Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in South Tucson?

A rear-end crash on South 6th Avenue in front of the taquerías, a car pulling out of a parking lot on South 4th Avenue without looking, a pileup on I-10 at the edge of town where the freeway meets I-19. If you were just in a crash in South Tucson and you are not sure what comes next, this page is the short version, with the South Tucson 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. The closest Level I trauma centers are Banner University Medical Center Tucson near the university and Carondelet St. Joseph's Hospital on the east side. Banner University Medical Center South, just down the road on Ajo Way, has a 24-hour emergency room and is a Level III trauma center. 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 South Tucson

Inside the city limits, the South Tucson Police Department responds to crashes. Cross the line in any direction and you are in the City of Tucson, where the Tucson Police Department responds. On I-10 and I-19 it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), and in unincorporated parts of Pima County it is the Pima County Sheriff's Department. 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. South Tucson Police reports are requested with the department's public records request form, available in English and Spanish. Tucson Police reports come through the city's online public records portal, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where South Tucson crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: South 6th Avenue from 25th Street to 40th Street, South 4th Avenue through the restaurant blocks, 36th Street where it crosses 6th Avenue, 29th Street, and I-10 along the west edge of town near the 22nd Street and I-19 interchanges. Many of these are pedestrian and bicycle crashes. Photos of the intersection, the crosswalks and the lighting matter, because these crashes often turn into arguments about who had the right of way.

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.