What to do after a car accident in Tucson
Arizona sets a few duties for every driver in an injury crash. The rest of this list protects your health and your claim.
- Stop, and stay. A driver in a crash that hurts or kills someone must stop at the scene, or as close as is safe and come straight back, and remain until the next duty is done. A.R.S. § 28-661
- Trade details and give help. Give your name, address and vehicle registration number, and show your driver license if asked. Help anyone who is hurt, including a ride to medical care when they clearly need it or ask for it. § 28-663
- Notify the police. If anyone is hurt, report the crash by the quickest means: Tucson Police inside the city, the Pima County Sheriff outside city and town limits, or DPS on a state highway. § 28-666
- Take pictures before the cars move, if it is safe: both vehicles, lane marks, signals, the weather and any visible injury.
- See a doctor today. Stiffness and headaches can start hours after a crash, and a same-day record ties them to it.
- Keep the case number. Records desks ask for it, or for the date and place of the crash.
Arizona deadlines and the fault rule
- At the sceneStop, help anyone hurt and notify police§§ 28-661, 28-663, 28-666
- 24 hoursThe officer finishes the written report after the investigation ends§ 28-667
- 180 daysNotice of claim to a city, the county or the state§ 12-821.01
- 1 yearLawsuit against a public body§ 12-821
- 2 yearsLawsuit for injury, death or damage to your vehicle§ 12-542
Most injury and vehicle damage claims in Arizona must be filed within two years. For a death claim, the two years start on the date of death. A.R.S. § 12-542
Claims against a public body run on a far shorter clock. If a city vehicle, a county road crew, a state highway defect or a public bus played a part, a written notice of claim is due within 180 days. It must state the facts and a specific amount that would settle the claim, and a late notice is barred. A claim with no answer counts as denied after 60 days, and any lawsuit must follow within one year. §§ 12-821.01, 12-821
Arizona uses pure comparative negligence. A driver who was partly to blame can still recover, and the award shrinks by that driver’s share of the fault, with no 50 percent cutoff. The rule does not protect someone who caused or added to the injury on purpose, wilfully or wantonly. § 12-2505
Insurance after a car accident in Pima County
Arizona is an at-fault state with no personal injury protection system, so medical bills and lost pay usually go to the at-fault driver’s liability insurer. Policies issued or renewed since July 1, 2020 must carry at least $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $15,000 for property damage. Before that date the minimum was 15/30/10. A.R.S. § 28-4009
Expect the other insurer to call early. Confirm the basics, hold off on a recorded statement until you know the extent of your injuries, and do not sign a full release while you are still in treatment.
If the other driver carried only the minimum or no insurance at all, look at your own policy for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
How to choose a car accident lawyer in Tucson
Billboards and search ads say little about the person who will handle your file. These five checks take a few minutes each.
- Search the State Bar directory. The State Bar of Arizona member directory finds a lawyer by name and shows license status and discipline. It can also filter for board-certified specialists in injury and wrongful death litigation.
- Be wary of cold contact. The State Bar warns against trusting credentials from someone who contacts you out of the blue, and Arizona bars agencies from releasing crash reports for commercial solicitation.
- Get the fee terms in writing before you sign, including how case costs come out of any recovery.
- Ask who works the case. Find out which lawyer handles it day to day and whether that lawyer files injury cases in Pima County Superior Court.
- Raise the 180-day notice. If a city, county or state vehicle or road may be involved, leave the first meeting with that date on paper.
What the free case review asks
Four questions, in this order: whether you were hurt, who caused the crash, when it happened and whether you have signed with a lawyer. Then the card asks for your name and phone number, and an email address if you want to add one.
It suits people hurt in a crash in the last six months who have not signed with a lawyer. Drivers hit by another car, people hit by a commercial truck, work van or rideshare, and passengers can all use it. If an answer falls outside that, the card says so at that step and points to a useful section. It does not put a value on a claim.
