Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Phoenix?

The Broadway Curve on I-10 at 5 p.m., a red-light runner at 19th Avenue and Camelback, a chain reaction on I-17 near the Stack. If you were just in a crash in Phoenix and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Phoenix-specific details, and links to the full guides.

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. Valleywise Health Medical Center, Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, and HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center are all Level I trauma centers inside the city. 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 Phoenix

Inside city limits, the Phoenix Police Department responds to crashes. On I-10, I-17, Loop 101, Loop 202 and State Route 51, it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). In unincorporated pockets of Maricopa County 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. Phoenix Police reports are requested through the department's online public records portal, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where Phoenix crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: I-10 through the Broadway Curve and the Stack, I-17 from downtown to the Loop 101, 19th Avenue and Camelback Road, 35th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, Central Avenue and McDowell Road near the light rail, and Cave Creek Road at Cactus Road. Photos of the intersection, the signals, and the lane markings matter more here than anywhere, because many of these crashes turn into arguments about who had the light or who changed lanes.

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.