Arizona Car Accident Lawyer
Who pays when another driver causes the crash? Their insurer pays first, and your own policy can add to it once their coverage runs out. As your car accident lawyer, Sam Saks builds the claim against both.
We take the crashes that end in a hospital stay or a broken bone. A stiff neck that clears up in a week rarely needs a lawyer, and on the free call we'll tell you so.
Arizona law on car accident claims
Each point links to the statute or court decision it comes from.
Minimum coverage runs out fast
Arizona drivers need only $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person. A surgery and a few nights in the hospital can pass that, which is where your underinsured motorist coverage comes in.
A.R.S. § 28-4009 (opens in a new tab)Sharing the blame doesn't end the claim
Arizona follows pure comparative fault. A driver found 30 percent responsible for a crash can still recover 70 percent of the damages.
A.R.S. § 12-2505 (opens in a new tab)No cap on what a jury can award
Arizona's constitution bars any law that limits damages for injury or death, so pain and suffering is measured case by case.
Ariz. Const. art. 2, § 31 (opens in a new tab)Two years to sue
Most car accident lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash. When a city or state vehicle was involved, written notice is due within 180 days.
A.R.S. §§ 12-542, 12-821.01 (opens in a new tab)
How a car accident case works with us
- 1
A free call with an attorney
You tell us about the crash and your injuries. If we don't think the case is worth pursuing, you hear that on the same call.
- 2
The records, gathered
Insurers price a claim by what is documented, so the police report and every medical bill go into the file before a demand is sent.
- 3
Every policy found
We read your own policy for underinsured motorist and medical payments coverage. Either one can pay when the other driver's limit is too low.
- 4
Your call on each offer
Offers come to you with our view of them. When an insurer won't pay a fair amount, the next step is a lawsuit.
Why clients choose Saks Law for car accident cases
We don't get paid unless you get paid
Our fee is a percentage of the recovery, set in writing before work begins. If the case ends without one, the costs of pursuing it are ours.
Direct access to Sam
Every client receives Sam's personal cell number when the case begins. Questions go straight to the attorney handling the case.
The coverage case Sam took to the Supreme Court
In Franklin v. CSAA, Sam was counsel for a family when the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a policy covering several cars carries underinsured motorist coverage for each car.
Car accident questions clients ask
If your question isn't here, call 480-440-3331.
Should I talk to the other driver's insurance adjuster?
You can report the crash, but you don't have to give a recorded statement. What you say in one can be used later to argue about fault or about how badly you were hurt. Write down the claim number and the adjuster's name, then call us before you discuss the crash. We can take over every conversation with the insurer from there.
What if I don't have health insurance?
Many Arizona hospitals and clinics will treat you and record a lien against the settlement under A.R.S. § 33-931. The lien is paid when the case resolves, and we negotiate those balances down so more of the money reaches you. Medical payments coverage on your own auto policy, if you carry it, can pay bills as they arrive.
How much is my car accident case worth?
It turns on two things: what the injury has cost you, and how much insurance is available to pay it. Medical bills and lost wages set the starting point, and the effect on your daily life is added to them. Sam gives you a range once the medical records are in, since an estimate made earlier would be a guess.
Do I need a lawyer if the crash wasn't my fault?
Fault decides who pays, and the insurer still decides what it thinks your injuries are worth. An offer made before treatment ends can't account for bills you haven't received yet. If the crash put you in the hospital, a free call tells you where you stand at no cost.
Will you also handle the claim for my car?
Yes, and we take no fee for that part of the case. We negotiate the repair estimate or the total loss value with the insurer while the injury claim moves forward. The car claim usually settles first, since it doesn't wait on your treatment.
Car accident cases across Arizona
We take car accident cases across Arizona, as far north as Show Low and as far south as Tucson. Clients in Casa Grande or Payson can meet with Sam by phone or video, so distance from our office doesn't decide who you hire.
Speak with an injury lawyer before you speak with the insurer.
The case review is free and confidential, and you decide afterward whether to retain us.
Call weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm, or send the form at any hour.