Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Benson?

A chain reaction on I-10 in the dust or the truck traffic east of town, a rear-end crash at the Fourth Street interchange, a left turn gone wrong on State Route 90 headed toward Sierra Vista. If you were just in a crash in Benson, or nearby in St. David or Bisbee, and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Benson-specific details, and links to the full guides.

It costs nothing to find out

If you are reading this and thinking you cannot afford a lawyer, read this part first. Personal injury lawyers do not charge you to talk, do not charge by the hour, and do not charge anything unless they recover money for you. The fee comes out of the recovery at the end, never out of your pocket. The first conversation is free. Call Clyne is free too: we ask you a few questions and connect you with a licensed Arizona attorney who looks at your case at no cost. Nobody will ask you for money. Read How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost.

First, the two things that matter most in Arizona

See a doctor within a few days, even if you feel fine. Arizona has no 14-day rule and no PIP. It is an at-fault state, so the at-fault driver's insurer pays, and your own medical payments coverage, if you have it, can pay early bills. Every day between the crash and the first visit is a day the other driver's insurer will use against you. Benson Hospital, on South Ocotillo Avenue, is the local hospital, with a 24-hour emergency room, and it is a state-designated Level IV trauma center, which means it stabilizes serious patients and transfers them. Down in Bisbee, Copper Queen Community Hospital has its own 24-hour emergency room and trauma designation. The most seriously injured crash victims from Benson, St. David and the I-10 corridor are usually flown or driven to Banner University Medical Center Tucson, the Level I trauma center in Tucson. Urgent care or your own doctor counts too. Read What to Do After a Car Accident in Arizona.

Do not give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. They will call fast and sound friendly. You are not required to talk to them. Read what to say when they call.

Getting your crash report in Benson

Inside city limits, the Benson Police Department responds to crashes on Fourth Street, Ocotillo Avenue, the business loop and the neighborhood streets. On I-10, State Route 90 and State Route 80 outside the city, it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). St. David, Pomerene and the rest of the unincorporated San Pedro Valley are covered by the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, and Bisbee has its own Bisbee Police Department inside its city limits. Ask the officer or deputy at the scene which agency wrote the report and get the report number.

Arizona crash reports come from the responding agency's records unit. Benson Police reports are requested from the Records Window at the police department, 360 South Gila Street, and the department prefers requests by email with its records request form. Cochise County Sheriff's reports are requested from the sheriff's records section at 205 North Judd Drive in Bisbee, off Highway 80. DPS reports, which cover most I-10 crashes around Benson, come from the DPS Records Unit portal.

Roads where Benson crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: I-10 on both sides of Benson, from the Vail and Mescal side on the west to the Dragoon and Willcox side on the east, where truck traffic, blowing dust and sudden slowdowns at construction zones produce multi-vehicle pileups and full freeway closures, the I-10 interchanges at Fourth Street and at State Route 90, State Route 90 south toward Whetstone, Huachuca City and Sierra Vista, a fast two-lane road with commuter and Fort Huachuca traffic, and State Route 80 south through St. David and Tombstone to Bisbee, where the highway narrows and curves through the hills into town. Inside Benson, Fourth Street doubles as the business route and carries the truck stop and travel center traffic coming off the freeway. Photograph the lane markings, the signs and any cones or temporary barriers, because many I-10 crashes turn into arguments about who slowed down, who changed lanes and how far back the warning signs were.

What to do in the first 48 hours

• Call 911 and get a report, even for a "small" crash.
• Photograph both cars, both licenses, both insurance cards, and the scene.
• See a doctor within a few days, even if you feel fine.
• 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.

Know the Arizona clock

For most car accident injury claims in Arizona you have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. If a city, county or state vehicle was involved, you must file a formal notice of claim within 180 days. Arizona uses pure comparative negligence, so being partly at fault reduces your recovery but does not erase it. Details in Partly at Fault in an Arizona Crash.

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, 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. More in Do I Need a Lawyer If It Wasn't My Fault and How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost.

More Arizona towns and the full set of guides: Car accidents in Arizona.

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.