Arizona Injury Law

03/20/2023

The steps you take after a car accident can have a lasting impact on your wellbeing, both physically and financially. Here are four things you can do to protect yourself against a misstep.

#1: Seek Medical Attention
If you are injured, seek medical attention immediately. Don’t delay! Even if you think your injuries are minor, don’t downplay or try to tough it out. It’s best to err on the safe side when it comes to your health, so don’t self-diagnose. Let a medical professional examine and diagnose your injuries.

#2: Call 911
Think you can work things out cordially without involving the police? Not likely. Chances are the other driver won’t cooperate without documentation of the accident. Even if the other driver admits fault, call 911 right away and ask the police to issue an accident report. Give the officer as much information as possible, including names and contact information of any independent witnesses.

#3: Document the Scene
When they say a picture is worth a thousand words, it’s true. But in terms of your injury claim, it may be worth much more. Take pictures of the scene, vehicle damage and visible injuries. Or have someone else do it for you. Photos can be used as evidence, and often are the best evidence in pursuing a recovery.

#4: Contact an Arizona Car Accident Attorney
Experience counts when it comes to pursuing compensation for injuries in Arizona. You need someone who not only knows AZ accident law, but you need someone who can maximize your recovery—a partner who understands the best course of action for your situation. You’ve got one shot at your recovery. Make it count!

03/06/2023

$25,000 is the minimum amount of injury liability coverage required in Arizona. You can imagine how quickly $25,000 can disappear when someone is even moderately injured. In most cases, it’s not enough. And you’d be surprised how many drivers carry a minimum policy, or worse, no coverage at all. That’s why it’s essential to purchase your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Uninsured motorist coverage (UM coverage) protects you if the at-fault driver doesn’t have any coverage at all, and underinsured motorist coverage (UIM coverage) protects you if the at-fault driver has coverage but just doesn’t have enough--like a minimum policy of $25,000. If you purchased insurance on your own, or your agent did a poor job of explaining it, you may not have known the difference and may not have purchased the coverage. Which means in the event of a serious accident, you’re leaving to chance the unlikely event that the at-fault driver carries enough coverage for you and others in your vehicle.

In addition to not understanding insurance, one of the main reasons people reject UM and UIM coverage is they want to save money on premiums. It’s understandable. But in most cases, UM and UIM coverages are relatively inexpensive. And when compared with the risk of loss without it, most people are better off with the added protection. How much coverage you should purchase may vary, but remember, having more than you need is always better than not having enough.

If you have any questions about what coverages may or may not apply after an accident, or general questions about your injury case, contact our firm for a case review. Consultations are always free.

08/08/2016