An elderly woman was severely injured in a California car accident when her driver ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle. The woman was being transported to her senior day program when the person hired to drive her ran a red light while distracted. As a result, the driver ended up t-boning another car.
The elderly woman was taken to the hospital with a shattered pelvis that resulted in bone shards being scattered throughout her body, which caused infections and other complications. Unfortunately, due to her age, her injuries were inoperable, and she was left bedridden and in extreme pain.
Why the Client Hired Sally Morin
Because the client was in so much pain and emotionally overwhelmed by what happened, she was struggling to file a claim and knew that she needed legal assistance. She didn’t understand what she needed to do or what paperwork needed to be filed, and she was scared she wasn’t going to be able to pay for her medical bills or get the care she needed.
On top of all this, because the client was bedridden and in so much pain, there wasn’t much of anything she could do herself other than focus on trying to recover from her injuries. As such, she decided to reach out to Sally Morin for help.
Best Thing Sally Morin Did for the Client
To help, Sally Morin stepped in to take care of most of the work since the client was elderly and struggled to manage her case herself. They maximized the case value to increase the settlement and alleviated the stress of the situation, allowing the client to focus on their rest and recovery. They also maximized the case value over the other claimant involved in the accident and mediated with them to split the policy limits.
T-Bone Collisions and Distracted Driving
When drivers are distracted, t-bone collisions are a common result, especially when the distraction occurs at an intersection like the one in the case described above. Unfortunately, the results of a t-bone collision can be devastating.
When someone is distracted, they can easily plow through a red light or a stop sign at high speeds and slam into another car. And as witnessed with the client above, this can result in severe injuries for both the individuals in the vehicle that illegally ran through the intersection and for those who were riding in the car that was hit or t-boned.
How Does Distracted Driving Occur?
Many things can cause a person to become distracted while driving, including:
- Texting while driving
- Talking on the phone
- Drinking or eating
- Adjusting the radio or navigation system
- Reaching for something in the passenger seat or the backseat
- Talking to passengers
- Looking at passengers in the backseat, such as children or pets
- Grooming in the mirror
Injuries That Can Result From T-Bone Accidents and Distracted Driving
Unfortunately, when someone is distracted and causes a t-bone collision, the resulting injuries can be devastating. Some of the most common injuries that result from t-bone collisions include:
- Fractured bones
- Crushed bones and limbs
- Torn muscles and ligaments
- Lacerations and puncture wounds
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord damage
- Severed limbs
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal bleeding or damaged internal organs
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Coma
- Death
California Distracted Driving Laws
Though distracted driving and t-bone accidents continue to happen in California, the state is one of few that has very strict and enforceable distracted driving laws pertaining to using your phone while driving. There are, of course, many other things that can cause a distraction, but phone use tends to be the primary cause.
According to California Vehicle Code:
- A driver shall not operate a motor vehicle while using a wireless phone unless the phone allows for hands-free use. Talking, texting, reading a message, using GPS, etc.—is all prohibited unless the actions are performed hands-free.
- Drivers under 18 are prohibited from using a cell phone, even if it has hands-free capabilities.
- All forms of texting while driving are prohibited unless it can be done hands-free.
We Handle Your Accident Claim So You Can Focus On Your Life
If you are injured in a t-bone accident due to distracted driving or for any other reason, our team of experienced personal injury attorneys can assist you. At Sally Morin, we care about the residents of California and are dedicated to helping each and every one of our clients gets the full and fair settlement they deserve for their injuries and other damages.
Call us at 877-380-8852 or contact us online today for a free case evaluation.