What Types of Injuries Are Commonly Associated With T-Bone Accidents?

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), about 25% of vehicle occupant deaths in crashes occur due to side impact accidents, also known as T-bone collisions. In over 20 years of collecting crash test data, IIHS testing has transformed the way car manufacturers approach safety, including the addition of side airbags that have helped to reduce fatalities.

Still, drivers and passengers can suffer a range of injuries to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and extremities when another vehicle collides with the side of their car during an intersection crash. What types of injuries are the most common in this type of accident?

Whiplash

Whiplash, which occurs when your neck and spine whip violently forward and back or side to side, is among the most common injuries reported in any type of car accident, including side crashes. This injury is caused by sharp, sudden changes in movement that cause your neck to compress or extend unnaturally — beyond what muscles, ligaments, and bones can tolerate.

The effects of whiplash can range from mild stiffness or tenderness to increasingly severe pain in the head, face, shoulders, and back, along with symptoms like:

  • Muscle spasms or weakness
  • Swelling and bruising
  • Burning, tingling, or numbness in the neck, upper back, shoulders, and upper arms
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness or vertigo
  • Vision problems
  • Loss of voice
  • Difficulty swallowing

Severe symptoms could be a sign of additional injuries, such as a misaligned vertebra compressing nerves or even a cervical fracture. More serious injuries to the spinal cord could result in long-term pain and temporary or permanent disability, including paralysis.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Despite safety features like front and side airbags, shoulder belts, and head restraints, brain injuries are still common in vehicle collisions. This is especially true in side impact accidents because belts and head restraints are less effective at preventing side-to-side movement.

Head injuries could include external cuts and bruises, as well as traumatic brain injury (TBI), which occurs when an object pierces the brain, the head suffers a violent impact, or the body is jolted, causing the brain to slam against the inside of the skull. 

Concussions are a relatively mild form of TBI that could have short-term symptoms like:

  • Headache
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Sensory issues
  • Confusion
  • Mood swings
  • Sleep disruption
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Anxiety/depression
  • Brief loss of consciousness

A more severe TBI could include prolonged or worsening of these symptoms, as well as:

  • Convulsions
  • Weakness/numbness in extremities
  • Slurred speech
  • Extensive loss of consciousness
  • Coma

You may start to notice symptoms immediately, or the onset could begin several hours or days after the accident.

Injured Extremities

Injuries to the hips and legs are not uncommon in T-bone accidents, particularly when the point of impact is lower on your vehicle. These injuries could include cuts, bruises, sprains, strains, and broken bones. You may experience such injuries to arms, hands, and feet, as well, if your body is thrown from side to side in a collision.

What To Do If You’re Injured in a T-Bone Accident in Florida

Whether someone backs into you in a parking lot or you’re involved in a left turn accident with a car traveling at a high speed, it’s common to suffer injuries as a result. The very first thing you should do is seek medical care, even if your injuries seem minor. Whiplash and TBI can worsen in the hours and days following an accident, but early diagnosis could make a difference. Having complete and accurate medical records following an accident will also help you get adequate coverage for medical and other expenses if another driver is at fault for the accident. You’ll need these records if you hire an attorney to help you fight for fair compensation if damages exceed your personal injury protection (PIP) limits.

Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Northwest Florida

If you need legal assistance, contact the Fort Walton Beach personal injury lawyers at Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.

We have two convenient locations in Northwest Florida:

Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers – Destin Office
4507 Furling Ln Suite 214
Destin, FL 32541
(850) 790-0243

Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers – Fort Walton Beach Office
975 Mar Walt Dr
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
(850) 863-5297