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In a highly populated, highly trafficked, and busy area like Peoria, car accidents happen frequently.
But if you or a loved one have sustained property damage or serious injury in an auto accident, you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. A Peoria car accident lawyer can help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Auto accidents are fairly common in Arizona, with Peoria being no exception.
But if you’ve experienced one of these unfortunate situations, a top car accident attorney can offer the type of legal advice needed to build the strongest case possible.
Here you can learn more about what to do after a car accident in Peoria, how to file a personal injury claim, what to include on your claim, the laws that may affect your claim, and much more.
It may seem obvious who the at-fault party in a car crash is. But the term actually has a much broader legal interpretation.
Any person, party, or institution that played a part in creating the conditions that caused the auto accident can be considered at-fault in Arizona.
But even while the state casts a wide net of culpability, there’s some nuance that also comes with the term.
The intent behind the person’s actions is measured to help determine their level of blame in personal injury cases.
In turn, this will determine the types of damages they’re ultimately responsible for in the case.
It’s common for the at-fault driver to be considered liable in an accident. But there can be multiple parties considered liable in these cases, under Arizona law.
Other individuals, corporations, and even government agencies can all be held accountable for certain aspects of a car accident in the state.
Other motorists could certainly contribute to the accident scene. Or, in cases of a pedestrian accident or bicycle accident, any other people involved in the case could also be found liable.
Sometimes, auto manufacturers are considered at fault, if there were vehicles with poorly designed or malfunctioning equipment involved.
And even government bodies can be held accountable, if roadway conditions were unsafe due to bad designs, confusing or missing signage, or poor maintenance.
Working with a Peoria car accident attorney will help you determine any and all potentially liable parties in your case.
Car accident victims are entitled to a variety of legal recourse in these cases.
A personal injury claim is the most common step people make after getting involved in an auto accident.
During the claims process, property damage, medical bills, and pain and suffering are all considered, along with financial compensation.
Most of the time, people will hire a law office to handle the claims process for them. An attorney with years of experience can help the process go as smoothly and successfully as possible.
If a fair settlement can’t be reached through, there’s also the option to take your case to court. Usually, this takes the matters out of the hands of the lawyers, and leaves the ultimate verdict regarding damages in the hands of a judge or jury.
A free consultation with a personal injury attorney will help build the type of client relationship needed to assess whether you want this law firm to represent you in this case.
Regardless of how you choose to legally handle the matter, there are some steps you can take after a car accident that will give you the most — and best — choices possible.
Technically, acquiring legal representation for your car accident case is not a requirement. But if there was any property damage or personal injury involved, you may want to consider the idea.
A lawyer from the Peoria area will be familiar with the Arizona court system and particularities of the location that can open up different opportunities for seeking damages or better negotiations.
And in general, the years of experience a good attorney brings to the table will mean you can take a moment to relax a bit, hopefully bringing some sense of peace to a difficult time.
Whether or not you choose to hire a lawyer to file your personal injury claim, gathering evidence is very important.
Your attorney will be able to instruct you on which documents are most-needed to build your case. Overall, you might want to take special note of:
Car accident cases are frequently settled out of court, meaning all sides agree on a fair financial compensation. But of course, this outcome isn’t always the case.
If the legal teams can’t agree, you’ll be able to take your case to court. At this point, if you haven’t already hired an experienced attorney, it’s highly recommended to do so.
Car accidents generate all sorts of costs, be they financial, physical, or emotional in nature.
And while the price of some of these injuries is too high to ever repay, damages awarded in a case are meant to at least monetarily compensate for the experience.
Any medical treatment or attention you needed due to the crash will be considered, including costs related to:
If your injuries caused you to miss work after the accident, you’ll also be eligible for compensation related to any missed salary, or diminished earning potential connected to accounts, bonuses, or promotions you were passed over for.
If your injuries prevented you from returning to your job altogether, you could seek additional damages to compensate for the cost of being unemployed, or changing careers.
Some of the most costly injuries in an auto accident are often some of the most difficult to put a number on.
But damages for pain and suffering are awarded in the spirit of universal compassion.
This can include any trauma related to:
These damages are only issued in the most unfortunate cases. They’ll never be able to bring back a loved one, but include compensation for:
Car accidents are one of the most dangerous and deadly incidents in America, seeing a 16-year high in 2021 with nearly 43,000 roadway fatalities.
They can also cause a number of serious injuries, including:
The state that a personal injury case is filed in is one of the most impactful factors determining the outcome of the case and the damages that are ultimately rewarded.
An experienced Peoria car accident lawyer will know the specific laws that may affect your claim. But there are a few Arizona state laws that will likely play a role.
The statute of limitations represents how long you have to file your claim. In Arizona, the limit for filing a personal injury claim related to an auto accident is two years.
Arizona is an at-fault state. This can impact your case in a number of ways.
In at-fault states, the person or parties responsible for paying the damages are those who are found “at fault” for causing the accident. But in Arizona, that can be any number of people.
That’s because Arizona also follows a law called comparative negligence.
Comparative negligence looks at each party’s comparative fault in the accident, which means you could be assigned some level of fault for your own accident.
This is why it’s important to work with a Peoria car accident lawyer to ensure you are not assigned a greater level of fault than is rightfully yours.
Peoria is close to the busy urban areas of Phoenix and Scottsdale. It’s also not far from some major trucking routes found on Route 17 and is home to a number of twisting mountain roads.
All of these reasons can contribute to the number of car crashes that take place in the city every year.
Specific statistics are difficult to calculate. The state of Arizona typically doesn’t break down its annual car accident rates by urban area. But there are a number of common factors that likely also play a role in Peoria’s accident count.
Distracted driving and driving while fatigued are two growing problems in roadway safety, leading to an increasing number of accidents every year.
And, as with anywhere, motorists could exhibit dangerous driving behavior, roadway conditions could be unsafe, or vehicle malfunctions can happen at any time.
The state doesn’t issue car accident rates on a city-by-city basis, but it’s likely that Peoria encounters a not infrequent number of car crashes. That’s because in general, Arizona is considered a relatively dangerous place to drive.
In 2021, the state saw nearly 122,000 car crashes, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Of those, more than 900 were fatal.
A Peoria-based law firm will be able to provide more specific advice for your case, but these answers should address more broad concerns.
Whether you’re in Peoria, Tucson, Glendale, Sun City, or elsewhere in Arizona, you can access high-quality legal representation after a car accident.
A top Peoria car accident lawyer will help you build the strongest case possible to seek the compensation you deserve. And LegalFinders can help put you on your way.
Schedule a free case evaluation today to be connected with experienced law firms near you.
