Vail Car Accident Lawyer
Car accident victims in Vail, AZ and other areas in Pima County face many problems, including trying to pay their medical bills when many are in too much pain to work. Other victims can’t go anywhere because their car is totaled, and they don’t have the money to fix it.
At Karnas Law Firm, PLLC, we have solutions to your problems. Our team of dedicated Vail car accident lawyers can negotiate for your behalf for a settlement with the driver of the vehicle responsible for the crash. We know how to find and present evidence in support of your version of events, and we won’t quit until we obtain a sensible settlement for your injuries. Give us a call. You can schedule a free consultation with a Vail car accident lawyer at our firm and learn more about the claims process.
We Handle a Wide Range of Car Accident Cases
Our firm can step up to the plate to serve and help anyone hurt in:
- Rollovers
- Head-on collisions
- Intersection accidents
- Blown tire accidents
- Sideswipes
- Rear-end collisions
- Drunk driving accidents
- Hit and runs
- Uninsured motorist accidents
Most accidents involve two cars colliding. A key legal consideration is fault: who is responsible for the crash? Our law firm can begin compiling evidence to use in your case. Do not hesitate to contact us as soon as you can. Some critical evidence can disappear if you wait too long.
Car Insurance in Arizona
Most settlements are paid with insurance. In fact, Arizona requires that motorists carry liability insurance if they hope to register their vehicles. Liability coverage kicks in when a driver is at fault for the crash.
Other insurance that might come into play includes uninsured motorist insurance. That coverage is helpful if you are injured in a hit-and-run or the at-fault driver lacks any insurance coverage. According to one estimate, about 12% of all Arizona drivers are uninsured, which is far too high. That number doesn’t even include the many uninsured motorists coming in from California, as well.
We might also submit a claim on your collision coverage for car repairs. This is optional insurance which can pay for car damage.
Many people are confused about what insurance applies after a crash, and no insurance adjuster will give them a clear answer. Give us a call. Our Vail car accident lawyers can untangle the insurance mess.
Financial Compensation for Injuries
Car accidents will take a bite out of anyone’s bank account. Some of the unexpected expenses include:
- Medical bills
- Prescription medication costs
- Car repairs
- Rental car costs
Few people have money stashed away to pay for all this. The good news is we can seek compensation for these economic losses by making a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance. Contact our firm to review how much you should request in a settlement.
We can also request compensation for lost income. This will include full- and part-time work, even gig income like working as an Uber driver. Many injuries are so painful our injured clients cannot work for months, and their income takes a nosedive.
A settlement should also include money for pain and suffering. This category includes all the physical and psychological ways you suffer from an accident: acute pain, sleeplessness, irritability, and more.
Can You Receive Compensation if You Were to Blame?
You might have driven carelessly yourself. For example, you might have made a turn without signaling, which caused the tailgating car behind to slam into your bumper. Or maybe you were speeding when a distracted driver ran a yellow light and clipped your car. In these examples, both drivers share some blame. Can you still receive compensation?
Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-2505 provides the answer: yes. You can seek compensation so long as you are not 100% at fault for your wreck. This is a pure comparative fault law. However, your damages are reduced by your degree of fault. If you are 75% at fault, you’ll only get 25% of your damages, at most. Someone who is 5% at fault will receive at most 95%.
Five Steps to Take after an Accident
Remember to do the following if you aren’t in too much pain:
- Call the police on your cellphone to report the crash. You want an officer to visit the accident scene and file a crash report, which contains useful information.
- Get personal and insurance information from the other driver. Share your own details as well. This information is necessary to begin the insurance claim process.
- Do not admit fault to the other driver. That will only reduce your compensation under Arizona’s comparative negligence law.
- Document the accident as thoroughly as you can. Take photographs of the vehicles and any debris on the ground. Speak to witnesses, who can provide testimony. Ask for a phone number where you can reach them.
- Go to the doctor or hospital immediately after the accident. This step shows you are serious about getting well and preserves your ability to sue.
And there’s a sixth step: don’t answer any insurance adjuster questions until you’ve met with a lawyer representing you. They probably want you to admit to making a mistake which will reduce the value of your claim. Hang up the phone and call our firm.
How We Negotiate for Our Clients Against an at Fault Driver
Karnas Law Firm, PLLC, is the sensible choice for accident victims in Vail who need aggressive legal representation. After a collision, victims and their families should never expect an insurance company to go out of their way to be helpful. Instead, you and your family should hire our firm to:
- Objectively analyze the accident to determine who is at fault;
- Fully review your injuries and associated financial losses to estimate a fair settlement;
- Negotiate in a determined manner with the other side;
- Reject any low settlement offer when we know the insurance company can cough up more money;
- File a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, which give you leverage in negotiations;
- Litigate a claim in court, where appropriate, to obtain meaningful compensation.
Have Questions? Call Our Vail Car Accident Lawyer Today
Karnas Law Firm has helped many people in the community of Vail, AZ with car accident claims and other personal injury services. Get your life back on track as you recover from your car accident. Visit our website or contact our lawyers today to schedule your free consultation.