Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Buckeye?

A rollover on I-10 near Watson Road, a pickup that ran the light at Yuma Road and Verrado Way, a semi coming in too fast on SR 85. If you were just in a crash in Buckeye and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Buckeye-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. In Buckeye, the Abrazo Buckeye Emergency Center on South Watson Road is a stand-alone emergency room open 24 hours. The closest full hospital is Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear, a Level I trauma center, where the serious I-10 and SR 85 crashes usually go. 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 Buckeye

Inside city limits, the Buckeye Police Department responds to crashes. On I-10 and SR 85 it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). Past the city line, in the unincorporated parts of Maricopa County toward Tonopah and Arlington, it is the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Ask the officer at the scene which agency wrote the report and get the report number.

Arizona crash reports come from the responding agency's records unit. Buckeye Police reports are requested through the department's records section, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where Buckeye crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: I-10 at the Watson Road and Miller Road exits, I-10 at the SR 85 interchange, SR 85 south of town toward Gila Bend, Yuma Road at Verrado Way, and MC 85 (Buckeye Road) through the older part of town. Buckeye has grown faster than its roads, so many of these are freeway-speed collisions with drivers passing through, often at night. The other driver may be from out of state or driving a company truck, which changes who the claim goes to, so photograph the plates and any company markings.

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.