ll reserve the right to hold them accountable.

Through a car insurance claim and/or personal injury lawsuit, you’ll have the ability to pursue compensatory damages for your:

• Pain and suffering
• PTSD
• Lost wages and disability
• Reduction in earning capacity
• Current and future medical expenses
• Rehabilitation and therapy
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Inconvenience
• Property damage

The at-fault driver (and their insurance company) might try to argue that you’re at least partly to blame for your T-Bone accident. Since California’s pure comparative negligence rules will likely apply to your case, these allegations can hurt your legal claim for damages. Your settlement or jury award will be reduced proportionately to fault. If you’re assigned half of the blame for a broadside accident in San Diego, your financial recovery would be limited to half of its value. So, it’s imperative that you dispute these victim-blaming strategies from the start of your claim. Choosing Singleton Schreiber’s California car accident attorneys in San Diego to represent you is a great way to protect yourself and maximize your recovery.

Contact Our San Diego Car Accident Attorneys After a T-Bone Crash

You will have a limited time to pursue compensation for your T-Bone accident injuries. The costs of broken bones, amputated limbs, severe burns, nerve damage, crush injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other injuries often sustained in T-Bone collisions can be devastating. It’s important to make sure you get the financial justice you need and deserve. So, don’t hesitate to call Singleton Schreiber for help right away.

We’re award-winning California trial attorneys with a demonstrated ability to force insurance companies, negligent motorists, government agencies, and other liable parties to make things right when our clients get hurt. Our case results include over $2.5 Billion in monetary awards.

Discover what it means to have our local lawyers and national resources in your corner by contacting us for a free consultation today. Members of our team in San Diego are always available to take your call.