Side-impact crashes, also known as T-bone accidents, are among the most dangerous types of car accidents. These collisions often happen fast and without warning. The impact is usually on the side of the car where the driver or passenger is sitting, which can lead to serious injuries, expensive medical bills, and long-term recovery. In many car accident cases, the injured person never saw the other vehicle coming.
Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers understands the pain and confusion that follow a sudden accident in Queens. We help car accident victims file strong car accident claims, deal with insurance companies, and fight for full and fair financial compensation. Whether you suffered broken bones, soft tissue injuries, or something more serious, our team is ready to stand up for your rights. If you've been hurt in a side-impact crash, we're here to guide you every step of the way.
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What Is a Side-Impact Collision?
A side-impact collision happens when the front of one vehicle crashes into the side of another. These accidents are especially dangerous because the sides of cars offer much less protection than the front or rear, making car accident injuries more likely and often more severe.
In many car accidents in Queens, side-impact crashes occur at intersections where one driver runs a light, fails to yield, or drives too fast through a crossroad. Because of the way these crashes happen, people inside the car often suffer serious injuries that require emergency care, surgery, or long-term recovery.
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Common Types of Side-Impact Collisions
- T-Bone Accidents – This happens when one vehicle hits the side of another, forming a “T” shape. These are common at intersections when someone runs a red light or ignores a stop sign.
- Sideswipe Collisions – These occur when two vehicles are driving next to each other and one veers out of their lane, often during lane changes or merges.
- Multi-Car Side Impacts – In some car accident cases, one crash causes a chain reaction that leads to multiple side impacts between several vehicles.
Where These Accidents Commonly Happen in Queens
- Busy Intersections – Places where cars move in many directions, like Queens Boulevard or Roosevelt Avenue, are hotspots for side-impact collisions due to heavy traffic and driver error.
- Uncontrolled Intersections – Streets without traffic lights or proper signage often confuse drivers, leading to sudden crashes and blunt force trauma injuries.
- High-Speed Roads – Areas where drivers move quickly, such as the Long Island Expressway off-ramps or service roads, are also places where accidents in Queens happen often due to fast and reckless turns.
- Residential Zones with Poor Visibility – Narrow roads or places with hidden driveways can lead to unexpected side impacts, especially when someone pulls out too quickly or ignores traffic flow.
Common Causes of Side-Impact Crashes
Many car accidents in Queens happen because someone makes a quick, careless, or illegal move behind the wheel. Some of the most common causes of side-impact crashes are:
Running a Red Light or Stop Sign
One of the most common causes of side-impact collisions is when a driver runs a red light or drives through a stop sign without stopping. This usually happens at intersections where another vehicle legally enters the road and is hit from the side. These motor vehicle accidents are often sudden, and the victims have no time to react.
In many of these car accident cases, the driver who broke the traffic law is found at fault, which is why getting police reports and witnesses is very important when building a car accident claim after such an incident.
Failing to Yield the Right of Way
Side-impact crashes also happen when a driver fails to yield the right of way during turns, merges, or lane changes. For example, if someone turns left in front of another car or pulls into an intersection too early, the results can be severe.
Failing to yield often causes confusion and split-second decisions that lead to serious side collisions. These car accidents in Queens are common in both residential areas and at busy intersections, and they often result in car accident injuries that require medical care. Proving fault in these situations is key for receiving financial compensation.
Distracted or Drunk Driving
When a driver is texting, adjusting their music, talking on the phone, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are far more likely to cause a side-impact crash. These types of car accidents often happen when drivers ignore traffic lights, drift out of lanes, or misjudge speed and distance.
In many cases, distracted driving or intoxication leads to delayed reaction time, causing direct hits to the side of other vehicles. These car accident cases can involve serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and internal injuries, and often require a strong legal team to prove fault and damages.
Speeding Through Intersections
Speeding remains one of the top causes of all types of car accidents, but it's especially dangerous in side-impact crashes where the hit can be more violent. When someone races through an intersection, they may not have time to stop for red lights or notice a car crossing their path.
The faster the vehicle, the harder the impact, and the more likely the car accident victims will suffer severe injuries. These crashes often result in totaled cars, emergency medical treatment, and long-term trauma. Proving speeding may require camera footage or witnesses, which your accident lawyer can help collect.
Improper Lane Changes or Merging
Improper merging or careless lane changes can also lead to side-impact crashes, especially when a driver doesn’t check blind spots or use a turn signal. This happens often on highways, expressways, and during rush hour traffic in Queens, where multiple lanes and aggressive driving are common.
