T-Bone Accident in Des Moines: Your Rights and Next Steps

A T-bone crash hits the weakest part of a vehicle. The front and rear of a car have crumple zones specifically engineered to absorb collision energy before it reaches occupants. The side of a car has almost none of that. A striking vehicle's bumper, hood, or front frame can penetrate directly into the passenger compartment, hitting the occupant with little energy absorbed first.

Modern vehicles include side curtain airbags and reinforced door beams, but these provide limited protection compared to the structural protection built into the front and rear. At speeds above 30 mph — common at signalized intersections in Des Moines — the forces involved in a side-impact collision regularly exceed what any door-mounted safety system can fully mitigate. Studies from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety consistently show that side-impact crashes produce disproportionately severe injuries relative to vehicle damage.

The position of the occupant relative to the impact point also matters. A driver hit on the driver's side is only inches from the striking vehicle. A rear-seat passenger hit on their side may have more door material between them and the impact, but the striking vehicle's hood may still clear the door entirely. Children in rear seats are particularly vulnerable in side-impact crashes.

T-bone crashes happen almost exclusively at intersections — signalized intersections, stop-controlled intersections, and uncontrolled crossings where right-of-way rules govern who goes first. Des Moines has several intersections that see repeated broadside collisions, including Merle Hay Road at Douglas Avenue in the northwest part of the city, Fleur Drive at Army Post Road near the airport, University Avenue at 35th Street, and the complex interchange area around Hubbell Avenue and East 14th Street.

High-traffic commercial corridors create T-bone risk because drivers become impatient at long signal cycles or misjudge the gap before turning left across oncoming traffic. Left-turn T-bone crashes — where a turning driver misjudges oncoming traffic speed and swings in front of an approaching vehicle — are especially common on Des Moines arterials like Ingersoll Avenue, Fleur Drive, and Merle Hay Road during peak hours.

Rural intersections on the outskirts of the metro — where stop signs replace signals and speeds are higher — produce some of the most severe T-bone crashes. Polk County's rural road network includes dozens of gravel and paved intersections where drivers fail to fully stop, misjudge approaching speeds, or are obscured by crops or structures until they have already pulled into the intersection. At 55 mph, a driver cannot stop in time even with a reaction time of one second.

Iowa Code § 321.257 governs right-of-way at intersections. At a signalized intersection, the driver who enters on a red light or fails to yield on a yellow is at fault. At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive has the right of way; at a simultaneous arrival, the vehicle to the right has the right of way. These rules are straightforward when followed — T-bone crashes happen when they are not.

Proving who had the right of way requires evidence. The police report is critical — officers note the signal phase, interview witnesses, and record physical evidence like skid marks and final vehicle positions. Traffic cameras at Des Moines intersections, dashcam footage, and witness statements can corroborate who had the green. If the other driver claims the light was yellow when they entered, the exact signal phase at the moment of entry becomes the central dispute.

Iowa's comparative fault system (Iowa Code § 668.3) means both drivers can share fault. If you were speeding through a green light and the other driver ran a red, you might be found 15% at fault and the other driver 85% at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage — but you still recover 85% of your damages. The key is documenting the other driver's fault as thoroughly as possible.

Traumatic brain injuries are disproportionately common in side-impact crashes. When a vehicle is struck from the side, the occupant's head snaps laterally — a motion the neck and brain are not designed to absorb well. The head may also strike the side window, door frame, or A-pillar. TBI symptoms range from concussion with a few weeks of recovery to severe brain injuries requiring surgery and producing permanent cognitive, motor, or behavioral changes.

Chest and rib injuries occur when the door intrudes into the passenger compartment or when the seat belt restrains the torso during rapid lateral deceleration. Broken ribs, pulmonary contusions, and pneumothorax (collapsed lung) are all documented in T-bone crashes. The steering wheel and center console can also cause chest trauma when the vehicle spins or rotates after impact.

