chat text
Tempe Car Accident Lawyer

Tempe Car Accident Lawyer

Every day, car accidents in Arizona cause serious injuries and take victims’ lives. At Shapiro Law Team, we recognize the preventability of most motor vehicle accidents. We are passionate about holding negligent and irresponsible drivers accountable for their poor decision-making behind the wheel. If a negligent driver or another party caused the accident that left you injured, he or she may owe you financial compensation for your damages. Call our Tempe car accident attorneys to discuss your car accident case in detail today or click here to request a free consultation.

Why Clients Choose Shapiro Law Team?

  • Our founder has dedicated his entire professional career to helping people such as car accident victims. David Shapiro’s law firm has achieved countless settlements and positive jury verdicts.
  • Our clients benefit from constant one-on-one attention from their attorneys. If you choose our law firm, you will never be in the dark about the status of your car accident claim.
  • Our law firm has trial attorneys who do not hesitate if they have to go to court. We can represent you at trial if an insurance company refuses to offer a fair car accident settlement.
  • Our car accident attorneys in Tempe, Arizona do not charge for their legal services until they succeed in obtaining compensation for the client.

When to Call a Car Accident Lawyer in Tempe

After a minor fender bender in Tempe, you may be able to deal with the insurance claims process on your own. Minor damages or injuries may require the help of an attorney. If, however, you were in a car accident that caused moderate or serious injuries, bringing in a lawyer could ensure you do not settle for less than your case is worth. The same is true if you lost a loved one in an auto accident.

A lawyer can take over negotiations with a vehicle insurance company on your behalf to ensure you are treated fairly. If they refuse to do so, your lawyer can go to trial in pursuit of justice instead. Trusting your serious car accident case to an attorney in Tempe could change its outcome for the better.

Arizona Car Accident Statistics

Being a driver in Arizona means potentially dealing with significant hazards on your daily drive. Bad weather, crossing animals, potholes, and negligent drivers are examples of problems that could lead to serious vehicle collisions. In 2019 alone, the Arizona Department of Transportation recorded 129,750 total car crashes, 911 fatal accidents, and 36,926 injury accidents. Most of these car accidents trace back to the same common causes.

  • Distracted driving
  • Texting and driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Driving while fatigued
  • Driving without a license
  • Following too closely
  • Speeding
  • Reckless driving
  • Breaking traffic laws
  • Poor vehicle maintenance
  • Road defects/bad weather

Unsafe lane changes, illegal turns, failure to yield the right-of-way, ignored red lights and wrong-way drivers are examples of human errors that cause catastrophic car accidents in Tempe. If another driver caused your wreck, his or her insurance company may owe you compensation. Otherwise, another party may owe you money, such as the government for a neglected roadway or a trucking company for a dangerous truck driver. A lawyer from Shapiro Law Team can help you understand causation and identify the defendant in your car accident case.

Types of Car Accident Cases We Accept

As one of the most common causes of serious injuries and wrongful deaths in Arizona, car accident law is a prominent practice area at most personal injury law firms. Shapiro Law Team is no exception. We have helped numerous clients recover fair and full compensation during auto accident claims. Some of our previous results include a $2.75 million settlement for a trucking collision and $1.75 million for a motorcycle accident. Our law firm accepts many different types of auto accident cases in Tempe.

After any type of vehicle collision in Arizona, contact us to discuss whether you have grounds to hold someone legally responsible. If so, we may be able to help you demand maximum compensation for your damages. Our attorneys have the experience, knowledge, and education to handle any type of motor vehicle claim in Tempe. We can investigate the crash, revisit the scene, collect evidence, and speak to your doctor for medical documentation. Your lawyer will handle all the legal aspects of your claim while you focus on healing.

Common Car Accident Injuries

The intense gravitational forces involved in the average car accident can wreak havoc on the human body and be disastrous for those involved. External and internal physical injuries can be extreme and life-altering for survivors. They can also be fatal. In our years of experience helping clients with car accident lawsuits, we have come to recognize some of the most common personal injuries, emotional traumas, and other damages related to these accidents. We work hard to obtain compensation for our clients for all economic and non-economic damages based on the specific injury involved.  Common injuries include:

  • Bone fractures
  • Muscle injuries
  • Soft-tissue injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Knee injuries
  • Rib fractures
  • Back and spinal cord injuries
  • Skull fractures
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Internal injuries or bleeding
  • Lacerations
  • Burns

Depending on the severity of the injuries involved in your accident, you may be looking at permanent disability, or long term rehabilitation or medical care.  This is why it is paramount that you hire an attorney who listens to you, understands your injuries and can fight for the compensation you’ll need moving forward.

Navigating Arizona’s Car Accident Laws

The measures you will need to take to bring and win a car accident claim depend on the laws in your state. Every state handles car accident claims differently based on that state’s statutes. An attorney in Arizona will have the knowledge and licensure in your state to address the laws and rules that will apply to your claim. You do not have to navigate your state’s complicated car accident laws alone. David Shapiro can guide you through relevant laws to ensure a valid car accident claim in Arizona.

