A car accident often causes injury to one or more of the car occupants. In a severe crash, such injuries can occur even when the rider and passenger are wearing seatbelts. When it comes to the legal side of things, you may want to hire an attorney to help you out. For accidents within Arizona, Shultz & Rollins provides arguably the best car accident attorney Tucson and Yuma, AZ have to offer.
Thousands of people are injured yearly on Arizona’s roads. Auto accidents are particularly dangerous because not all injuries are immediately apparent. Due to shock and the trauma from a serious collision, injured occupants are often overwhelmed. Dealing with insurance companies, along with the party responsible for the collision, can be confusing.
Since the minimum liability limits in Arizona require only $15,000 per person of insurance coverage, your Tucson auto accident lawyer must understand how to investigate all possible causes and insurance coverages and, if necessary, find ways to collect above and beyond available insurance.
For more than 30 years, our Tucson and Yuma, AZ car accident lawyers have established a record of helping clients obtain the compensation they deserve whether by a verdict in the courtroom or through settlement negotiations. Contact us if you or a loved one has been involved in a serious crash or rollover.
Automobile accidents kill more than 40,000 people per year across the United States. In Arizona, 952 people die in motor vehicle-related crashes and 56,753 people are injured each year. A total number of 247,308 vehicles are involved, including 179,066 cars and station wagons, 3,190 motorcycles and 11,992 trucks and buses.
Rollover crashes are a significant and growing contributor to these statistics. A rollover crash is particularly violent in nature. Occupants of a vehicle that rolls are subjected to a variety of forces and impacts that can result in severe injuries or death. A rollover crash is far more likely to result in fatalities than non-rollover crashes.
The aftermath of an automobile collision can be devastating. Many injured people struggle to pay their medical bills. They need assistance recovering lost wages and obtaining long-term medical care due to the permanent nature of their injuries.
At Shultz & Rollins, we are proud of our reputation as among the best car accident attorneys in Yuma AZ. We are dedicated to helping victims of serious automobile accidents put their lives back together. We understand the engineering principles involved in automobile accident reconstruction, the medical issues related to the forces exerted in car crashes, and the design criteria of automobiles intended to protect the vehicle's occupants.
Following a collision, you should speak with an experienced car accident attorney in Tucson, AZ to ensure that evidence in your case is not lost, witnesses don't disappear, and statements are taken before memories fade. Contact our Yuma and Tucson auto accident lawyers today about your case, and we can begin an investigation to secure and preserve the evidence.
Many people involved in an automobile collision believe that the insurance company for the other driver will pay to repair their vehicle, pay for their medical bills and compensate them for their injuries and lost wages, without any proof of fault.
This is simply not the case. In Arizona, an injured person must first prove fault on the part of the other driver. In addition, they must prove that the negligence caused the injuries and damages suffered. This means your Tucson auto accident lawyer must be prepared to bring your case to trial if negotiations to resolve the matter are unsuccessful.
Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have become one of the most popular vehicles on the road today. According to the National Highway Safety and Transportation Administration (NHTSA), among all types of passenger vehicles, SUVs had the largest increase (6%) in registrations.
Advertised as safe and well-built vehicles, SUVs are often the preferred choice for families with children. However, research has shown that many SUVs are defectively designed – and thus are less safe than other options. SUVs have a high center of gravity, which poses a greater risk for rollovers during some driving maneuvers. These vehicles also have a higher risk of flipping over when struck in a collision, which often results in occupant ejections and serious bodily injuries.
NHTSA has determined the following facts about SUVs:
In Tucson, Yuma and throughout Arizona, adults generally have two years from the date of the accident; minors have two years from attaining the age of majority. However, you may have to file a claim in a much shorter time. It is critical to check with a car accident attorney to make sure you know the applicable time limits for your case. Failure to file a claim or lawsuit promptly could forever bar you from recovering from those at fault.
No. The first thing you should do is contact an experienced Tucson, Yuma, or San Luis AZ car accident lawyer. The last thing you want to do is talk with the responsible party’s insurance representative about your accident.
The adjuster for the insurance carrier, whose job it is to minimize the amount of money the responsible party may have to pay as a result of the crash, is looking for ways to shift the blame to you or someone else. Statements given shortly after the collision often are not complete due to the stress of the injuries or death that occurred. Later, when asked the same questions under less stress, more details are often given, which creates the impression of inconsistency and can lead to suspicion or doubt about your recollection.
You should not provide any statements to the responsible party’s insurance adjuster, even if they suggest you do so. You should not sign any statement or release that would permit them access to your medical or employment records before you consult with an auto accident lawyer in San Luis AZ.
Most insurance carriers have car accident lawyers on staff (or will immediately hire them) so they can begin defending the case right away. As such, time is of the essence.
To protect you, the scene must be secured. Photographs and witness statements must be taken immediately so that important pieces of evidence are not lost, misplaced or worse, purposely destroyed.
It is critical. A thorough investigation must be performed to prove fault for the crash. An investigation should include an examination of the scene, examination of the vehicles involved, and photographs of the scene and vehicles.
In addition, the best car accident attorneys will also obtain statements from the witnesses. You should not move your vehicle after the accident until told to do so by the responding law enforcement officers. Its location will be a key part of the investigation.
The parties responsible for causing the accident and injuries can be required to pay damages. A seriously injured plaintiff may be entitled to recover:
If your loved one died in an automobile accident, you and any other survivors may recover damages. These may include monetary damages for economic losses, such as lost financial support and funeral expenses, as well as emotional distress damages for loss of love, society and companionship.
The responsible party must pay only for the bills that are reasonable in charge, necessary for your recovery, and were for accident-related treatment.
Drunk driving can result in both criminal charges and a civil lawsuit. Additionally, the business that sold alcohol to the drunk driver may also be liable if it served the driver when he or she was visibly intoxicated.
Depending on the circumstances, the drunk driver and the business may be liable for punitive damages. If you have been in an accident involving alcohol or drugs, you should seek the help of an experienced Tucson and Yuma AZ auto accident lawyers to maximize your recovery.
Where you live does not determine where your injury case may be filed. The general rule is that the lawsuit is brought where the responsible party resides or where the responsible party caused the injury.
Therefore, your case will generally be filed in the county in which the responsible party lives or in the county where the actual injury took place. If there are multiple parties responsible for causing an injury or death, they can all be sued in the same action. If a responsible party is from out of state, but the injury occurred in Arizona, the responsible party may be sued in the county in which the injury took place.
Deciding where your case will be filed requires a complex fact specific analysis. Contact our car accident attorneys in Tucson and Yuma to discuss further.
Generally, you will need to retain an auto accident attorney in Yuma, AZ or Tucson, AZ to establish liability against any potential defendants and help maximize your damage recovery.
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