Construction zones are an inevitable consequence of heavy road use. No-one likes to wait for what can seem like hours before slowly making their way across these places, but it’s often the only way important highway maintenance and improvement can take place.
Occasionally, accidents happen and one of the worst is a t-bone accident, involving heavy machinery hitting you on the side. This shouldn’t happen if the machinery drivers know what they are doing and the site is well lit.
If you have been badly hurt in a construction zone t-bone accident, you should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can to discuss the possibility of obtaining compensation.
How a T Bone Crash Could Take Place in a Construction Zone
Most t-bone accidents in a construction zone are due to a collision between a site vehicle or heavy machine like a digger, bulldozer or steamroller and one of the vehicles attempting to pass through on the highway.
As long as traffic is only allowed through when machinery is idle or not using the route through, there should be no reason why an accident should happen.
A t-bone accident suggests that either the vehicle hit is using the area when it shouldn’t or a machine used in the zone is not looking out for vehicles passing through.
Construction zone vehicle and machine operators are not always alert to what is happening around them.
They may not have sufficient training to operate their machines safely; they may be suffering from fatigue or even alcohol or drugs.
Sometimes, an accident such as this may take place because signaling is not working or barriers have not been placed in the right place to divert traffic around somewhere machinery is working.
Making a Personal Injury Claim After a T Bone Crash
T-bone accidents can be very serious, especially if you have been hit on the side of the vehicle where you were driving, or on the passenger side with a passenger sitting inside.
There are normally enough witnesses in such a place that will have seen the accident take place. This is important because if you decide to go ahead with a claim for compensation you will need proof that you were not to blame for the accident.
If the construction zone management is to blame, it is unlikely they and their insurance provider will be happy to pay compensation readily.
You should be able to get witness statements, though, from other road users who are more likely to be sympathetic.
In addition to proof of who or what was to blame, you will need to show how you were injured and provide invoices or receipts for anything you have had to pay for, including towing your vehicle away and repairing it.
You should be able to claim all your medical treatment as well as any lost earnings because you were too badly injured to go back to work. The cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle should be included in the claim and an amount for pain and suffering.
You Are Advised to Use a Personal Injury Lawyer When Making a Claim
Construction zones can be hazardous places to drive through.
If you do suffer an injury because of a collision with a maintenance vehicle or other heavy machinery, you will need the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer to provide advice and help negotiate a satisfactory settlement.
