Shreveport T-Bone Accident Lawyer

Common Injuries in T-Bone Accidents

T-bone accidents deliver powerful impacts to the most vulnerable areas of vehicles. At Rice & Kendig, we've helped numerous clients secure compensation for severe injuries frequently seen in side-impact collisions:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
  ‍The sideways acceleration forces the brain against the skull's interior walls, causing concussions, bleeding, and tissue damage. These injuries can significantly impact memory, concentration, personality, and cognitive function — often with lifelong consequences.
• Neck and Spinal Injuries
  The unnatural lateral forces in T-bone collisions frequently damage the spine, resulting in herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, and, in severe cases, spinal cord injuries leading to partial or complete paralysis.
• Chest and Thoracic Trauma
  ‍With minimal protection on a vehicle's sides, occupants often suffer serious chest injuries, including multiple rib fractures, collapsed lungs, cardiac contusions, and internal organ damage.
• Pelvic and Hip Fractures
  ‍The intruding vehicle often crushes directly into the pelvis and hip region, causing complex fractures that can destabilize the entire skeletal structure. These injuries typically require surgical intervention, metal implants, and months of limited mobility during recovery.
• Shoulder and Arm Injuries
  ‍Passengers instinctively brace against the impact or are struck directly by the intruding door panel, resulting in broken arms, shattered shoulder joints, and torn rotator cuffs.
• Facial Lacerations and Fractures
  ‍Broken glass, contact with the window, and impact with the door or B-pillar can cause serious facial injuries. Victims may require reconstructive surgery and often experience permanent scarring or disfigurement.
• Psychological Trauma
  ‍The sudden, violent nature of side-impact collisions frequently leads to significant psychological effects. Many victims develop PTSD, severe anxiety about driving or riding in vehicles, depression, and sleep disturbances that require professional treatment.

Our T-bone accident attorneys collaborate with medical specialists to document the full extent of your injuries and their long-term implications for your health, career, and quality of life. This comprehensive approach ensures we pursue compensation that truly reflects the full impact of your T-bone accident.

Critical Steps to Take Following a T-Bone Accident

The moments after a side-impact collision are chaotic and disorienting, but your actions during this critical time can significantly strengthen your case. Our T-bone accident attorneys in  Shreveport recommend these essential steps to protect both your health and legal rights:

Prioritize Medical Care

Never decline medical attention after a T-bone collision, even if you believe your injuries are minor. Side-impact crashes generate unique forces that commonly cause delayed-onset injuries:

• Internal bleeding may develop hours after impact with few external signs.
• Concussion symptoms often appear days after the initial trauma.
• Soft tissue injuries frequently worsen 24-72 hours following the accident.
• Spinal injuries may initially present as simple soreness before revealing their true severity.

Medical documentation creates an official record linking your injuries directly to the crash — documentation that insurance companies cannot easily dismiss. Emergency physicians understand the distinct injury patterns of T-bone collisions and can identify potential complications before they become life-threatening.

Document Everything at the Scene

T-bone accident scenes change rapidly as vehicles are removed and evidence disappears. If your condition allows, create a comprehensive record:

• Photograph all vehicles from multiple angles, focusing on the impact point and intrusion depth.
• Capture wide-angle shots showing the entire intersection, including traffic signals and signs.
• Document skid marks, vehicle debris, and fluid patterns that may help establish vehicle speeds.
• Collect contact information from all witnesses, as their testimony can be decisive in disputed intersection cases.
• Note environmental conditions like visibility, weather, and any potential view obstructions.

These details often become crucial evidence, particularly when the other driver attempts to shift blame by claiming they had the right of way.

Report the Accident Properly

Law enforcement documentation adds official credibility to your account of the crash. When interacting with police:

• Provide clear, factual statements about what you observed without speculating about fault.
• Avoid apologetic phrases like "I'm sorry" that insurance companies may interpret as admissions of fault.
• Request the incident report number and information on obtaining the completed report.
• Note the names and badge numbers of responding officers who may later provide valuable testimony.

The police report often contains critical determinations about traffic violations, right of way, and contributing factors that can establish liability in your favor.

Preserve Critical Evidence

Beyond the immediate crash scene, valuable evidence exists that must be quickly secured:

• Identify and request the preservation of traffic camera footage before it's routinely deleted.
• Locate businesses near the intersection with surveillance systems that may have captured the collision.
• Secure rideshare records or delivery tracking data if commercial vehicles were involved.
• Retain all medical documentation, including emergency transport records and initial evaluations.

Our legal team immediately sends evidence preservation notices to prevent the destruction of valuable documentation that could prove pivotal to your case.

Speak with Our Dedicated Attorneys

Insurance adjusters work quickly after T-bone collisions, often contacting victims while they're still receiving medical treatment. Their seemingly friendly questions are designed to extract statements that undermine your claim. But remember, they are not your friends, and their sole job is to pay you as little money as possible. Here are some of their shady tactics:

• They may selectively record portions of your statements that benefit their defense.
• Questions about pre-existing conditions are designed to attribute your injuries to past medical issues.
• They often pressure victims to accept quick settlements before the full extent of injuries is known.
• Adjusters routinely request blanket medical authorizations to search for unrelated health information.

At Rice & Kendig, we establish an immediate barrier between you and aggressive insurance tactics. We handle all communications, preserve crucial evidence, and build a methodical case that accounts for the true value of your injuries and losses.

