Arizona · Injured in a crash
Car Accidents in Arizona: What to Do and What the Law Says
Arizona handles car accidents differently from Florida and from most of the country. There is no no-fault system, no PIP, and no 14-day rule, but there is a deadline that catches people, and a notice rule for crashes with government vehicles that catches even more. This page is the short version of all of it, with links to the full guides and to the pages we have written for towns across the state.
The five Arizona rules that decide most cases
- The at-fault driver's insurer pays. Arizona is an at-fault state. There is no PIP and no 14-day rule. Your medical bills go to the at-fault driver's liability coverage, and to your own medical payments coverage if you bought it. That makes the police report and the photos the whole case. What to do after a car accident in Arizona.
- You have two years to file. For most car accident injury claims in Arizona the deadline to file a lawsuit is two years from the date of the crash.
- Government vehicle? 180 days. If a city, county or state vehicle was involved, you must file a formal notice of claim within 180 days or the claim is gone. That includes police cars, buses, and road crews.
- Being partly at fault does not erase your claim. Arizona uses pure comparative negligence. If you were 30 percent at fault, you recover 70 percent. Even someone mostly at fault can still recover something. Partly at fault in an Arizona crash.
- The other driver's insurer will call first. You are not required to give them a recorded statement. What to say when they call.
What to do in the first 48 hours
- Call 911 and get a police report, even for a small crash. Inside a city it is usually the city police; on the interstates and state routes it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety; in unincorporated areas it is the county sheriff.
- Photograph both cars, both licenses, both insurance cards, and the scene.
- See a doctor within a few days, even if you feel fine. Every day between the crash and the first visit is a day the other driver's insurer will use against you.
- Report the crash to your own insurer. Facts only.
- Do not accept a quick check or sign anything from the other driver's insurer.
- Keep every bill, receipt, and visit summary.
The full step-by-step list is in What to Do After a Car Accident in Arizona.
The Arizona guides
- What to do after a car accident in Arizona
- Partly at fault in an Arizona crash
- Do I need a lawyer if it wasn't my fault
- How long after a crash can you claim an injury
- Should I talk to the other driver's insurance
- What decides how much a car accident case is worth
- How much does a car accident lawyer cost
- Injured in an Uber or Lyft
Arizona towns we cover
Each page below has the local details for that town: which police agency writes the crash report and how to get it, the nearest emergency room and trauma center, and the roads where crashes actually happen.
- Anthem
- Apache Junction
- Avondale
- Benson
- Buckeye
- Bullhead City
- Camp Verde
- Casa Grande
- Cave Creek
- Chandler
- Chino Valley
- Coolidge
- Cottonwood
- Douglas
- El Mirage
- Eloy
- Flagstaff
- Florence
- Fountain Hills
- Gila Bend
- Gilbert
- Glendale
- Globe
- Goodyear
- Guadalupe
- Holbrook
- Kingman
- Lake Havasu City
- Litchfield Park
- Marana
- Maricopa
- Mesa
- Nogales
- Oro Valley
- Page
- Paradise Valley
- Parker
- Payson
- Peoria
- Phoenix
- Prescott
- Quartzsite
- Queen Creek
- Rio Rico
- Safford
- Sahuarita
- San Luis
- San Tan Valley
- Scottsdale
- Sedona
- Show Low
- Sierra Vista
- Snowflake
- Somerton
- South Tucson
- Sun City
- Superior
- Surprise
- Tempe
- Tolleson
- Tucson
- Vail
- Wickenburg
- Willcox
- Williams
- Winslow
- Yuma
Don't see your town? The Arizona rules above apply everywhere in the state, and so does the free case review.
When to talk to a lawyer
Not every fender bender needs one. Talk to a lawyer when you were injured and are still treating after a week or two, when the other driver was uninsured or fled, when fault is being disputed, when a government vehicle was involved, or when you missed work. Arizona personal injury lawyers work on contingency, which means no fee unless they recover money for you, and the first conversation is free. How much does a car accident lawyer cost.
If you were injured in Arizona, we can help
Call Clyne connects people who were injured in a crash with a licensed Arizona personal injury attorney for a free case review. We are not a law firm. We ask you a few questions, the attorney looks at your case at no cost, and you decide. No obligation.
Call Clyne is a lawyer referral service, not a law firm. Stephen Clyne is not an attorney. This article is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. Talk to a licensed Arizona attorney about your situation.