Fault for T-Bone Traffic Accidents in Nevada

Note: Get instant webcam footage of local traffic conditions throughout the Las Vegas valley at sigalert.com.

In our local community of Henderson, and Las Vegas, Nevada, traffic accidents happen multiple times every hour! Sadly, members of our community and visitors are seriously injured or killed in our area as a result of auto accidents that are not their fault.

In fact, a tragic T-Bone accident resulting in a fatality of a non-at fault driver occurred recently near our law office in Henderson on the corner of St. Rose Parkway and Eastern. The crash occurred in the early morning hours when a red Jeep SUV was struck with such force that both cars ignited into flames; read details at News 3 of Las Vegas.

Tragic accidents like these an be prevented if all drivers follow traffic laws and practice safe driving to prevent accidents. My car accident blog reviews the most common type of accidents, as well as Nevada traffic laws which aim to help prevent traffic related fatalities.

Local, Las Vegas Area Accident Updates

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department maintains a list of local accidents on their website (updated every fifteen minutes) which demonstrates the sad reality of traffic conditions in our valley.

The Las Vegas Sun also regularly reports on these tragedies – many of these accidents involve T-Bone accidents – at https://lasvegassun.com/news/trafficaccidents/.

Henderson / Las Vegas Traffic Accidents; January 25, 2023: 5 AM – 10 AM

The small sampling of local accidents provided below shows an average of one accident every 20 minutes.

T-Bone Intersection Accidents

A T-Bone collision most commonly occurs when one driver disobeys the right of way laws at an intersection. These accidents frequently occur at traffic intersections that are controlled by a stop light or stop sign. These often happen as a result of a distracted or impaired driver.

However, they also occur when a driver mistakenly believes they have the right of way when they do not. Unfortunately, drivers may make hazardous moves that cause T-Bone accidents more often than we realize. There are many reasons these accident occur including drunk driving, bad road conditions, traveling too fast, being distracted by maps, fatigue, eating while driving, failing to obey traffic lights, or the dreaded texting while driving.

If you or a loved one is involved in a T-Bone accident, call (702) 450-4868 and we will answer any question you have.

When a T-Bone accident happens, gather as much evidence as possible at the scene including:

1. Take photos – A lot of photos of the vehicles and their locations
2. Get the name and phone number of all witnesses
3. Call the police

This evidence will be critical in determining who is the at-fault driver.

Nevada Law Traffic Law for Intersections

In Nevada, the law governing intersection accidents is a follows:

NRS 484B.250 – Vehicle Approaching or Entering Intersection

1. The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle which has entered the intersection from a different highway.
2. When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.
3. When two vehicles enter an intersection at approximately the same time, one vehicle traveling on a highway which ends at the intersection and the other vehicle traveling on a through highway, the driver of the vehicle on the highway which ends at the intersection shall yield the right-of-way to the other vehicle.
4. When a vehicle enters an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal which is installed and has its vehicular signals uncovered, but is inoperative at the time the vehicle enters the intersection, the driver of the vehicle shall proceed as if a stop sign had been erected at each entrance to the intersection and shall stop at a clearly marked stop line or, if there is none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if there is none, at the point nearest the intersection where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the through highway. After making such a stop, the driver shall proceed cautiously, yielding to vehicles which have previously completed a stop or are within the intersection.
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, this section does not apply at intersections controlled by official traffic-control devices or to vehicles approaching each other from opposite directions, when the driver of one of the vehicles is intending to or is making a left turn.

Injuries That Occur Because of T-Bone Accidents

T-Bone accidents can cause very serious injuries including brain injury, as well as head and neck injuries, back injuries, pelvic injuries, abdominal injuries, burns, bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, chest injuries and many other injuries. Sadly, some of these injuries have lifelong consequences. Sometimes, they are fatal!

What Should I Do After a T-Bone Car Accident?
Immediately call car accident lawyer, Laura Payne! Injuries form someone’s negligence in an auto accident causes extraordinary distress to every family. At the Henderson personal injury law firm of TheOneLawyer.com, we can help ease the financial burden that goes along with the injuries by getting you to the right doctors!

How Do I Determine Fault in a T-Bone Accident?
A T-Bone accident describes an accident in which the front end of one car collides into the side of another, creating a “t-shape final impact” which is where the name comes from. Collisions like these most frequently happen in intersections or when one driver fails to yield the right of way from a side street into a major roadway. Sadly, these accidents are frequently serious and can result in serious or life threatening injury for those occupants.

Therefore, determining whose negligence caused the accident is necessary for the purposes of recovering damages. Often times, the positions of the vehicles alone is not enough to establish who was at fault for the accident. Multiple factors may come into play when determining liability for a T-Bone car accident. There are many scenarios that can lead to a T-Bone collision including, failing to stop at stop signs and traffic signals, or failing to yield to a permissive green on a left turn.

As a result, it is very important to get eyewitness statements from those who saw the collision, obtain traffic-camera footage if possible, take photos of skid marks, and take photos of the location of any debris from the vehicles.

Important to note is that drivers may share liability for an accident. For example, one driver may have been speeding and another may have failed to yield. In this case, an investigator (usually from an insurance company) may determine both drivers were partially at fault for an accident.

In other cases, a third party may be liable for injuries. For example, a municipal entity may be liable for an accident if it was the result of a defective traffic light. Additionally, the manufacturer of a car or its component-parts may be responsible for damages if a vehicle defect played a role in the accident.

Does It Matter Who is At-Fault in an Auto Accident?
YES! In any auto accident, it is critical to determine which driver is at fault for the accident in order to bring a claim against their insurance company; Nevada is an “at-fault state” when it comes to insurance claims. This means the injured victim prove the other driver’s act of negligence was the proximate cause of their injury.

In addition, Nevada is also a “comparative negligence state” which means if someone tries to recover damages from another as the result of a T-Bone accident yet they are partially at-fault for that accident, their damages will be reduced. For example, if one driver is speeding and one driver failed to yield the right of way, the injured driver’s recovery with be reduced by his percentage of fault.

We Are Here to Help

If you or loved one has been injured in a car, motorcycle or truck accident due to the negligence of another, contact our office immediately! We have over 20 years’ experience helping people recover physically and financially following these type of accidents. If you have a question about any type of accident involving a personal injury, whether from a car accident or a slip and fall or any combination of injuries, please don’t wait … call (702) 450-4868!

Practicing Gratitude – Weekly Afirmation

Each of my blog posts will contain something I am grateful for and at this time next year, they will be listed – I hope that you will also have a long list by the end of 2023! It is important for all of us to be grateful for things in our lives that we tend to take for granted on a daily basis. Our lives are filled with stress and hardship daily. Without gratitude, we can easily become overwhelmed!

Today, I am grateful for my beautiful niece. If we all practice gratitude more regularly, we can all be calmer and kinder humans. I hope that by reflecting on gratitude, I will find the positive of everyday, even the days that are stressful and overwhelming. We fight hard with corporations for our clients every day and we are grateful you have chosen TheOneLawyer.com to fight for you and your family after an accident. We are here to help you recover from the injuries and stress resulting from an accident!

Please do not hesitate to contact us anytime you have a legal question when you or a loved one has sustained an injury! call (702) 450-4868, or send a text 24/7 to (702) 600-0032.