  • Fault-based insurance laws. Arizona’s tort-based insurance law allows car accident victims to seek financial compensation from at-fault parties. The person who caused the crash will have to pay for damages. In a no-fault state, on the other hand, a victim will file a claim with his or her insurance regardless of fault. Arizona’s fault laws can lead to greater compensation since you always have the right to bring the at-fault driver to court.
  • Pure comparative negligence laws. Arizona is also a pure comparative negligence state. This law means an injured victim’s partial fault for the car accident will not bar him or her from financial recovery. Even with comparative negligence, the plaintiff could recover partial compensation from the other at-fault party. The plaintiff will receive a reduced settlement or judgment award, however, based on his or her percentage of comparative fault.
  • Statute of limitations. In most cases, car accident cases and other personal injury claims in Arizona come with a two-year statute of limitations. This is a law imposing a strict deadline by which a plaintiff must bring a cause of action against a defendant. If you wait longer than two years to seek damages from a defendant, you may learn you no longer have grounds to file. The statute of limitations only has a few exceptions. Act quickly to seek damages after an auto accident in Arizona to avoid missing your filing window.

Other laws your car accident lawsuit might involve are product liability laws (for a defective car part), tort claim laws (for a case against the government), premises liability laws (for a roadway defect), and vicarious liability laws (for a crash involving an employee or minor). You do not have to understand or navigate all the laws pertaining to your Tempe car accident claim by yourself. Hire an attorney from Shapiro Law Team to assist you with the elements of your specific case.

How to Handle an Insurance Claims Adjuster

A major part of your car accident claim in Tempe will be dealing with the at-fault driver’s car insurance provider. You will need to file your initial car insurance claim as soon as possible – ideally within 24 hours of the crash. Your initial claim only needs the basic facts of the case, such as its location, how many people it involved, and whether you have any injuries or property damages. You will then wait for a phone call from an insurance claims adjuster to complete the rest of your claim. The adjuster will work for the insurance company, not for you. Be careful what you say during conversations with a claims adjuster.

  • Never admit fault. Even if you think you contributed to the car crash in Tempe, do not say this to the adjuster. Instead, allow an official investigation to determine fault.
  • Limit the information you provide. Only answer the questions asked and do so with short answers rather than long narratives. Stick to the facts – do not speculate or guess. If you do not know how to answer a question, say so.
  • Politely decline to give a recorded statement. Recording a statement from you is a tactic the adjuster may use to diminish your reliability as a witness. The law does not obligate you to say yes to this request.
  • Do not accept a fast insurance settlement. It may be tempting to say yes to the first offer and quickly resolve your case. Accepting a lowball offer, however, could make it impossible for you to obtain fair compensation for your past and future damages.
  • Hand things over to a lawyer if you feel uncomfortable. You do not have to be the one to speak to the insurance claims adjuster. If you do not want to deal with an adjuster, your lawyer can take care of conversations on your behalf.

Always speak to a car accident lawyer in Tempe before accepting a settlement from a car insurance company. While an insurance adjuster will want to get in the way of your financial recovery, a lawyer will want to optimize your compensation. Trusting your claim to an attorney could improve your negotiation capabilities and lead to a greater award for your damages. It could also enable you to take the insurance company to trial in Maricopa County, if necessary.

How Much Is Your Car Accident Worth?

Car accidents can be expensive. Adding together injury-related medical bills, vehicle repairs and rental car costs could total into the thousands. Combined with lost income from being unable to return to work, the average car accident victim could encounter significant financial strain. It is no surprise that a top question we receive at Shapiro Law Team is how much a client’s case might be worth. This is a question that is specific per person and one we can only answer during an in-depth consultation with one of our attorneys. The types of damages available, however, remain essentially the same in Arizona.

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Property damages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Out-of-pocket costs
  • Travel and rental car costs
  • Legal fees
  • Wrongful death benefits
  • Punitive damages

A compensatory award in Arizona could pay for your past and future losses, as well as damages that are both tangible and intangible. The value of your specific car accident claim will depend on factors such as the type of injury and whether it will be permanent. In general, more severe personal injuries and expensive vehicle damages will lead to a claim that is worth more money than a minor car accident case. We can review the potential value of your claim in more detail with you during a free consultation today.

Contact a Tempe Car Accident Attorney for Free Today

Car accidents might happen often on the streets of Tempe, Arizona, but that does not make your case any less important or unique. It is critical to hire an attorney who cares about the person behind the personal injury claim. At Shapiro Law Team, our lawyers are in this business because they are truly passionate about helping people. We may be able to help you secure a positive outcome for your Tempe car accident case. Start by requesting a free consultation. Contact us online or call (480) 300-5405 to speak to an attorney.

Free Consultation

  • All fields required *
  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.