T-Bone Accident in Dallas-Fort Worth: Your Rights After a Side-Impact Crash

Call 911 immediately after a t-bone collision. Side-impact crashes often cause more severe injuries than other crash types because of the limited protection on the side of a vehicle. Check yourself and passengers — occupants on the struck side are at the highest risk for serious injuries including broken ribs, pelvic fractures, and head trauma.

If your vehicle is in an intersection, stay inside with your seatbelt on until first responders arrive and it is safe to move. T-bone crashes at intersections create traffic hazards because the vehicles often end up blocking multiple lanes. Turn on your hazard lights.

When police arrive, give a clear statement about what happened — especially who had the green light or right of way. If the other driver ran a red light or stop sign, say so. Ask the officer for the crash report number. If the intersection has red light cameras or nearby surveillance cameras, mention this to the officer so it can be noted in the report.

T-bone crash evidence is highly scene-dependent. Photograph the intersection from multiple angles: traffic signals, stop signs, yield signs, sight lines, and any obstructions (trees, buildings, parked cars) that may have blocked visibility. Photograph both vehicles, focusing on the side damage to your vehicle and the front damage to the other vehicle.

The location and severity of side damage tells the story of the impact angle and speed. Deep intrusion into the passenger compartment indicates a high-speed impact and supports claims for more severe injuries. Document everything before vehicles are moved or towed.

Get witness contact information immediately. In intersection crashes, witnesses often see which driver had the green light or right of way. Their testimony can be decisive when the other driver claims they had the right of way. Also note whether there are nearby businesses with exterior cameras that may have captured the crash.

T-bone crashes produce a unique injury pattern because the side of the vehicle collapses inward toward the occupant. On the struck side, occupants face broken ribs, pelvic fractures, hip injuries, spleen or liver lacerations from rib penetration, arm and shoulder injuries from the door pushing inward, and traumatic brain injuries from the head striking the side window or B-pillar.

Even occupants on the opposite side of the vehicle can be injured — the lateral forces throw the body sideways against the seatbelt, center console, or far door, causing neck injuries, concussions, and soft tissue damage. Rear passengers are particularly vulnerable because side curtain airbags may not extend to rear seating positions in all vehicles.

Go to an emergency room immediately after a t-bone crash. DFW trauma centers — Parkland Memorial Hospital, JPS Health Network, Baylor Scott & White, Medical City Dallas — are equipped for the complex injuries common in side-impact crashes. Tell the ER team the angle and location of the impact so they know what to look for. Follow all treatment recommendations without exception.

Fault in a t-bone collision comes down to right of way. At a signalized intersection, the driver who ran the red light is at fault. At a stop-sign-controlled intersection, the driver who failed to stop or yield is at fault. In left-turn scenarios, the turning driver must yield to oncoming traffic — failure to yield makes the turning driver at fault.

The challenge is proving who had the right of way when both drivers claim the light was green or the other car ran the sign. This is where evidence is critical: red light camera photos, traffic camera footage, dashcam video, and witness statements. Some DFW intersections have red light cameras operated by local jurisdictions — check if yours does.

Texas uses proportionate responsibility (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Section 33.001). Even if you are partially at fault — for example, you entered an intersection on a stale yellow light and were hit by a driver running the red — your recovery is reduced by your fault percentage. At 51% or more fault, you recover nothing.

A common t-bone scenario in DFW is the left-turn crash: a driver turning left across oncoming traffic misjudges the speed or distance of an oncoming vehicle and is struck in the side — or strikes the oncoming vehicle broadside. Left-turn crashes happen daily at busy DFW intersections.

The left-turning driver is usually at fault because Texas law requires vehicles turning left to yield to oncoming traffic (Texas Transportation Code Section 545.152). However, the oncoming driver can share fault if they were speeding, ran a yellow or red light, or were otherwise driving negligently.

If you were the driver going straight and were hit by someone turning left, you have a strong claim. Document the intersection, any turn arrows or signal phases, and get witnesses who saw the other driver turn in front of you. If you were the left-turning driver and were hit, fault is more complicated — but you may still recover if the other driver was speeding or running a light.

T-bone crashes often cause severe injuries with high medical costs. Texas minimum coverage is 30/60/25 — the at-fault driver may carry only $30,000 in per-person bodily injury coverage, which is quickly exhausted by serious side-impact injuries like pelvic fractures or traumatic brain injuries.

Your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage fills the gap when the at-fault driver's policy is insufficient. If the at-fault driver is uninsured (14.1% of Texas drivers), your UM coverage applies. Check your policy limits — ideally they should match or exceed your bodily injury liability limits.

If the t-bone crash was caused by a commercial vehicle (delivery truck, company car), the business's commercial policy may provide much higher limits. If a road defect or malfunctioning traffic signal contributed, a government entity may be liable under the Texas Tort Claims Act.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Texas is 2 years from the date of injury (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Section 16.003). Wrongful death claims have the same 2-year deadline. If a malfunctioning traffic signal or road design defect contributed, and a government entity is responsible, you must file notice within 6 months under the Texas Tort Claims Act (Section 101.101).

Intersection evidence disappears fast. Red light camera footage, traffic camera recordings, and business surveillance video may be overwritten within days to weeks. Preserve this evidence immediately — an attorney can send preservation letters to ensure footage is not destroyed.

T-boned at a DFW intersection? Take our free 2-minute assessment. Answer a few questions about the crash, your injuries, and the intersection details. We will provide a personalized report covering fault, insurance coverage, and your potential recovery, and connect you with a DFW attorney experienced in side-impact collision cases.

T-bone crashes are violent, sudden, and often life-changing. One driver failed to respect a red light, a stop sign, or a yield — and you are the one paying the price with injuries, medical bills, and missed work. Texas law is clear about right-of-way violations. Use it. Start with the assessment.