T-bone accidents happen when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, forming a “T” shape. These collisions frequently happen at intersections and can result in serious injuries and property damage. Understanding who is liable for your T-bone accident is imperative to ensure you protect your right to compensation. Work with an experienced Pike County, KY car accident lawyer for skilled legal assistance during your case.
Who is Typically Found Liable for a T-Bone Accident in KY?
In a T-bone accident, the driver whose vehicle strikes the side of the other car is often found liable. This is because these collisions typically occur when one driver fails to yield the right-of-way, most commonly by running a red light, ignoring a stop sign, or neglecting to check for other vehicles and hazards.
The striking vehicle’s failure to abide by traffic laws constitutes negligence, meaning they are often held responsible for the collision. However, liability is not always automatic or straightforward.
Who Else Can Share Liability?
Liability in a T-bone accident can sometimes extend beyond the driver who struck the vehicle to other individuals or entities based on their contribution to the collision. This shared responsibility can significantly impact the compensation available to the injured party.
For example, the driver whose vehicle was struck may share liability if they contributed to the accident. Suppose the struck driver was making an illegal left turn in front of oncoming traffic, violating their duty to yield the right-of-way. They could have created a hazard that the other driver was unable to avoid.
Other parties seemingly uninvolved in the collision may share or hold liability, depending on the circumstances. Consider the following.
- Government entities: Local or state governments can be liable if the accident was caused by poorly maintained roads, malfunctioning traffic signals, or inadequate signage that they were responsible for maintaining.
- Vehicle manufacturers: If a defect in one of the vehicles contributed to the accident, the manufacturer may be held accountable under product liability laws.
- Repair shops: If negligent repair work directly led to a mechanical failure that caused the collision, the auto shop could share liability.
- Employers: If the at-fault driver was operating a vehicle as part of their job duties, their employer may be vicariously liable for the employee’s negligence.
- Third-Party drivers: A third driver whose reckless actions, such as aggressively changing lanes or braking suddenly, forced a vehicle to lose control and cause the T-bone could also share responsibility.
What is Comparative Negligence?
One or more parties can be considered liable for an accident. Fortunately, multiple individuals and entities can be held accountable under Kentucky’s pure comparative negligence standard.
This means several parties can be assigned a portion of blame, and an injured party can still recover damages even if they are partially at fault for the T-bone accident. The court will assign a percentage of fault to each party, and the total compensation an individual is entitled to is then reduced by their assigned percentage of fault.
For more information and legal advice during your case, reach out to a skilled attorney today.