These car accident cases might not involve high speeds, but even a small side hit can cause soft tissue injuries, broken bones, or expensive vehicle damage. An experienced Queens car accident lawyer will work to gather evidence and show how the crash happened to build a solid car accident claim.
Mechanical Failures or Poor Road Conditions
Not every side-impact crash is caused by driver error. Sometimes, car accidents in Queens happen because a vehicle's brakes fail, a tire blows out, or the steering locks up. Poor road conditions like potholes, worn-out signs, or broken traffic lights can also lead to serious side-impact crashes.
In these cases, other parties such as mechanics, vehicle manufacturers, or city agencies might be held responsible. These situations can be complex and may involve filing a personal injury lawsuit against multiple parties. A skilled accident lawyer will investigate what went wrong and help identify everyone who may be at fault.
Injuries Often Caused by Side-Impact Accidents
Getting hit from the side can cause many kinds of car accident injuries, some mild and some very serious. These crashes are dangerous because there’s less protection on the side of a car.
Head and Brain Injuries
A strong hit to the side of a car can cause your head to move fast and hit something inside the vehicle. This can lead to traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions or worse. These injuries can cause headaches, memory loss, confusion, or even long-term damage.
Some people need to stay in the hospital or take medicine for months. Head injuries may not always show up right away, which is why you should always get checked by a doctor after any car accident in Queens, even if you feel okay at first.
Broken Ribs, Arms, or Pelvis
When a car is hit from the side, the door can crush inward, hitting the body and breaking bones. It’s common for car accident victims to suffer broken bones in the ribs, arms, legs, or pelvis during side-impact crashes. These physical injuries can be very painful and take a long time to heal.
You may need surgery, casts, or physical therapy. The healing time can also mean missing work, which adds to the stress. A car accident lawyer can help you ask for money to cover your lost wages, doctor visits, and pain.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
A side crash can also hurt your back or spine. These types of injuries can lead to numbness, weakness, or even paralysis if the damage is serious. Some people with spinal cord injuries may lose the ability to move parts of their body.
Recovery can be very hard and may involve long hospital stays, special equipment, or care at home. These are some of the most serious injuries in any car accident case, and they often lead to large medical bills and other costs. A lawyer can help you fight for financial compensation if this happens to you.
Internal Bleeding and Organ Damage
Side-impact crashes often cause harm that can’t be seen from the outside. Internal injuries like bleeding or damage to the lungs, liver, or other organs are very dangerous. These injuries may not hurt right away, but they can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. That’s why it’s so important to get immediate medical treatment after a crash, even if you don’t feel hurt.
Doctors can run tests to see if something is wrong inside. If your crash caused internal injuries, your car accident claim should include all costs related to hospital care and follow-up visits.
Fatalities and Wrongful Death Claims
Sadly, some side crashes are so bad that the person hit does not survive. These cases can lead to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family. This legal step can help cover funeral costs, lost wages, and the pain of losing someone you love.
Losing a family member in a car accident is heartbreaking, and while no amount of money can fix that, a Queens car accident lawyer can help the family get some justice and support. These are very serious cases and need legal help to make sure everything is done the right way.
Who Is Liable in a Side-Impact Collision?
Figuring out who is responsible for the crash is one of the most important parts of any car accident case, and in side-impact collisions, there can be more than one party at fault.
The At-Fault Driver
In most side-impact crashes, the person who broke a traffic rule like running a red light, speeding, or failing to yield is the one responsible. This driver is known as the at-fault driver, and their actions caused the accident scene to happen.
If they were texting, distracted, or even drunk, they can be held legally responsible through a car accident lawsuit. Proving fault may involve looking at photos, witness statements, police reports, and damage to both cars. A Queens car accident lawyer can gather all of this and build a strong car accident claim to show what really happened.
Vehicle Manufacturers
Sometimes, the crash isn’t caused by a person, but by something that went wrong inside the car, like failed brakes, airbags that didn’t work, or steering problems. In those situations, the vehicle manufacturer could be held responsible for the crash.
These are called product liability cases, and they often require expert reports and strong evidence to prove the issue. When a faulty part leads to a car accident, the injuries sustained can be just as bad as in any other crash. An accident lawyer will look into these possibilities to see if the car company should also be part of your personal injury lawsuit.
Government Entities
If the side-impact crash happened because of a bad road design, missing traffic signs, broken lights, or large potholes, a city or other government entity may be responsible. These car accidents in Queens may involve streets where traffic control is poor, especially in high-traffic areas.
Filing a claim against the city is harder than suing a driver because there are strict rules and short deadlines. But if the city’s failure caused the crash, you still have a right to ask for financial compensation. A Queens auto accident lawyer can help handle these complex claims the right way.
