Your Legal Options for Car Accidents

Legal options for car accident victims include filing an insurance claim, suing the other driver and their insurance, and filing third-party lawsuits against companies or cities that may have contributed to the accident. 

The best way to help your case is knowing what to do following an accident. Arizona insurance law is complicated, and the actions you take‒or don’t take‒immediately following your accident can make a major impact on your case. Understanding the laws often requires a reputable car accident lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona like Gage Mathers. 

In this post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about what to do after an accident to maximize your legal options, as well as the legal actions you may be able to take.

Protect Yourself After an Accident

Protecting your rights after a car accident in Phoenix is the most important thing you can do. Immediately after an accident, make sure you’re okay and help anyone who is injured. Call 911 if someone is hurt and needs immediate medical attention. If the accident was minor or non-urgent, call the police department’s non-emergency line.

If you are injured, seek medical treatment if necessary and call a personal injury attorney like Gage Mathers before contacting your insurance company. 

While police and ambulances are on the way, document everything. Take pictures and videos from many different angles. These photos may be used as evidence to support your case. Emergency responders may need to move vehicles out of the way which can change the appearance of the scene of the accident. 

When the police want your side of the story, tell them what happened but don’t make statements like, “I hit their car.” These statements can sound like you’re admitting the accident was your fault, and the officers may write that down in their official report. Instead, say something like, “Our cars hit each other.” 

Your Options After an Accident

Be wary of accepting an insurance company’s offer to pay you money before speaking to an attorney. Attorneys can guide you on how best to deal with the insurance companies so you can get the maximum compensation you deserve‒and insurance companies don’t want that. With luck, the claim can be settled without bringing the legal system into it. 

However, there are several options for lawsuits after a car accident. Here are some of the personal injury lawsuit options available to car accident victims:

Lawsuits Against Other Drivers

The money offered by insurance companies often only covers immediate bills from the accident. Their contracts also usually contain language that says they won’t pay any more than what was offered. This means that any future bills most likely will not be covered. 

In cases like these, it may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit. Personal injury suits allow the victim to claim money for lost wages, additional future medical bills, and pain and suffering. 

Third-Party Lawsuits

There are cases in which an accident was caused by a city’s negligence. Defective traffic lights, missing signage, and poor road maintenance are common examples. Here, you would sue the city or state instead of another driver. 

Third-party suits may also be filed against anyone who may have caused the accident that wasn’t in a vehicle. For example, construction companies that leave items on the road, resulting in an accident. 

Product Liability Suits

These lawsuits happen when something on the vehicle fails and causes an accident‒such as brakes locking up due to a known problem. Lawsuits like these are complicated, but they can also lead to some of the biggest payoffs. This is especially true if the company is found to have ignored evidence that the vehicle was faulty. 

Don’t Wait to Contact an Attorney

Some victims don’t go to the hospital because they don’t understand how bad their injuries are. After a few months, the problem causes larger issues, and these treatments can be costly. Filing a claim months after the accident can be difficult, but not impossible.

Arizona law allows accident victims to file a claim up to two years after an accident happened. After that, there are very few legal options. By contacting an attorney immediately, you can get advice on the best steps to take. 

Here at Gage Mathers, we treat every client like part of our family. We have more than fifty years of experience successfully winning car accident cases. No matter the situation, we’ve seen it before and know just how to help. 

Our consultations are free, and our legal representation has no cost if you lose your case. We only get paid if you win. With nothing to risk, give us a call today and see how we can help fight for you to get the compensation you deserve!

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 23 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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