If you’re injured in a car crash, it’s in your best interest to consult with a reputable legal professional. Regardless of whether your car accident case goes all the way to court or ends up being settled, having a Phoenix car accident attorney on your side will ensure your best interests are protected at all times. It will also prevent you from making any mistakes that could end up jeopardizing your entire case.
While it’s a good idea to let legal professionals do what they’re best at, plenty of people want to know more about the laws that are relevant to car accident cases. This can be true for your own case, someone who’s close to you or simply because you’re following a tragic car accident that’s being covered by the news. In terms of which relevant laws are most important for people to know about, there are several on the books in Arizona that have an especially big impact on a number of car accident cases.
Basic Auto Insurance Laws in Arizona
The system that governs Phoenix and the rest of Arizona is known as at-fault. This enables someone who’s hurt in a car accident to pursue compensation from the driver who was at fault for the accident. And ultimately, all drivers in the state of Arizona must maintain a basic level of auto insurance coverage for their vehicle.
The Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims in Phoenix
The purpose of statute of limitations is to set a limit on how long someone has to bring a legal action forward or to be charged with a crime. In the case of car accidents in Phoenix, two years is the standard window for someone to file a claim. The big exception to that duration is if a car accident claim is being filed against a county, city or the state of Arizona itself. With that type of case, the window for filing a claim is compressed to 180 days, and the lawsuit must be brought within one year.
Comparative Negligence 101
In the state of Arizona, a fairly common defense in car accident cases is to argue that the plaintiff was partially or completely to blame for their injuries. This is known as comparative negligence, and if it’s argued successfully, it can reduce the total damages that can be recovered. That’s why it’s not all that uncommon to hear about serious car accidents where people suffered major injuries or even death, only to later learn that the damages available to them or their loved ones were significantly less than most people would expect.
Even though these are just a few of the laws in Arizona that set the course for car accident cases, they demonstrate why this type of case generally ends up being very complex. If you’re injured as a result of a car accident and want to put yourself in the best possible position to secure the compensation you’re entitled to, be sure to find a Phoenix car accident attorney you feel confident in to represent you and manage your case.