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Document a loss
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Service areas
Middle Tennessee
- Nashville
- Clarksville
- Murfreesboro
- Franklin
- Hendersonville
- Smyrna
- Spring Hill
- Gallatin
- Lebanon
- Columbia
- Brentwood
- Mount Juliet
- La Vergne
- Cookeville
East Tennessee
West Tennessee
Side-Impact (T-Bone) Collision Documentation in Tennessee
A side-impact collision leaves a distinct record: intrusion into one vehicle's doors, frontal damage on the other, and both vehicles displaced sideways from the point of contact. DCD documents that record neutrally for attorneys, adjusters, fleet managers and the drivers involved.
- Coverage
- 95 of 95 counties
- Dispatch
- 24 / 7 / 365
- Metro response
- Under 60 min avg.
- Statewide
- 4-hour guarantee
What this service covers
In a side impact the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, typically where paths cross at a junction, a driveway or a median opening. The struck vehicle is pushed sideways and may rotate, and both vehicles tend to travel away from the impact area along a new path. Drivers commonly dispute which vehicle entered the conflict area first and how fast the striking vehicle was travelling.
The evidence is in the damage and on the pavement. Where on the side the contact is centered, how deep the intrusion goes and the direction panels were pushed all describe the angle and position at contact. Curved tire marks and gouges trace the movement after it. A DCD investigator photographs and measures both, and records the access point the entering vehicle came from. We do not determine fault.
Side-impact situations we are asked to record
- A vehicle leaving a commercial driveway was struck in the driver's door and both drivers describe the other as speeding or pulling out late.
- The struck vehicle rotated and came to rest in a yard or against a pole, and the path from impact to rest needs to be recorded.
- Counsel wants door intrusion depth and the pillar area documented before the vehicle goes to salvage auction.
- A driver crossing a divided highway at a median opening was hit on the passenger side and the crossing distance is in question.
- An adjuster has photographs of one vehicle only and needs the matching damage on the other vehicle documented for comparison.
What the side-impact record includes
- Location of contact along the side
- Whether damage is centered on the front fender, front door, pillar, rear door or rear wheel, measured from the axle centers to show overlap.
- Intrusion depth
- How far door skins, sills and the pillar were displaced inward, measured against the undamaged side where the vehicle's condition allows.
- Striking vehicle's frontal pattern
- Damage width, height and any offset on the front of the striking vehicle, plus imprints of bumper, grille or plate left on the struck vehicle.
- Post-impact yaw marks and gouges
- Curved, striated tire marks and pavement gouges showing sideways travel and rotation after contact, mapped from the impact area to each rest position.
- Side airbag and restraint status
- Deployed side curtain and seat-mounted airbags, seat positions and seat belt condition photographed as found, without interpretation of injury.
- Driveway or median access point
- The apron, median cut or side street the entering vehicle used, its width, grade and distance to the nearest lane of crossing traffic.
From request to delivered record
- RequestCall dispatch or submit the request form with the location, loss type and urgency.
- DeployDispatch assigns the nearest available licensed field investigator through the statewide network.
- DocumentPhotographs, video, measurements and factual notes are captured once the scene is safe to work.
- PreserveFiles are timestamped, organized and kept in their original form with a record of who captured them.
- ReportThe package is delivered securely to the requesting party, typically the same day.
What the damage pattern can show about angle and position
A side impact is rarely a perfect right angle. If the struck vehicle was moving, panels are swept toward its rear and contact marks are smeared along its length. If it was stopped or nearly so, the imprint is cleaner and more square. The point along the side where damage is centered indicates how far the struck vehicle had advanced across the striking vehicle's path. These are observations a reconstruction analyst will want recorded precisely.
We photograph both vehicles from fixed stations around the perimeter, and from above where equipment and the storage location allow, with scale in frame. Paint and material transfer are documented on each surface. If only one vehicle is available, the report says so. DCD's investigators describe the damage. They do not estimate speed or assign responsibility on a neutral assignment, and any technical opinion would come from a separate reconstruction engagement.
Evidence on the pavement after a side impact
Because both vehicles change direction at contact, the roadway usually shows more than it does after a same-direction collision. Tires sliding sideways leave curved marks with diagonal striations. Wheel rims or undercarriage parts can cut gouges at the impact area. Glass from side windows falls close to where it broke, and fluid trails follow each vehicle to rest. Together these locate the impact and show the departure paths.
Much of this evidence is short-lived. Tempered glass is swept or scattered by traffic, fluid washes away with the first rain and yaw marks fade under tires. Gouges last longer, though resurfacing removes them. Requesting documentation while the marks are fresh gives the fullest record. When the scene is older, we document the lasting marks and the permanent geometry, and the report distinguishes clearly between what was observed and what was no longer present.
On this assignment Delator field personnel record what is physically present: photographs, video, measurements and factual notes. They do not adjust, appraise or value the loss, do not determine coverage, cause or fault, and do not represent any party to the claim.
Delator Claims Division is not a law firm, an insurer or an engineering firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice.
Common questions about this service
Can you document the scene and both vehicles in one assignment?
Yes, when their locations are known. The scene visit and each vehicle inspection may be at different addresses, such as a tow yard and a body shop, and they are scheduled together where possible. Let the dispatcher know where each vehicle is held and whether a release or sale date has been set.
Will the report include a speed estimate?
No. Neutral documentation records measurements, marks and damage. It does not include calculations or opinions about speed. Delator's personnel have accident reconstruction experience, and a requesting party who needs technical findings can ask about that service separately. Fault is not determined by DCD in either case.
The struck vehicle is a total loss. How long do we have?
That depends on the insurer and the storage facility, and we cannot predict it. Total-loss vehicles are commonly moved to a salvage pool and sold. If the vehicle matters to the claim, tell us where it is and we can deploy under the Rush or Emergency tier to photograph it before it is moved.
Do you photograph the interior of the struck vehicle?
Yes, with the owner's or custodian's permission. Interior photographs show how far the door and pillar moved inward, the position of seats, airbag deployment and the condition of seat belts. We record what is visible and do not offer medical or injury opinions.
Available statewide, including
Every Tennessee county is covered. See the deployment map for typical response tiers by county.
Request documentation anywhere in Tennessee
Dispatch is staffed around the clock. For time-sensitive scenes, calling is fastest; the request form works for routine and scheduled assignments.