Why Hire a Local Queens Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer who knows Queens well can give your case a better chance because they understand the roads, the courts, and how insurance companies usually respond to local car accident claims.
Familiar With NYC Traffic Laws and Local Intersections
A local Queens car accident lawyer knows the busiest intersections, the most dangerous roads, and how crashes commonly happen in your area. They understand New York law and how it applies to side-impact collisions, especially when it comes to right-of-way rules, red-light violations, and traffic camera evidence. This knowledge helps them prove fault more clearly.
When your lawyer already knows how and where car accidents in Queens happen, they can investigate your accident scene faster, gather stronger evidence, and make sure nothing is missed when building your car accident lawsuit for the highest possible compensation.
Knowledge of Queens Courts and Insurance Tactics
A Queens car accident attorney with experience in local courtrooms knows how judges and juries in this area think, which helps them build a case that’s more likely to succeed. They also understand how insurance companies try to lower payouts by blaming the victim or offering low settlements early.
Local lawyers have seen these tactics before and know how to push back. They can quickly spot when an insurance adjuster isn’t being fair. This allows them to respond with the right legal steps. Local knowledge makes a big difference when it comes to winning car accident cases.
Personalized Legal Representation With Proven Results
When you hire a local lawyer, you're not just getting legal help, but you’re also getting someone who cares about the people and community they serve. A good accident lawyer won’t treat you like just another case number. Instead, they’ll listen to your story, look closely at your injuries and losses, and build a strategy just for you.
A Queens car accident lawyer who has handled many side-impact collisions will have the tools and experience to deal with even the most difficult situations. With a strong track record, they can fight for full financial compensation while you focus on healing.
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FAQs
What are the most common car accident injuries in side-impact crashes?
Some of the common car accident injuries from side-impact crashes include broken bones, head injuries, spinal damage, and internal bleeding. Victims may also suffer emotional trauma, especially if the crash was violent or involved children. While some people walk away with minor injuries, others may experience catastrophic injuries that change their lives forever. These serious cases often lead to long hospital stays, lost income, and high medical expenses, which should be included in a Queens car accident lawsuit if another driver caused the crash.
Why is it important to seek medical attention after a side-impact collision?
Even if you feel okay right after the crash, it’s very important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Many injuries, especially internal injuries or whiplash, do not cause pain right away, but can get worse over time. Seeing a doctor creates a medical record that links your pain to the crash, which helps your lawyer prove damages. If you wait too long, insurance companies might argue that your injuries were not caused by the accident. Getting checked early also helps rule out hidden problems, especially in head on collisions or rear end accidents.
How does fault get determined in a Queens car accident lawsuit?
In New York, fault is often based on who broke traffic rules, ignored traffic signals, or failed to drive safely. For example, if a driver ran a red light, didn’t yield, or caused a crash while distracted, they can be held responsible. In many side-impact crashes, the law looks closely at what each driver was doing before the impact. Your lawyer will review photos, videos, police reports, and witness statements to prove that the other driver acted recklessly. Many negligent drivers try to blame others, so strong evidence is key in every car accident case.
Can rear end collisions or rear end accidents also cause side-impact crashes?
Yes, in some cases, a car hit from behind may be pushed into another lane, causing a side-impact collision with a third vehicle. These kinds of chain-reaction crashes happen often in rear end collisions, especially at busy intersections or during heavy traffic. When this occurs, more than one driver might be at fault. An experienced lawyer can look at how the crash happened, review car damage, and find out who was responsible for each part of the crash. This matters when filing a personal injury lawsuit and dealing with insurance companies.
What should I do if I was hurt in a Queens car accident caused by someone else?
If you were hurt in a crash that wasn’t your fault, your first step should be to seek medical attention, even if the injury feels small. After that, talk to a lawyer who handles Queens car accident lawsuits. They’ll help you understand your rights, deal with the insurance companies, and build a claim that includes your medical expenses, pain, and lost income. Many victims don’t realize how much they’re owed. Whether you’re facing minor injuries or catastrophic injuries, a lawyer can fight to get what you need to recover and move forward.
Contact Our Collision Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were injured in a side-impact crash, whether it caused minor injuries or catastrophic injuries, you deserve help from a trusted legal team. At Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our experienced attorneys know how to handle Queens car accident lawsuits and will fight to recover your medical expenses, lost income, and pain-related damages.
We take on negligent drivers and stand up to tough insurance companies so you don’t have to. Call today for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your rights under New York law, and help you take the next step with confidence.
