Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Gila Bend?

A rear-end crash at the stoplight where State Route 85 meets Pima Street, a truck that drifted across the line on I-8 west of town, a rollover on SR 85 heading north toward Buckeye after dark. If you were just in a crash in Gila Bend and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Gila Bend-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. Gila Bend has no hospital and no emergency room. The town has a primary care clinic, Adelante Healthcare at 100 North Gila Avenue, and the Gila Bend Fire Department handles ambulance response. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Abrazo Buckeye Emergency Center, at 525 South Watson Road in Buckeye, about 40 miles north on SR 85. Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear is the closest state-designated Level I trauma center, and the most seriously injured crash victims from the Gila Bend area are often flown there or to a Level I trauma center in Phoenix. If you were released at the scene, see a doctor within a few days anyway. 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 Gila Bend

Gila Bend is an incorporated town, but local law enforcement is provided by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), which covers Gila Bend and the surrounding unincorporated desert out of its District 2 office at 695 North 105th Avenue in Avondale. MCSO deputies respond to crashes on Pima Street, Martin Avenue and the town streets. On Interstate 8 and on State Route 85, which runs north to Buckeye and south toward Ajo, it is usually the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). Crashes on the Tohono O'odham Nation to the south may be handled by the Nation's police. 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. MCSO crash reports are requested through the Sheriff's Office records section, and DPS reports come from the DPS Records Unit crash report portal. If you are not sure who responded, ask the responding agency.

Roads where Gila Bend crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: I-8 from the SR 85 interchange west toward Dateland and east toward Casa Grande, a rural interstate with heavy truck traffic, long straightaways, fatigue and high speeds, SR 85 from Gila Bend north to Buckeye, a busy truck and commuter route with passing zones and cross traffic from farm roads, the SR 85 and Pima Street signal in town where highway speeds meet local traffic, Pima Street through the motels, gas stations and restaurants, and SR 85 south toward Ajo. Dust storms, monsoon flooding across the road and wildlife on the highway are all real factors here. Photograph the roadway, the skid marks, the lane markings and any signs, because many of these crashes turn into arguments about who crossed the line or who was speeding.

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.