Comprehensive Compensation for T-Bone Accident Victims

T-bone collisions generate substantial financial and personal costs long after the crash. Unlike some law firms that rush to settle, Rice & Kendig meticulously documents every dimension of your losses to secure maximum compensation. Our approach ensures nothing is overlooked:

Medical Expenses and Ongoing Care

The healthcare costs from side-impact collisions regularly exceed initial estimates as complications develop. We pursue full compensation for the following:

• Emergency response and trauma care costs, including air ambulance services when necessary.
• Surgical interventions, from immediate emergency procedures to planned reconstructive operations.
• Extended hospitalization and intensive care expenses that quickly surpass insurance limits.
• Specialized medical equipment, adaptive devices, and home modifications are required after serious injuries.
• Comprehensive rehabilitation programs, including physical, occupational, and cognitive therapy.
• Long-term pain management protocols and specialized care for permanent disabilities.

Income and Career Impact

T-bone accident injuries frequently disrupt careers and permanently alter earning potential. Our firm aggressively pursues compensation for:

• Immediate wage losses during hospitalization and recovery, including benefits and missed overtime.
• Income differentials when victims must accept lower-paying positions due to physical limitations.
• Projected earnings losses are calculated based on retirement age for career-ending injuries.
• Documented losses of commissions, bonuses, and advancement opportunities interrupted by injury.
• Educational and vocational retraining expenses when injuries necessitate career changes.
• Business losses for self-employed professionals and small business owners.

Pain and Suffering

Louisiana law recognizes that physical pain and emotional trauma deserve substantial compensation. We build powerful non-economic damage claims by documenting:

• The intensity and persistence of pain through medical records and pain management protocols.
• Testimony about how injuries prevent participation in once-enjoyed activities.
• Clinical documentation of psychological conditions resulting from the trauma.
• Evidence of sleep disturbances, anxiety, and other quality-of-life impacts.
• Before-and-after contrasts showing how injuries have transformed daily experiences.

Property Damage

Vehicle damage in T-bone collisions typically extends beyond simple repair costs. We secure full compensation for:

• Market value replacement when vehicles are totaled, not just the insurance company's initial offer.
• Documented diminished value claims for repaired vehicles that now have accident histories.
• Personal property destroyed in the collision, from electronics to custom accessories.
• Alternative transportation costs during repairs, including rental upgrades when necessary.
• Towing, storage, and salvage expenses that insurance companies routinely underpay.

Family Impact and Loss of Consortium

Louisiana courts recognize that serious injuries affect entire families. When appropriate, we pursue additional damages for:

• Loss of consortium claims for spouses when injuries affect marital relationships.
• Compensation for the economic value of household services the injured person can no longer perform.
• Recoveries for loss of parental guidance and support when parents suffer debilitating injuries.
• Compensation for family members who must become caregivers, sacrificing their own opportunities.

Our comprehensive documentation of all five damage categories enables us to negotiate from a position of strength or present compelling evidence to juries when litigation becomes necessary. This meticulous approach has helped us secure maximum compensation for hundreds of T-bone accident victims throughout Shreveport and northwestern Louisiana.

Understanding Louisiana's T-Bone Accident Laws

T-bone collision claims involve complex legal considerations unique to Louisiana. Our attorneys leverage the knowledge of state laws to build stronger cases and overcome common defense tactics:

Statute of Limitations: Critical Deadlines

Recent legislative changes have significantly altered the timeframe for filing injury claims in Louisiana:

• Pre-July 2024 Accidents
  ‍Subject to the traditional one-year filing deadline.
• Post-July 2024 Accidents
  ‍Benefit from the new extended two-year filing period.

While this extension provides valuable additional time, evidence deteriorates, and witness memories fade quickly after intersection crashes. Our law firm initiates immediate investigation protocols to preserve crucial testimony and physical evidence regardless of filing deadlines.

Comparative Fault: Protection Even When Partially Responsible

Louisiana's "pure comparative fault" system provides important protections for T-bone accident victims, even in complex liability scenarios:

• Your right to compensation persists even when you are partially responsible for the crash.
• Your recovery is proportionately reduced by your assigned percentage of fault.
• Even in cases of significant contributory negligence, you maintain recovery rights.
• Multiple parties can share proportional responsibility in complex intersection collisions.

This system allows recovery in scenarios that would bar compensation in other states. For instance, if awarded $250,000 but found 30% responsible, you still recover $175,000 — a substantial difference from states where any significant fault prevents recovery entirely.

Insurance Requirements: Finding All Sources of Recovery

Louisiana's mandatory insurance minimums provide inadequate protection in serious T-bone collisions:

• $15,000 per person for bodily injury ($30,000 per accident total).
• $25,000 for property damage.
• No mandatory uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (though offered by default).

These limits rarely cover the true costs of serious side-impact injuries. Our legal team conducts exhaustive coverage investigations to identify all potential sources of compensation:

• Primary and excess liability policies of all involved drivers.
• Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (which may "stack" in certain situations).
• Employer liability when commercial or company vehicles are involved.
• Umbrella policies that provide supplemental coverage beyond primary limits.
• Third-party claims against vehicle manufacturers when defective components contributed.
• Municipal liability for dangerous intersection designs or malfunctioning traffic controls.

Our comprehensive approach frequently reveals multiple coverage sources that insurance companies fail to disclose, dramatically increasing the total compensation available to our clients.

Intersection Right-of-Way: The Legal Foundation of T-Bone Cases

T-bone collision liability often hinges on the precise application of Louisiana's right-of-way statutes:

• Traffic signal violations create strong presumptive liability for the offending driver.
• Louisiana's "first to arrive, first to proceed" rule governs four-way stop interactions.
• The "yield to the right" requirement applies when vehicles reach intersections simultaneously.
• Left-turning vehicles bear specific statutory obligations to yield to oncoming traffic.
• Drivers entering roads from private drives or parking lots must yield to all traffic.

Our attorneys analyze these regulations alongside physical evidence to establish clear liability in disputed intersection crashes. This often contradicts the claims of at-fault drivers who attempt to shift blame.