Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Arizona to Protect Your Claim

After suffering an injury in an Arizona car accident, there are a few key steps you should take to protect your right to seek compensation. If you don’t take these steps, it could reduce the value of your case or even result in the courts barring you from recovering the compensation you need.

Call 911 and Seek Ongoing Medical Treatment

The first thing to do is call 911 and seek medical treatment. Not only should you seek medical treatment immediately after a car crash, but you should also seek ongoing treatment until you fully recover from your injuries or reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI is the point at which your doctor says additional treatment will not result in further recovery.

Some of the key benefits of seeking ongoing medical treatment after an accident include:

• You will recover your health faster.
• You will create a paper trail that documents your injuries and the treatments you received for them.
• The insurance company will have a harder time arguing that your injuries are not as severe as you claim.

Gather the Other Driver’s Contact and Insurance Information

 If the police come to the accident scene, they will assist you in getting the other driver’s contact and insurance information. If the police do not come to the scene, then it is essential that you get the other driver’s contact and insurance information.

Document the Accident Scene and Injuries

 One of the best ways to protect your claim after a car accident is by writing down everything you remember about the accident and photographing your injuries.  You need to take photographs of the vehicles and accident scene.  You can also keep a pain journal where you write down your pain levels and how your injuries impact your ability to perform your daily tasks.

Track All Bills Related to the Accident

Any time you receive a bill related to the accident, whether it’s for medical treatment, property damage repair, or a service you had to pay someone to perform because of your injuries, keep track of it. Your lawyer will use these bills to calculate your expenses, which will make up a significant portion of the compensation you seek through your insurance claim or injury lawsuit.

Avoid Providing a Statement to Insurance Adjusters

Arizona has a pure comparative negligence system, which means that your compensation could be reduced by your degree of fault for the accident. Because of this, it’s essential that you don’t speak to insurance adjusters until after you consult an attorney. The insurance adjusters will use your statements, even those made to the police responding to the crash, against you to devalue your claim if they can.

File Your Claim Within the Deadline

Under Arizona’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases, car accident victims have two years to file their personal injury lawsuits against the at-fault parties. Failure to file your lawsuit within this period will likely result in the courts dismissing your case without a hearing.

Contact Our Arizona Car Accident Lawyers

The best way to protect your rights after a car accident in Arizona is to work with an experienced team of lawyers. At Valley Injury Team, we have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and trial awards for our clients. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation with a member of our team and to learn more about how we’ll fight for the compensation you deserve.