A quick look at a green light, a driver who runs the red on Blackstone Avenue, and suddenly your world is crushed into the driver’s door.
After a side-impact, you need more than just medical help. You need a Fresno broadside collision lawyer who can help you get back on track and get the justice and full financial recovery you deserve.
Carriers start calling before the CT scan is over. Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers moves just as quickly. They get traffic camera footage, get the event data recorder from the accident, and protect you from adjusters who want you to settle before the bruises show.
Our Fresno trial team has won judgments worth more than seven figures for victims of head-on, rollover, and now broadside crashes. Insurers know that we prepare every case as if a jury will hear it tomorrow, so they pay fair value today.

What is a Broadside Collision? Also Known As a T-Bone Accident
A broadside crash, which is also known as a T-bone accident, happens when the front of one car hits the side of another car head-on, making a “T” shape. These crashes happen a lot at intersections where drivers fail to yield, run red lights, or ignore stop signs.
A broadside collision can be very damaging because of the sudden, perpendicular force. This is why it’s so important to have a good Fresno broadside collision lawyer on your side.
The Inherent Dangers of Side-Impacts
What makes a broadside crash so dangerous in a unique way? The answer is in how the vehicle is made. The sides of a car don’t offer much protection, unlike the front and back.
The front and back have large crumple zones that are designed to absorb impact energy and protect people inside.
There is a lot of energy that goes directly to the passenger cabin when there is only a door, a side panel, and a few inches of steel between you and another vehicle.
Because there isn’t a structural buffer, the effects of a broadside collision are often nasty, causing injuries that change lives and even deaths.
Startling Statistics on Broadside Collision Fatalities
Accident statistics show how harmful these effects are. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), side impacts account for a significant 22 percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths nationwide.
This number shows how dangerous T-bone accidents are and why they are thought to be one of the deadliest types of car crashes.
When a car hits something from the side, the people inside can get hurt directly, be thrown around violently, or have serious internal injuries because of the strong forces involved.
These numbers are a sobering reminder of why it’s so essential to hire an experienced Fresno broadside collision attorney right away if you or a loved one has been in such a terrible accident.
The Severity of Side-Impact Collisions in California
In 2024, California had almost 4,000 traffic deaths, and side impacts caused a quarter of them. Fresno County is similar in that intersections like Cedar & Ashlan or Shaw & Fowler cause dozens of T-bone accidents every year.
In a split-second broadside collision, forces go straight to the torso, often causing multiple severe injuries at once, such as broken ribs, collapsed lungs, and blunt-force abdominal trauma.
This leaves victims with huge ICU bills and months of rehabilitation.
When you work with Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, our litigation nurses turn every medical chart into a timeline of damages that makes insurance companies face the real cost of your recovery, not the lower price they offer over the phone.
Why You Need a Fresno Broadside Collision Lawyer in California
Layered liability
A broadsided accident may involve the red‑light runner, the municipality if a signal malfunctioned, and even a vehicle manufacturer if side‑curtain airbags failed. We identify every pocket of liability so no insurer hides behind “it wasn’t us.”
Comparative‑fault traps
California’s pure comparative negligence rule lets insurers blame you for “rolling through the intersection.” We counter with crash‑reconstruction experts who map skid marks, debris paths, and traffic‑signal cycles to pin fault where it belongs.
High‑stakes medical evidence
Side impacts frequently trigger traumatic brain injuries and spinal damage that are invisible on day one. Our attorneys coordinate follow‑up imaging and specialist reports to prove future care needs before we negotiate.
Ready to shift the burden? A confidential strategy session with our team is just a click away on the contact page.
What Are The Common Causes And Injuries of T-Bone Collisions?
A T-bone crash doesn’t just break metal; it breaks lives. When the side of your car is hit hard, the results can be terrible, leaving you with injuries that change your life and a lot of emotional pain.
The first step in making the person who caused the accident pay for it is to learn how these terrible broadside collisions happen and what kinds of injuries they cause.
Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is your Fresno broadside collision lawyer. They carefully look into every detail to find the truth and get you the justice you deserve.
Injury Type | Common Impact/Severity | Why a Lawyer Helps (Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers) |
Burns | Disfiguring scars, long-term pain, multiple surgeries | Documents full extent of medical needs (plastic surgery, rehabilitation), pursues compensation for immense pain and suffering. |
Broken Bones | Chronic pain, limited mobility, multiple surgeries | Ensures all future medical costs (orthopedic care, physical therapy) are accounted for, quantifies impact on daily life and work capacity. |
Back & Neck Injuries | Chronic pain, nerve damage, potential paralysis | Connects subtle symptoms to the crash, secures expert medical testimony, fights for compensation covering lifelong care, lost income, and diminished quality of life. Explore more on our Fresno car accident lawyer page. |
Traumatic Brain Injury | Cognitive impairment, personality changes, headaches | Works with neurologists and life-care planners to project future needs, including therapy, medication, and potential lost earning potential. |
Causes
These terrible side effects are not usually “accidents.” They happen most of the time because people don’t care about safety on Fresno’s busy roads and intersections.
