Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Safford?

A left turn onto 8th Avenue off Thatcher Boulevard that never saw the oncoming car, a rear-end on US 70 past Solomon, a rollover on US 191 heading south. If you were just in a crash in Safford and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Safford-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. Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center on South 20th Avenue has a 24-hour emergency department and is a Level III trauma center, the main hospital for the Gila Valley. The nearest Level I trauma center is Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, where the most serious crashes are usually flown. 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 Safford

Inside city limits, the Safford Police Department responds to crashes, including those on Thatcher Boulevard in town. On US 70 outside the city and on US 191 it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). In the rest of Graham County, toward Solomon, Pima and Fort Thomas, it is the Graham 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. Safford Police reports are requested through the department, Graham County Sheriff's Office reports come from its records unit, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where Safford crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: US 70 (Thatcher Boulevard) through town, especially the left turns at 8th Avenue and the other numbered avenues, US 70 east toward Solomon and Gripe Road, US 191 south toward I-10, 20th Avenue between the hospital and the highway, and US 70 west through Thatcher and Pima. Thatcher Boulevard is a highway that doubles as the town's main street, so many crashes are failure-to-yield collisions at driveways and side streets, and the argument is usually about who had the right of way. Photos of where both cars ended up, taken before they are moved, settle a lot of those arguments.

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.