Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Tempe?

A rear-end hit on the I-10 ramps at Baseline Road, a pedestrian crossing against traffic at University Drive and Rural Road on a game night, a pile-up on the Loop 202 near Tempe Marketplace. If you were just in a crash in Tempe and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Tempe-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. HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center on Mill Avenue, the former Tempe St. Luke's, has a 24-hour emergency room. Tempe has no designated trauma center, so serious injuries go to Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa or Chandler Regional Medical Center, both Level I. 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 Tempe

Inside city limits, the Tempe Police Department responds to crashes. On I-10, US-60, Loop 101 and Loop 202, 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. Tempe Police reports are requested through the department's records unit, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where Tempe crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: the I-10 ramps at Baseline Road, US-60 between I-10 and the Loop 101, McClintock Drive and Rio Salado Parkway by the Loop 202 interchange, University Drive and Rural Road next to Arizona State University, and Mill Avenue through downtown. Many Tempe crashes involve students on foot, on bikes or on scooters, so photos of the crosswalks, the signals and the bike lanes 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.