Surprise Car Accident Lawyers

Motor vehicle collisions are all too common in Maricopa County, but many injured parties may not realize they may be entitled to financial compensation for their medical expenses, lost earnings, and other damages. If you were injured in a car accident in Surprise, Arizona, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim. It is important to retain legal counsel immediately to ensure that your rights and best interests are protected.

An experienced Surprise auto accident attorney can review your injury case in a free consultation and explain your options for recovery after a crash.

Recoverable Damages in a Motor Vehicle Collision Case

Personal injury claims for motor vehicle collisions generally involve two types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are intended to cover actual financial losses, such as wage loss, medical bills, or out-of-pocket expenses for medical devices to accommodate a permanent disability or injury. Non-economic damages, on the other hand, address more subjective losses like emotional distress, pain and suffering, or loss of consortium.

Aside from these damages, punitive damages may be available but are reserved for cases involving egregious actions. In the context of a car wreck, punitive damages may be warranted if there is clear evidence showing that the defendant was driving at excessive speeds or while under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the moments leading to the incident. Punitive damages are solely meant to punish the negligent driver and are rarely granted.

Minimum Car Insurance Required for Drivers in Arizona

All drivers are required to carry car insurance. In Arizona, the law mandates the following minimum coverage for motorists:

• Bodily Injury: $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per collision
• Property Damage: $15,000 per crash

This basic level of liability coverage meets the state minimum requirements. However, there are additional types of insurance available, such as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

What if the Other Driver Does Not Have Auto Insurance?

According to a 2022 study conducted by the Insurance Information Institute, researchers reported that about 11.9 percent of drivers in Arizona do not have auto insurance. This estimated percentage was determined through the ratio of personal injury claims to drivers causing crashes without liability coverage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is important to have in Surprise, Arizona, for peace of mind on the road.

Many clients our firm has represented have been injured in crashes by drivers who either had insufficient coverage or had no insurance at all. Fortunately, we were able to secure compensation for them through their uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. This is why we advise everyone to invest in UM/UIM protection. You cannot predict when a crash may occur, and you do not want to end up covering losses out of pocket simply because a UM/UIM waiver was signed.

Why is Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Protection Important?

Without UM and UIM coverage, an injured party may find themselves facing significant out-of-pocket expenses for property damage, medical treatment, wage loss, and other costs. Uninsured and underinsured motorist protection ensures that you have a safety net for the unpredictable. If you were injured in an accident as a pedestrian or bicyclist but do not have auto insurance, your household member’s UM/UIM may extend protection, such as a parent’s insurance policy.

UM coverage is helpful in that it may cover your injuries and damages resulting from a hit-and-run, whether you were a driver, passenger, motorcyclist, pedestrian, or bicyclist. To qualify for UM coverage for a hit-and-run, you must prove that the fleeing motorist made actual physical contact with your vehicle and have a description of the suspect car. For more details, contact an experienced auto accident attorney in Surprise.

What is Comparative Fault and How Does it Affect Accident Claims?

In a bodily injury claim for a car wreck, liability must be established for an injured individual to collect damages. For instance, if an injured party is found 30 percent responsible for the incident and the negligent driver being 70 percent at fault, the injured person’s total award would be reduced by 30 percent. Using this scenario, if the total award is $50,000, the injured party would only be able to recover up to $35,000 ($50,000 total award minus 30 percent fault, or $15,000).

At Southwest Injury Law, our legal team can explain how comparative fault may apply to your specific case. We represent clients of various types of motor vehicle collisions, including distracted driving accidents, hit-and-runs, drunk driving crashes, and more. In every personal injury case, our goal is to help our clients obtain the maximum compensation they need and deserve for their medical costs, wage loss, pain and suffering, and other related damages.

How Much Time Do You Have for an Injury Case in AZ?

In Arizona, injured individuals typically have two years from the date of the incident causing injury to file a case in civil court. The statute of limitations can vary based on specific circumstances. For example, the two-year statute of limitations is reduced to six months if the case is against a government entity. It is advisable to consult with an experienced attorney to ensure that your Surprise auto accident case is filed within the appropriate time limit.

Importance of Retaining Legal Counsel After a Crash

Bodily injury claims for traffic collision cases may quickly become complex legal battles, especially when difficult insurance carriers and defense attorneys are involved. While injured parties may often worry about the cost of hiring a lawyer, it is important to remember that having a skilled Surprise auto accident attorney can greatly improve your chances of securing maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.

Most personal injury attorneys handling Surprise auto accident cases, such as ours at Southwest Injury Law, operate on what is known as a contingency fee basis. This means that a client is not required to make an upfront payment to retain legal counsel. The lawyer handling the case will only get paid if and when they successfully resolve the matter. To learn how our legal team can assist you, give us a call or message us online to schedule your free case review.

How Our Law Firm Can Assist with Your Surprise Auto Accident

If you were injured in a crash in Surprise, Arizona, you should work with our law firm because we offer experienced and dedicated representation to secure the best possible outcome in your case:

• We provide free case evaluations and only charge fees if and when we obtain a successful result for our client.
• Unlike other law firms, we only handle personal injury cases, which gives us extensive knowledge and expertise of what goes into these cases.
• Our legal team prioritizes communication, ensuring that our clients can reach us whenever needed the most and provide updates as they occur in the accident case.
• We have a proven track record, having assisted many clients in recovering maximum compensation in all types of personal injury cases, including those involving traffic collisions.
• Our Surprise car accident lawyers are prepared to take a case to trial to secure maximum recovery for our client if a mutual agreement cannot be met with the insurance company.

To learn about your rights and options after a car accident in Surprise, Arizona, contact our legal team from Southwest Injury Law today for a free case review.

Contact a Surprise, AZ Car Accident Lawyer Today

Protect your rights after a crash by hiring a Surprise auto accident attorney. Call our law firm to book a free consultation today at (602) 777-3300. Our legal team is available to discuss your potential case in a free, no-obligation consultation. We offer clients assistance with motor vehicle collisions throughout Arizona, including Surprise and surrounding communities. Let us discuss your auto accident case and see what we can do to assist you.