After being injured in a car accident, victims may have many questions: Is this the other driver’s fault? Can I get compensation for my medical treatment?
The licensed injury attorneys at Phillips Law Group are available to answer these and other questions victims may have, at no cost. If you have a valid claim and hire one of our Avondale car accident lawyers, there are no upfront costs to pay. We do not charge our clients unless we recover an insurance settlement or compensation through a courtroom verdict.
Our firm recovered $4 million in a car accident claim for a victim who suffered a paralyzing injury. Overall, Phillips Law Group has obtained more than $1 billion for Arizona personal injury victims. Our founding attorney Jeffrey Phillips is a member of the “Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association” Top 25.
Your injuries could affect you for a long time. Our experienced attorneys may be able to recover compensation to help you move forward with your life.
Phillips Law Group phone: 602-222-222.
Can I File a Claim for Compensation?
Our attorneys need to understand more about your accident, including the extent of your injuries and any evidence you may have collected to determine if you may have a valid claim for compensation.
We also need to consider how the accident happened, whether the other driver broke any traffic laws, whether you may have been at fault, the insurance coverage that may apply, and a variety of other factors.
There is limited time to take legal action, so it is important to contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Our no-obligation initial consultation is free of charge.
Can I Still File if I Was Partially to Blame?
In short, yes, you can still file a claim. Arizona law says the victim’s own fault in an accident does not prohibit him or her from seeking compensation. If the victim’s claim is successful, any compensation awarded must be reduced in proportion to the victim’s percentage of fault.
You can discuss how this system works in a free consultation with a licensed attorney. You may not be at fault, but even if you are, you should still speak to an attorney. You may be eligible to seek compensation.
What Your Case May Be Worth
The value of a car accident claim is based on many factors, such as:
- Economic and non-economic damages suffered
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether you are partially at fault for the accident
- The value of insurance policies that may cover the accident
- Whether the other driver has insurance or enough to cover your damages
Economic compensation refers to the out-of-pocket costs incurred after an accident, such as medical expenses for things like:
- Emergency room treatment
- Medications prescribed for when you are discharged
- Rehabilitation
- Surgery after the accident
- Appointments with doctors and specialists
- Testing to help diagnose your injuries
Other out-of-pocket costs may include lost wages from missing work, lost earning capacity if you cannot work in the same field or capacity as before, and the cost of repairing or replacing the fair market value of your vehicle.
Non-economic damages often refer to the physical pain and psychological suffering one may endure because of crash injuries. Other non-economic damages may include loss of companionship and lost enjoyment of life.
Our Avondale car accident lawyers understand that the value of each case is unique. We have the resources to thoroughly investigate your crash, medical records and other factors to help us calculate the full effect of the accident on your life.
What if the Other Driver Has No Insurance?
Despite the fact that it is illegal, some drivers choose not to buy insurance. When they cause an accident, victims may not be sure if they can still recover compensation. In Arizona, the at-fault party in a personal injury accident is financially responsible for the damages suffered by the victim.
Fortunately, you may be eligible to file a claim against your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, if you have it. This optional coverage may also apply if you file a claim that exceeds the policy limits of the other driver’s insurance. If this happens, your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage kicks in to help pay for damages that exceed the other driver’s policy limits.
There are often certain requirements that must be met before our attorneys can file your UM/UIM claim, which you can discuss with us in a free consultation.
We have extensive knowledge of Arizona car insurance laws and when various coverages can be utilized.
How Much Time Do I Have to Seek Compensation?
Insurance companies have deadlines for filing claims, so it is important to call a lawyer right away so he or she can get the process started before the deadline passes.
Unfortunately, insurance companies are notorious for denying legitimate claims or offering lowball settlements that do not cover victims’ damages. When this happens, our attorneys may be able to file a lawsuit to seek fair compensation.
The deadline for filing most lawsuits is within two years of the date of the accident. This means that lawsuits filed more than two years after the date of the accident will likely be thrown out of court.
