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Hiring a Car Accident Attorney in Glendale

People in Glendale, Arizona who have been in a car accident might be able to get a settlement to cover losses related to the accident. A Glendale car accident lawyer can give you sound legal advice and help you win a settlement from your case.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in the Glendale, Arizona area, filing a personal injury claim might be the way for you to get compensated for damages you sustained.

People who hire personal injury lawyers from experienced law firms get higher settlement amounts, on average, than people who try to take on a claim alone.

A skilled Arizona auto accident lawyer can assess your situation and help you determine whether it is worth filing a claim against the liable insurance company or another party.

Keep reading this article to learn what to do following a car accident, and how an experienced Glendale personal injury lawyer can help you.

 

What To Do After A Car Accident In Glendale, AZ

As a car accident victim, what you do after getting in a car crash can make or break your personal injury claim. Follow the steps below after a crash whenever possible.

Step 1: Gather Documents

After a car crash, it will be very helpful to have all documents related to your accident on hand. Gather any paperwork related to your finances, the accident, property damage, or your injuries.

Collect things like medical bills, police reports, insurance information for the involved drivers, and evidence like eyewitness accounts and photos of the accident.

If you are able to gather this paperwork prior to meeting with an attorney for a free consultation, it will make the process of starting your claim smoother and faster.

Step 2: Reach Out To A Glendale Car Accident Attorney

A lawyer with years of experience in the practice area of car accident law can help you recover damages after a crash. For a list of law offices in the Glendale area, contact us today.

Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they receive a portion of your final settlement amount. In other words, lawyers only get paid if you get paid.

This gives you peace of mind that you will only be advised to pursue a claim if an attorney truly believes you have a good chance of winning a settlement.

Step 3: If Appropriate, File A Personal Injury Claim

After assessing your situation, an attorney can help you decide whether to file a claim. If you do file a personal injury claim, you will notify the liable party in your car accident that you are going to pursue compensation from them.

Settlements won in personal injury claims can help pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and even pain and suffering related to your injuries.

After presenting all relevant information to the liable party and making a case for why you should receive a fair settlement offer, your attorneys and the liable party will negotiate a settlement amount.

Injury victims with minor or serious injuries can file a claim. Usually, people with more serious injuries receive larger settlement offers.

Step 4: If Necessary, File A Lawsuit

In rare cases, it might not be possible for you, your attorneys, and the liable party to agree on a settlement amount.

In these situations, the next step might be to file a lawsuit against the liable parties, which pushes the claim to court where a judge will decide on a fair settlement amount.

You will be happy to have the legal representation of a lawyer with years of experience on your side if your case goes to court.

 

How Does Liability Work In Car Accident Claims In Glendale, AZ?

When a party is liable in an auto accident case, it means that they are legally responsible for paying to compensate damages caused to victims of the accident.

You might assume that whoever causes an accident would be liable for damages, but this is not generally the case.

Like many states, Arizona requires that drivers carry liability insurance. This means that when a driver causes an accident, their insurance company steps in to cover damages claimed by victims.

Sometimes, if an at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, they could be held liable for all or part of a personal injury claim.

Liable parties other than insurance companies or the driver could include the state or municipality responsible for maintaining a roadway, or an auto manufacturer.

 

What Factors Can Influence Your Car Accident Case In Glendale?

It is important to understand the primary factors in Arizona personal injury cases, including unique state laws that impact cases, as well as factors like fault and negligence.

Fault, Liability, And Negligence

Every car accident injury case is based on three main factors: fault, liability, and negligence. It is critical to understand the subtle differences between these terms if you are going to start a claim in Arizona.

Fault refers to the party that causes a motor vehicle accident. In car accidents, one or more drivers is usually at fault. In rare cases, other parties could share fault in a car accident — including manufacturers of faulty vehicles or those responsible for roadway maintenance.

Negligence is another critical term in personal injury law. When a party acts with negligence, it means that they did something that put others in harm’s way. In order for a personal injury claim to be successful, a lawyer must prove that someone’s negligence caused the accident and resulting injuries.

Liability refers to the party responsible for paying damages in a personal injury claim. The liable party is not necessarily the same as the at-fault party.

Arizona Laws

Arizona has some unique laws that impact the legal process of car accident cases in the state.