Distracted Driving
A driver scrolling music at the Clinton & First intersection misses a stale yellow and broadsides your sedan. Phone‑record subpoenas capture the exact moment of distraction.
Intersection Accidents
Improper left turns or running reds on Highway 41 frontage roads account for a high share of Fresno broadside crashes. Intersection timing diagrams help us show systemic danger, not victim error.
Reckless Driving
Speeding through downtown’s one‑way grid shrinks reaction time. EDR downloads prove impact speeds that justify punitive‑damage demands.
Failure to Yield the Right of Way
Stop‑sign roll‑throughs on rural roads near Sanger produce deadly T‑bone car accidents, often involving trucks lacking modern side airbags.
Injuries
A side-impact collision is too much for the human body to handle. With little structural protection, people inside often get terrible injuries that need a lot of medical help and care for the rest of their lives.
Burns
Post‑impact engine fires can sear occupants trapped against a crushed side panel.
Broken Bones and Fractures
Pelvic, rib, and femur breaks are common when a broadside collision caves in the passenger cabin.
Back and Neck Injuries
Whiplash, herniated discs, or full spinal‑cord trauma can arise from lateral forces. Explore long‑term spinal impacts on our spinal cord injury page.
Every diagnosis, every prescription, and every time you feel pain goes into our full damage matrix.
This careful process includes everything from surge pricing for ambulance rides and planned medical treatments to adaptive home renovations for serious injuries, as well as the exact calculation of expected wage loss and lower earning potential.
We make sure that nothing is left to an adjuster’s “rule of thumb,” so your compensation fully reflects the actual, devastating cost of the broadside collision on your life.
California Law and Side Impact Collisions
The California DMV reminds drivers that intersection crashes are among the most lethal statewide, urging full stops and defensive scanning.
Legally, a broadside crash triggers:
Vehicle Code §21453
Entering against a red signal is prima facie negligence.
Vehicle Code §22107
Unsafe left‑turn violations establish liability.
Civil Code §1431.2
Pure comparative fault adjusts awards but never bars recovery, even if you’re 99 percent at fault.
Our Fresno broadside collision attorneys wield these statutes to dismantle blame‑shifting defenses and maximize your net payout.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Broadside Collision Due To Someone Else’s Negligence in California?
You can still get money back even if you’re partly to blame for a broadside collision in California. Don’t let insurance companies shift blame to get out of paying; a Fresno broadside collision lawyer can help you protect your rights.
What is California’s Pure Comparative Negligence?
California has a system called “pure comparative negligence.” This means that your share of the blame will lower your payment. For instance, if you are found 20% responsible for a T-bone accident and get $500,000, you still get $400,000.
What a Fresno Broadside Collision Lawyer Does to Help You
Insurance companies will try to make you look more at fault than you are.
Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers carefully look into things like phone records, EDR data, or accident reconstruction to show that the other driver was speeding, drunk, or distracted.
Our plan is to greatly lower the amount of fault you have, sometimes even getting rid of it completely, so that you can get the most money back after a terrible broadside crash.
Contact Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to Speak With a Fresno Broadside Collision Lawyer for a FREE Consultation
Every minute after a broadside crash matters: traffic‑cam loops overwrite, witnesses scatter, and the wrecked cars head for the crusher. Reach our Fresno office now—by phone, video chat, or an in‑person visit—to lock down evidence and launch a claim built for full value.
Our contingency‑fee promise means you pay nothing unless we win, and our $1 billion track record proves we know how. Start with a no‑pressure conversation today and see why local survivors rave on our client testimonials page.
Fresno Broadside Collision Lawyer Frequently Asked Questions
What is broadside versus side‑swipe?
A broadside (T‑bone) is a perpendicular hit into the vehicle’s side, usually in intersections; a side‑swipe is a glancing parallel impact, often on freeways.
How long do I have to file a claim?
California’s statute of limitations is two years from the crash, but insurance notice requirements can be as short as 30 days—call a lawyer immediately.
Will insurance cover a rental replacement?
Yes, reasonable rental costs are part of property‑damage claims. We secure direct‑bill arrangements so you’re not out of pocket.
What if airbags failed to deploy?
We may add a product‑liability claim against the automaker for defective restraint systems, increasing available compensation.
How much does a Fresno broadside collision attorney cost?
Kuzyk charges zero upfront; our fee and costs come from the settlement or verdict we obtain—nothing if we don’t win.