Pelvic and hip fractures are common when the door panel contacts the occupant directly. Internal organ injuries — particularly to the liver, spleen, and kidneys, all of which sit close to the vehicle's side structure — can be life-threatening and may not produce immediate symptoms. If you were in a T-bone crash and feel abdominal pain, seek emergency evaluation immediately. Internal bleeding is a medical emergency.

Call 911 immediately. At an intersection, you are likely blocking traffic — turn on hazard lights and stay in the vehicle if it is safe to do so. If the vehicle is in a dangerous position, move to the sidewalk or a safe distance from the road. An Iowa police report documents the scene, the signal phase, and the initial accounts of both drivers. This report becomes a key piece of evidence.

Photograph everything before vehicles are moved if it is safe. Document the final positions of both vehicles, the damage on the side that was struck, the intersection layout, traffic signals, sight lines, and any skid marks. If bystanders saw the crash, get their names and phone numbers — eyewitness accounts of who had the green light can be decisive in a disputed-fault case.

Get medical attention the same day, even if you feel okay. T-bone crashes can produce internal injuries that are not immediately painful — TBI symptoms, internal bleeding, and soft-tissue injuries can all worsen over the first 24–72 hours. UnityPoint Health–Iowa Methodist Medical Center, a Level I trauma center in Des Moines, and MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, a Level II trauma center, are equipped to evaluate and treat serious side-impact injuries. Documenting injuries immediately preserves the link between the crash and your medical condition.

Proving the other driver ran a red light or stop sign is the central challenge in most T-bone cases. Drivers rarely admit fault at the scene, and without objective evidence, the case can become one driver's word against the other's. Several evidence sources can resolve this: traffic camera footage from the intersection (Des Moines city intersections increasingly have cameras for signal control and enforcement), dashcam footage from either vehicle, and event data recorder (EDR) data showing speed and braking in the seconds before impact.

Witness testimony is particularly valuable at Des Moines intersections because most intersection crashes happen in front of other stopped or moving vehicles. Witnesses who saw the light phase, the other driver accelerating through a red, or the speed of the vehicles can corroborate your account. Preserve contact information for anyone who stops or is nearby — witnesses sometimes leave before police arrive.

If traffic camera footage exists, it typically must be requested promptly — many systems overwrite footage within 24–72 hours. Your attorney can send a preservation letter to the city immediately after an intersection crash. The Iowa Department of Transportation and Polk County also maintain intersection data that can be relevant in establishing signal timing and crash causation.

Iowa requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage (Iowa Code § 321A.21). A T-bone crash with a TBI, pelvic fracture, or internal injuries can easily produce medical bills, lost wages, and other damages that far exceed $20,000. If the at-fault driver only carries minimum coverage, your underinsured motorist (UIM) policy pays the difference up to your own UIM limits.

Iowa insurers are required to offer UM/UIM coverage to all policyholders. If you declined it, you may have signed a written waiver — review your policy and declarations page. If you have UIM coverage, your insurer steps in after the at-fault driver's policy is exhausted. UIM claims against your own insurer can still be adversarial — your insurer has financial incentives to minimize the payout.

Iowa also requires insurers to offer medical payments (MedPay) coverage. MedPay pays your medical bills regardless of fault, without waiting for liability to be determined. If you have MedPay on your policy, it can cover out-of-pocket medical costs while your liability claim is being resolved — which can take months or years in complex cases.

Were you hit from the side in Des Moines? Get your free Injury Claim Check. You will answer a few questions about your accident and injuries, and we will provide a personalized report covering your filing deadline under Iowa law, how Iowa's comparative fault rules apply to your situation, and whether connecting with an Iowa personal injury attorney makes sense for your case.

T-bone crashes often involve disputed fault at intersections, inadequate insurance coverage, and injuries that are not fully apparent right away. Understanding your options before you speak with the other driver's insurance company is important. Free, confidential, and takes less time than waiting on hold with an adjuster.