The first law is called the statute of limitations. This law states that people who get in car crashes in Arizona have two years to begin a personal injury claim. If they don’t start their claim within this window, they will not be able to in the future.

Another Arizona car accident law is called comparative negligence. This law states that when multiple parties share fault in an accident, parties with partial fault can still pursue a personal injury claim.

The final settlement amount will be adjusted according to a driver’s percentage of fault for the accident. If you were partially at fault in a car accident in the Glendale area, an attorney might still be able to help you recover damages through a claim.

What Damages Can You Be Compensated For After An Arizona Car Accident?

The point of a car accident claim is to recover financial compensation to cover losses related to the accident. This compensation is called damages, and there are different categories meant to cover different losses.

Compensatory Damages

Compensatory damages in car accident cases are very straightforward. They are meant to directly reimburse accident victims for financial losses related to the accident.

Costs for medical care, lost wages and benefits, and property damage can be recovered via compensatory damages.

General Damages

General damages are less straightforward but equally as important as compensatory. These damages are meant to seek financial compensation to cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of relationships that occur due to an accident and resulting injuries.

Injuries can impact a victim’s life in many ways, and general damages aim to recover compensation to ease some of this burden.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are awarded by the court in rare cases as a means of punishing the at-fault party for their negligence. Punitive damages cannot be sought by the claimant; they can only be awarded by a judge.

What Causes Car Accidents?

The causes of car crashes in the Glendale area vary widely. Usually, the negligence of one or more drivers leads to an accident.

Common causes of car accidents include:

• Reckless driving: Actions like speeding, tailgating, and other aggressive driving is often called “reckless driving”. These behaviors are dangerous and can result in a crash.
• Dangerous road conditions: Improper signage or hazards like slick roadways or large potholes can lead to vehicle accidents.
• Driver impairment: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is extremely dangerous and makes crashes more likely.
• Driver error: There are countless ways that a driver’s mistake can lead to an accident. Examples include accidentally running a stop sign, failing to look in mirrors before merging, turning from the wrong lane, etc.

 

Types Of Car Accidents That Lead To Personal Injury Claims

While accidents can happen for an infinite number of reasons, they usually fall into a handful of different categories. The type of accident can play a role in who is at fault and whether negligence occurred.

Some common types of car accidents include:

• Broadside collisions: Otherwise known as “T-Bone” collisions, these crashes happen when one vehicle’s front end hits the side of another vehicle.
• Sideswipe collisions: Sideswipe collisions happen when one car swipes another from the side, often clipping the rear end and sending the other car spinning.
• Multiple vehicle accidents: This term is used to refer to any crash that involves two or more vehicles.
• Head-on collisions: Head-on crashes happen when two vehicles traveling toward each other collide with their fronts. These crashes have a high impact force and are very dangerous.
• Hit-and-run accidents: When an accident occurs and a driver flees the scene, it is called a hit-and-run.
• Rear-end collisions: When the front of one car collides with the rear of another car traveling in the same direction, this is called a ‘rear-end’ crash.

 

What Types Of Injuries Can Lead To A Claim?

Car crashes are one of the most common causes of injuries in Arizona. Just about any type of injury you can think of can occur during a car accident.

While even minor injuries can lead to personal injury claims, the claims that result in the highest settlement offers usually include more serious injuries.

Some of the most common injuries suffered in car accidents include:

• Head injuries including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Chest and shoulder injuries
• Whiplash
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Internal organ damage
• Neck injuries
• Burn injuries
• Catastrophic injuries/fatality (wrongful death)

 

Car Accident Rates In Glendale, AZ

Car accidents occur frequently in Glendale and the state of Arizona. Due to its proximity to Phoenix, Arizona’s largest city, Glendale sees crowded roadways and many accidents.

The following are car accident statistics for Glendale and Arizona:

 

Get In Touch With Experienced Car Accident Lawyers In Glendale Today

If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in a car accident in Glendale or surrounding areas like Mesa, Peoria, Tempe, or Scottsdale, a car accident lawyer can help.

We can connect you to the top car accident lawyers in the Glendale area. We only work with legal teams and law groups that have the highest rates of success.

Contact LegalFinders to chat with a specialist and get connected with a top-rated attorney for a case evaluation.