Arizona · Injured in a crash

Injured in a Car Accident in Willcox?

A semi that jackknifed on I-10 in a dust storm east of town, a car that came off the Rex Allen Drive exit too fast, a pickup that ran the stop sign on Fort Grant Road. If you were just in a crash in Willcox and you are trying to figure out what to do next, this page is the short version, with the Willcox-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. Northern Cochise Community Hospital on Rex Allen Drive has an emergency room and is a Level IV trauma center, which stabilizes people and sends the serious cases on. The nearest Level I trauma center is Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, where the worst I-10 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 Willcox

Inside city limits, the Willcox Police Department responds to crashes. On I-10 it is the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). Outside the city line, on Fort Grant Road toward Bonita, on SR 186 toward Dos Cabezas, on US 191 toward Elfrida, and in the Sulphur Springs Valley farm country, it is the Cochise 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. Willcox Police reports are requested through the department, Cochise County Sheriff's Office reports come from its records unit, and DPS reports come from DPS records.

Roads where Willcox crashes happen

The stretches that come up most: I-10 at the Haskell Avenue, Rex Allen Drive and Fort Grant Road exits, I-10 east of town toward the New Mexico line where blowing dust closes the road, I-10 west toward Texas Canyon, Haskell Avenue through town, and Fort Grant Road north of the interstate. Willcox is a truck-stop town on a major freight corridor, so the other vehicle is very often a semi or company truck from out of state, and the trucking company's insurer will have someone on the case quickly. Get the truck's DOT number, the trailer plate and the company name in your photos.

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.