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Broadside Collision

Research shows that around 8,000 – 10,000 people die in T-bone accidents every year, which is way more than the number of casualties involved in head-on and rear-end collisions combined.

Modern automobiles have safety features like seatbelts, bumpers, and airbags to protect passengers from rear and front-end collisions. However, not much is done to provide safety to the passengers and drivers from the sides. Some vehicles do have side curtain airbags, but most of them lack these safety features. Broadside accidents can take place even at low speeds. Such accidents generally occur at intersections where the drivers do not follow stop signs or run red lights.

St. Louis broadside collision

Serious injuries from broadside collisions

A side collision can cause severe injuries. The occupants may injure their head or ears when the airbags deploy and glass breaks. They may be seriously hit and their neck, back, rib, shoulder, arm, hip or leg can be injured. The passengers on the side of the car that is impacted can suffer neck, head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and leg injuries. The riders on the other side are more likely to sustain head and chest injuries.

Spinal injuries are also common in these accidents. The impact of the crash causes whiplash due to which the discs and nerve roots in the spine get injured. It also causes concussions.

Where do broadside collisions most commonly occur?

Broadside collisions, also known as T-bone accidents, most commonly occur at intersections. These accidents typically happen when drivers fail to adhere to stop signs or traffic lights, leading to one vehicle impacting the side of another.

Concussions are common in Broadside Collisions

A concussion is a blow to the head that changes the normal functioning of the brain. It does not always make a person unconscious, but it can cause paralysis as the brain swells or starts bleeding externally. Concussions can have different degrees of severity.

A mild concussion typically only causes confusion, and the person is unable to think in a clear manner for less than 15 minutes. A moderate concussion brings about a loss of memory along with confusion for more than 15 minutes. A severe concussion generally leaves a person unconscious. After he regains consciousness, he cannot remember things and has trouble thinking or moving.

Concussions take place when the brain hits the interior of the skull rapidly or it is twisted and rotated due to blows or blunt trauma. A side impact collision often causes such concussions.

Due to such brain injuries, the axons may swell or stretch, which can destroy their capacity to send or receive signals and communicate with the other parts of the body. If medical attention is not given, it may cause chronic pain, headaches, loss of coordination, fatigue, depression, vertigo, anxiety, epilepsy, dizziness, eye pain, blurred vision, comprehension and reading problems, memory loss, and attention disorders.

To get relief, a person should seek medical attention immediately. If a brain injury is not treated immediately, it may damage the brain permanently.

Injured in a Broadside Collision?

Make sure your legal rights are protected! Call The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a free and private case evaluation.

Updated: March 11, 2024