T-Bone (Side-Impact) Accident in San Antonio: Fault and Your Rights

T-bone crashes can cause devastating injuries, especially to occupants on the struck side of the vehicle. Check yourself and your passengers immediately — side-impact injuries to the head, torso, and pelvis can be life-threatening. Call 911 and request EMS if anyone is injured. Under Tex. Trans. Code 550.021, all drivers must stop and remain at the scene of a crash involving injury.

If your vehicle is blocking the intersection, move it only if it is safe and operable. Turn on hazard lights. If the vehicle cannot be moved, get occupants out and away from the intersection to avoid a secondary collision. San Antonio intersections on busy arterials like Bandera Road, Culebra Road, Fredericksburg Road, and Marbach Road carry heavy traffic — a disabled vehicle in an intersection is a serious hazard.

The responding officer will investigate the crash, document the scene, and determine which driver had the right of way. The police report is critical evidence in your T-bone case. If there are traffic cameras at the intersection, tell the officer — this footage can decisively establish who ran the light or failed to yield.

Photograph the intersection thoroughly: traffic signals, stop signs, yield signs, turn lanes, and lane markings. Capture the position of both vehicles after impact — the point of impact on the vehicles and their final positions tell the story of what happened. Photograph skid marks (or the absence of them), debris patterns, and any damage to traffic control devices.

The most important question in a T-bone case is who had the right of way. Photograph the traffic signal from your direction of travel showing the signal state (green, yellow, red) if it is still visible. Note the signal cycle timing. If there is a left-turn arrow, note whether it was a protected (green arrow) or permissive (flashing yellow) phase.

Get witness contact information immediately. At an intersection, other drivers waiting at the light or driving through often saw which driver ran the red or failed to yield. Pedestrians on nearby sidewalks may also be witnesses. Witness testimony is often the most powerful evidence in disputed T-bone fault cases.

Fault in a T-bone accident hinges on right of way. Under Tex. Trans. Code 544.007, drivers must obey traffic signals. Running a red light is a traffic violation and establishes negligence. Under Tex. Trans. Code 545.151, drivers at stop signs must yield to vehicles already in or approaching the intersection. Failing to yield at a stop sign or yield sign also establishes negligence.

Left-turn T-bone crashes are among the most common and most disputed. Under Tex. Trans. Code 545.152, a driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be a hazard. If you were going straight through a green light and a left-turning driver pulled in front of you, the turning driver is typically at fault. But if you were speeding through a stale yellow or entering on red, fault shifts.

Texas proportionate responsibility (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 33.001) applies to T-bone crashes. If both drivers share some fault — for example, one ran a red light but the other was speeding — the jury assigns percentages. You recover damages only if your fault is less than 51%. This makes evidence of who had the right of way absolutely critical.

The side of a vehicle provides significantly less crash protection than the front or rear. Even with side-impact airbags, the door panel and window glass provide minimal structural barrier compared to the engine compartment or trunk. This is why T-bone crashes account for roughly 23% of all traffic fatalities despite being a smaller percentage of total crashes.

Common T-bone crash injuries include traumatic brain injuries from head contact with the window, door, or B-pillar; broken ribs and rib cage injuries from the door intrusion; spleen and liver lacerations from blunt abdominal trauma; hip and pelvis fractures; spinal cord injuries; and severe arm injuries on the impact side. Occupants on the struck side of the vehicle face dramatically higher injury risk than those on the opposite side.

University Hospital — San Antonio's only civilian Level I trauma center — treats the most severe T-bone crash injuries. Side-impact injuries often require emergency surgery, extended ICU stays, and long-term rehabilitation. If you were on the struck side of the vehicle, get a thorough medical evaluation even if your initial symptoms seem manageable — internal organ injuries and brain injuries may not be immediately apparent.

Traffic camera footage is the most powerful evidence in a T-bone case because it directly shows which driver had the right of way. Many San Antonio intersections have TxDOT or City traffic cameras. While San Antonio does not have automated red-light enforcement cameras, many intersections have traffic monitoring cameras operated by TxDOT or the City that may capture crash footage.

In addition to traffic cameras, check for surveillance cameras at nearby businesses. Gas stations, banks, restaurants, and retail stores near intersections often have security cameras aimed at their parking lots and entrances — these cameras sometimes capture the intersection as well. Act within 24-48 hours, as footage may be overwritten quickly.

Dashcam footage from your vehicle, the other vehicle, or bystander vehicles is also valuable. If you do not have a dashcam, note whether other vehicles at the intersection had visible cameras. The responding officer may also check for cameras as part of the investigation.

In a clear-fault T-bone crash — such as when the other driver ran a red light — the at-fault driver's liability insurance is responsible for your damages. Texas requires minimum liability coverage of 30/60/25 (Tex. Trans. Code 601.072). In a severe T-bone crash with hospitalization and surgery, these minimums are often inadequate.

If the at-fault driver's coverage is not enough, your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can make up the difference. If they have no insurance (approximately 14.1% of Texas drivers are uninsured), your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage applies. Review your own policy limits.

In disputed-fault T-bone cases — where both drivers claim they had the right of way — the insurance companies may each deny the other's claim. This is where evidence becomes decisive. Without traffic camera footage or credible witnesses, a disputed T-bone case may require filing a lawsuit and letting a jury determine fault. Do not accept a denial without consulting an attorney.

Texas has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003). The clock starts on the date of the crash. For claims against the City of San Antonio or TxDOT (for example, if a malfunctioning traffic signal contributed to the crash), you must file a notice within 6 months under the Texas Tort Claims Act.

T-bone crash evidence has a short shelf life. Traffic camera footage may be overwritten within 30-90 days. Business surveillance footage is overwritten even faster. Witness memories fade. Signal timing records must be requested and preserved. Act quickly to secure all available evidence.

If you believe the traffic signal was malfunctioning — for example, showing green in both directions — report this to the City of San Antonio Transportation Department immediately. A malfunctioning signal is a government liability issue, and preserving the maintenance and malfunction records is critical.

Were you T-boned at a San Antonio intersection? Take our free 2-minute assessment at /assessment/. We will help you understand fault in your crash, the value of your injuries, and whether connecting with a San Antonio personal injury attorney makes sense.

T-bone crashes produce some of the most serious injuries of any crash type. If you were on the struck side of the vehicle, your injuries may be severe and your damages significant. Start with the assessment — it is free, confidential, and can help you understand your next steps.