Utah T-Bone Accident Lawyer | Cockayne Law
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Injured in a Utah intersection crash? Cockayne Law can help you figure out where you stand.
A T-bone crash can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, a damaged car, and an insurance company arguing over who was at fault. Sorting all of that out while you’re trying to recover is a lot to ask of anyone.
If you’re looking for an intersection accident lawyer in Utah, Cockayne Law helps injured people look into what really happened at the scene, preserve evidence before it’s lost, and pursue compensation when another driver’s negligence caused the collision.
Attorney Chris Cockayne can walk you through your options and explain what comes next for your claim. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you reach out. Call us at (801) 268-2491 and tell us what happened. We’ll give you an honest answer about whether we can help.
Call For a Free Consultation: (801) 268-2491
What Is a T-Bone or Intersection Accident?
A T-bone accident, also called a side-impact or broadside collision, occurs when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another. Two cars end up forming a “T,” which is where the name comes from.
These accidents most often occur at intersections, though they can also happen in parking lots or where a driveway meets a road.
These types of side impacts are dangerous because the side of a car has far less protection than the front or rear. The sides of a vehicle generally provide less space to absorb crash energy than the front or rear.
If the impact hits the passenger side of your vehicle, the force can travel directly into the passenger compartment.
Common Causes of T-Bone Accidents in Utah
Many T-bone crashes occur when a driver fails to yield or disregards a traffic signal. These are the most common causes of Utah T-bone/intersection accidents.
- Running red lights and stop signs. A driver rushes through or rolls past the sign, and the driver with the right of way may have little time to react.
- Left turn mistakes. Sometimes drivers try to beat oncoming traffic and misjudge how fast the other car is coming.
- Distracted driving. A glance at a phone is enough to miss a signal change.
- Speeding. It cuts down everyone’s reaction time at the intersection.
- Blocked sight lines. A parked truck or an overgrown hedge at a corner can hide a car until it’s too late.
Who Is at Fault in a Utah T-Bone Accident?
Fault often depends on whether a driver failed to yield, disregarded a signal, or otherwise acted negligently. That could be the person who ran the red light or the one who turned left in front of traffic. But it’s rarely as simple as it looks. Both drivers often say they had the green, and sometimes both share some of the blame.
Utah uses a comparative fault rule. You can still recover compensation if you were partly at fault, but your share reduces what you receive, and you can’t recover anything if you are 50% or more responsible. That’s why insurers push so hard to shift blame onto you.
How Cockayne Law Can Investigate an Intersection Crash
When two drivers tell opposite stories about who had the green light, the evidence decides it. Some of that evidence disappears quickly, so the sooner we start, the better.
Here’s what we look at:
- Traffic and business camera footage. Many intersections have cameras nearby, and stores and gas stations often have their own. Most of that footage is recorded over days or weeks.
- Signal time records. These can show whether a light was working properly and what the sequence was at the moment of the crash.
- Vehicle data. A lot of new cars record speed and braking in the second before the collision. This can contradict what a driver says happened.
- Witness statements. Drivers, pedestrians, and other bystanders may have seen which vehicle entered the intersection first. We reach out while their memories are still fresh.
- Scene and damage evidence. Skid marks, debris, road layout, and the damage to each vehicle help show how the cars hit.
Common Injuries in T-Bone Collisions
Because the side of a car offers so little protection, T-bone crashes tend to cause injuries that don’t heal quickly. Here are the most common we see:
- Head injuries. The head can hit the window or door frame on impact, and concussions and more serious brain injuries are common. Our traumatic brain injury lawyer page explains what these cases involve.
- Neck and spinal cord injuries. The sideways force can damage the spine, sometimes causing lasting loss of movement.
- Chest and rib injuries. Broken ribs can injure the lungs or other organs.
- Pelvis and hip fractures. This happens when a door pushes inward on the side of the body.
- Broken arms and shoulders. The arm closest to the door usually takes the hit first.
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After Accident
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What Compensation May Be Available After a T-Bone Accident?
The compensation available in your case depends on the severity of your injuries, your financial losses, and other relevant factors. In a T-bone case, that can include:
- Medical Expenses: ER visits, surgery, therapy, and future treatment, if your recovery will take a while.
- Lost Income: Time away from work, plus reduced earning ability if you can’t return to the same job.
- Pain and Suffering: The physical pain and the toll the injury takes on daily life.
- Property Damage: Repair cost or value of your car if it was totaled.
Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise a number. For more details on how these claims can be valued, you can see our car accident compensation guide.
Utah Insurance Rules and T-Bone Accident Claims
Utah is a no-fault state, which surprises a lot of people. Your own insurance pays your medical bills first and some lost wages through personal injury protection (PIP), no matter who caused the crash.
You may still be able to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver. Once your medical bills pass a set threshold or your injuries are serious enough, you can bring a claim against them.
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, Utah’s standard minimum liability limits are $30,000 per person and $65,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. These limits may not cover all losses after a serious T-bone collision.
If the other driver is underinsured, your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may help depending on your policy and circumstances.
What to Do After an Intersection Accident in Utah
What you can do in the first few hours can affect your claim later. If you are able, you can follow these steps.
- Call 911 and get medical attention. It’s normal to feel fine at the time of the crash because lots of injuries don’t show up right away, and medical records tie them to the crash.
- Photograph the intersection. Take pictures of the signals, stop signs, lane markings, and anything blocking the view, along with the damage to both cars.
- Look for cameras and witnesses. Note any nearby business with cameras and get the names and numbers of anyone who saw what happened.
- Don’t argue about fault. Exchange insurance information, but don’t apologize or guess about who caused it.
- Be careful with the other insurer. You don’t have to give them a recorded statement, and it’s worth talking to a lawyer first.
Why Contact Cockayne Law After a T-Bone Accident?
When you work with the Cockayne Law Firm, you’ll talk to an attorney who knows how Utah intersection cases are investigated and negotiated.
We’ll explain your claim in simple words, keep you updated, and take the insurance calls off your plate. You don’t have to figure out the process alone while you’re recovering.
T-Bone Accident Lawyer Serving Salt Lake City and Communities Across Utah
Intersection crashes happen anywhere two roads meet, and the busiest corridor along the Wasatch Front sees more than its share. We help injured drivers and passengers in these communities and across the state.
- Salt Lake City
- Orem
- West Jordan
- West Valley City
- Sandy
- South Jordan
- Murray
- Draper
- Taylorsville
- Millcreek
- Other Utah communities
If your crash happened somewhere not listed, call anyway. We handle T-bone cases throughout Utah.
Call For a Free Consultation: (801) 268-2491
FAQs
Usually four years from the crash. But that’s not the whole story. If a city, county, or another government body was involved, the deadline can be much shorter, sometimes just months. And honestly, you shouldn’t wait anywhere that long. Camera footage gets overwritten, and witnesses forget what they saw.
You might be able to. In Utah, being partly at fault doesn’t automatically shut you out. As long as you are less than 50% responsible, you can still recover, though your compensation gets reduced by your share of the blame. After a T-bone crash, both drivers usually say the light was their fault, so the evidence ends up deciding who’s believed.
If the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may provide another source of compensation, depending on your policy and the circumstances.
Usually it comes down to a few things working together. A camera, either at the intersection or at a store or gas station nearby, might have caught the light and both cars in the same shot. The city can also pull signal timing records to show what the light was doing when the cars hit.
Then there are witnesses, who often remember who got into the intersection first, and newer cars that record their own speed and braking. Any one of these can be thin on its own. Put them together, and it’s hard for the other driver to keep telling a different story.
We take T-bone and intersection cases all over Utah, including Salt Lake City, West Jordan, West Valley City, Sandy, South Jordan, Murray, Draper, Taylorsville, Millcreek, Ogden, and Provo. If your crash happened somewhere that is not on that list, call us anyway, and we can tell you if we can help.
Contact Cockayne Law About Your Utah T-Bone Accident
If you were hurt in an intersection crash, you don’t have to have everything figured out before you call. Tell us what happened, and we’ll explain where you stand and what the next steps look like. There is no pressure to hire us.
Call us today at (801) 268-2491 or fill out our contact form, and our team will get back to you.
[Legal Disclaimer]
This page provides general information about T-Bone accident claims in UTAH including Salt Lake City, West Jordan, West Valley City, Taylorsville, Orem, Sandy, Cottonwood, Murray, East Millcreek and Ogden, and is not legal advice. Every case is different. For case-specific guidance, consult a qualified attorney.
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Our Locations
6671 S Redwood Rd Ste 110, West Jordan, UT 84084, United States
574 E 1400 S, Orem, UT 84097, United States
2650 Washington Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401, United States
Areas Of Services
- kearns
- magna
- Salt Lake City
- rose park
- West valley city
- Provo Utah
- taylorsville
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