San Mateo Side Impact / T-Bone Accident Lawyer
Broadsided or Sideswiped, You Deserve to Be Made Whole.
A careless driver who runs a signal or drifts into your lane can leave you with serious injuries, a wrecked car, and missed paychecks. We help people hurt in San Mateo side impact crashes get compensation to move forward.
$75+ million
recovered for injured clients
800+ five-star reviews
on Google and Yelp
No fee
unless we win
Available 24/7
Hablamos español · 한국어 상담 가능
Careful Drivers Get Hit From the Side Every Day
You can do everything right and still be struck by a driver who wasn’t paying attention. Side impact crashes are physically, financially, and emotionally draining: the car repair or replacement bill arrives while you’re missing work to heal, and the stress builds on itself.
Side impacts come in two main forms, and both can cause serious harm:
Broadside (T-bone) crashes: the front of one car smashes into the side of another, leaving the vehicles in a T. They are often catastrophic for the person on the side that was struck.
Sideswipes: the sides of two vehicles scrape together, usually when a driver merges or changes lanes into a space that's already occupied. Some cause only dents and scrapes, but a sideswipe can also make a driver lose control and crash.
Whichever happened to you, your focus should be on healing. Ours is on getting you paid.
Your First Moves After a Side Impact Crash in San Mateo
Call 911 before anything else.
A police report captures the signals, signs, and lane positions while they’re still clear.
Tell the officer how the other car moved.
Did it run the light, roll through a stop sign, or drift into your lane? Say what you saw so it’s in the report.
Photograph both cars where they stopped.
For a T-bone, capture the front of their car and the side of yours; for a sideswipe, the full length of the scrape marks.
Look for anyone who saw the other driver.
Witnesses can describe whether the driver seemed impaired, looked at a phone, or never checked their mirror.
Get your ribs, neck, and head checked.
Side impacts hit hard with little protection. Hidden injuries are common, so see a doctor the same day.
Keep track of every cost.
Repairs, a rental car, therapy, prescriptions, and missed paychecks all belong in your claim.
What a Side Impact Claim Can Pay For
Medical care and physical therapy
Emergency treatment, follow-up care, therapy, and future treatment for injuries that need time to heal.
Your vehicle
Repair or replacement of your car, which can be a heavy burden on its own after a broadside crash.
Lost paychecks
Income you miss while you recover, and any lasting effect on your ability to work.
Pain and suffering
The physical and emotional toll of a violent crash and the disruption it causes to your life and family.
How We Prove the Other Driver Was Negligent
Every driver must drive as a reasonable person would, following the rules of the road and California’s traffic laws. A driver who falls short of that standard breaches their duty to everyone else on the road. When that breach causes a crash that injures you, you have a negligence claim.
In side impact cases, the breach usually looks like one of these:
- Impaired driving: a drunk or drugged driver who slams into the side of another car
- Running a signal or stop sign: entering an intersection into cars that have the right of way
- Failing to yield or drifting: changing lanes into a car that’s already there
- Distraction: texting, eating, or anything else that takes a driver’s attention off the road
We gather the evidence that shows which of these happened: the police report, witness statements, photos, and camera footage where it exists. Then we negotiate your settlement from a position of strength, because working with a skilled negotiator is often what separates a fair settlement from a lowball one.
California Rules That Shape Side Impact Claims
Reasonable care is the standard
Drivers must follow the rules of the road and drive as a reasonable person would. Running a signal, failing to yield, or drifting into an occupied lane falls below that standard.
Pure comparative negligence protects you
Some states bar injured people who are more at fault than the other driver. California doesn’t: under its pure comparative negligence rule, you can recover the share of your damages the other driver caused, even if you were mostly responsible.
Both drivers may share responsibility
In sideswipes especially, insurers often argue both drivers were careless. Each driver’s share is weighed, and your recovery is reduced only by yours.
Two years to file
You generally have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, and only six months for a claim against a government entity.
What Our Clients Say
I found Jimin through word of mouth. She and her staff are just incredibly transparent and passionate. She made sure that we understood the entire process for our car accident…
Kim T.
I would like to share a good experience that I had with Ms. Jimin’s office and hopefully it will help people save time, frustration, and stress. Jimin is just very…
Claudia R.
Jimin from the start was very professional and accommodating. She came out to east bay to meet with me. We met once, she ask for the background of the incident…
Ethan Vu
San Mateo Side Impact and T-Bone Accident FAQs
What's the difference between a T-bone and a sideswipe?
A T-bone, or broadside, crash happens when the front of one car strikes the side of another, leaving the cars in a T shape. A sideswipe happens when the sides of two cars scrape together, usually during a merge or lane change.
Can a sideswipe be serious if the damage looks minor?
Yes. Many sideswipes cause only dents and paint scrapes, but the impact can make a driver lose control and crash, causing serious injuries. Judge your claim by your injuries, not the scratches.
What usually causes side impact crashes?
Drunk or impaired driving, running red lights or stop signs, failing to yield or drifting into an occupied lane, and distracted driving such as texting or eating.
What if I was mostly at fault?
California’s pure comparative negligence rule still lets you recover the portion of your damages the other driver caused, even if you were more responsible than they were. Don’t assume you have no claim.
Should I just take the insurer's settlement offer?
Not without a lawyer’s review. You don’t have to settle for less than you’re owed, and a skilled negotiator can make a real difference to the outcome.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years from the date of injury for a lawsuit, and six months for a claim against a government entity. Call early; the evidence is freshest right after the crash.
What does it cost to talk to you?
Nothing. Your first meeting is free, and we work on contingency: you pay a fee only if we recover for you.
Get Your Free, Confidential Case Review, 24/7
Right-of-way disputes are won with evidence gathered early. Call now or send the form; we respond fast, 24/7, in English, Spanish, or Korean. Your consultation is free and confidential. No fee unless we win.
Call (408) 256-2871Free Case Review
Solution Now Law Firm
1253 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95126
Hablamos español · 한국어 상담 가능
