Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Tucson?

Speedway Boulevard by the university on a game night, Grant Road at Alvernon Way, a merge gone wrong where I-10 meets I-19 south of downtown. If you were just in a crash in Tucson and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Tucson-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. Banner University Medical Center Tucson on Campbell Avenue and Carondelet St. Joseph's Hospital on the east side are both Level I trauma centers, and Tucson Medical Center and Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital have 24-hour emergency rooms. 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 Tucson

Inside city limits, the Tucson Police Department responds to crashes. On I-10 and I-19, it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). In unincorporated areas like Catalina Foothills, Tucson Estates and Vail, 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. Tucson Police reports are requested through the department's records section, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where Tucson crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: Grant Road and Alvernon Way, 22nd Street and Alvernon Way, Golf Links Road at Craycroft Road and at Swan Road, Broadway Boulevard at Wilmot Road, Nogales Highway at Valencia Road near the airport, and Oracle Road at Wetmore 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.