There are many exceptions to this standard deadline that may apply in your situation:
- Minors have two years from their 18th birthday to file lawsuits
- Claims against public entities or employees have a 180-day notice requirement
- The deadline could be much longer when the victim is of unsound mind – the statute of limitations stops running until the victim is declared mentally sound
We can review the potential deadline for your claim in a free consultation with one of our licensed attorneys. The clock on your claim may already be running. Contact Phillips Law Group as soon as possible.
Our phone lines are open 24/7 to take your call.
What are the Advantages of Hiring a Lawyer?
After an accident, you need to be focused on your medical treatment and recovery. If you hire an experienced attorney, you can do that while your lawyer manages the legal process. Your attorney can communicate with the insurance company to protect the value of your claim.
However, you need an experienced attorney with a track record of success in car accident claims. At Phillips Law Group, we have represented countless car crash victims for nearly 30 years and recovered millions in compensation on their behalf.
While many car crash claims are resolved in settlements with insurance companies, our attorneys prepare every claim for trial.
Our Avondale auto accident attorneys are here to help.
Arizona’s Fault-Based Car Insurance System
As mentioned before, in Arizona, the at-fault party is financially responsible for damages from the accident. That generally means the victim can file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
The victim can also file a personal injury lawsuit or file a claim with his or her own insurance company. If you do file a claim through your own insurer, they will likely seek compensation from the other driver’s insurance company.
All drivers in Arizona are required to purchase the following coverage, at minimum, to help cover the costs for an accident they cause:
- $15,000 per victim and $30,000 per accident in bodily injury liability
- $10,000 per crash for property damage
Drivers often purchase more than these minimum amounts.
Your attorney must prove the accident resulted from negligence to recover insurance compensation. Negligence refers to the failure to uphold a legal duty of care, which is directly linked to an injury and resulting damages.
What Should I Say if the Insurance Company Calls Me?
You should be very cautious about statements you make to insurance companies that contact you after an accident, even your own. Anything beyond the basic facts could hurt your claim. Insurance companies are looking for some reason to deny your claim or pay out a very small settlement. They will use anything you say against you, particularly statements about:
- Severity of your injuries
- What you were doing in the moments before the crash
- Your role in the crash
- What you remember about the crash
Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions designed to get you to say things that may be used against you to lower the value of your claim. For example, they may ask the same question multiple times in different ways to get you to say something that makes it sound like you were at fault.
If they offer you a settlement, it is likely to be much lower than the full value of your claim. It is very difficult to know the full value of your claim early in the process before you have completed your medical treatment.
If the insurance company asks for a recorded statement, it is generally best to decline. Your Avondale auto accident lawyer can review these requests with you and help you decide if and when it may be appropriate to record a statement after a crash.
Our attorneys are prepared to deal with your insurance provider on your behalf. We have many years of experience working with insurance companies, and we know how to protect claims.
Phillips Law Group: 602-222-222 . We are ready to assist you.
Accidents That Often Result in Injuries
Our attorneys are prepared to represent victims of many types of car accidents:
These accidents are often the result of negligence, particularly speeding, distracted driving and breaking traffic laws.
Victims could suffer a variety of severe injuries that may require long-term medical treatment:
Contact Us to Schedule a Free Claim Review with an Avondale Car Accident Lawyer
Our attorneys are dedicated to recovering maximum compensation for Arizona injury victims, including those injured in motor vehicle accidents. For more than 27 years, we have been dedicated to the best interests of our clients, and we have a track record of success – more than $1 billion recovered for our clients.
The initial consultation is 100 percent free of charge and there is no requirement for you to take legal action after meeting with us. Our Avondale auto accident lawyers only get paid if our clients get paid.
Founding attorney Jeffrey Phillips has served as lead counsel in more than 40 jury trials and is a member of The National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100.
The phone lines are open anytime, night or day. Phone: 602-222-222. Contact us today.