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A serious car accident can have terrible consequences, leaving a whole family with heavy medical expenses, struggling to pay bills and facing ongoing hardships in the future.
At Mushkatel, Robbins & Becker PLLC, our dedicated car accident attorneys in Surprise, Arizona, fight for the fair and just compensation crash victims and their families need to move forward with their lives. With decades of hard-earned experience, our team of knowledgeable legal professionals will thoroughly investigate your claim to show who was at fault and document the damages you have suffered as a result of the crash.
To speak with a car accident lawyer today, call us any time to schedule your own personalized free consultation.
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When you contact our law firm after being hurt in a car wreck, you will work directly with a Surprise car accident attorney who will provide a free initial consultation and outline your legal options. Here’s what you can expect when you call our firm:
Initial evaluation and answering your questions. First, we have to get the facts. No two cases are the same, even though often the facts look alike. Maybe you were rear-ended. Perhaps the other driver was distracted or under the influence. The case starts with a thorough free case consultation, where you explain your situation to an attorney and get helpful legal advice.
Investigating your case. A lot of work must be done long before we begin negotiations or take your claim to court. Our professional legal team will dig into the facts by contacting witnesses, talking to investigating police officers, gathering relevant reports, and collecting medical records, bills, surveillance videos, photos, and anything else that can help strengthen your claim.
Expert consultations. Often, our attorneys will consult with highly trained medical and engineering experts to build a solid case. Our goal is to show exactly what happened and how your life will be affected in the future.
Aggressive negotiations. Your injuries are personal. It can be difficult to negotiate about something as personal as your own medical condition. By putting an experienced auto accident attorney in charge of negotiations, you level the field and force the insurance company to deal with an advocate who knows their tricks and won’t settle for less.
Smart litigation strategies. If settlement negotiations don’t work, our respected trial attorneys will be ready to pursue your claim in court. We are not afraid to take your case to trial and ask a jury to decide the value of your injuries.
When you’ve been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, Arizona law says you have a right to be compensated. You have a right to pursue money for the injuries and losses that you’ve suffered, including anticipated future losses. These may include:
In general, you will have just two years from the date of your car accident to bring a lawsuit against the person or company responsible. Otherwise, your rights are forever barred. This means you can never file suit, never file a claim, and never be compensated for your injuries after this deadline.
But beware! There are times when the statute of limitations may even be shorter. Claims against municipal government employees and entities must be brought within as little as six months. So don’t delay. Call an experienced personal injury lawyer in Surprise, AZ, today.
If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle crash in Surprise, Arizona, there are things you should do right away to protect your rights and improve your chances of recovering compensation for your injuries.
Get Immediate Medical Care. Even if you aren’t sure about your injuries, you should still go to a doctor. If you don’t seek emergency care, try to be seen by your doctor within 24 hours of the crash. The sooner you are evaluated, the better. This is a key step to preserving your case and proving that your injuries were indeed caused by the crash.
Prioritize Follow-Up Care. It’s not enough to just get emergency medical care. If you suffered serious injuries, whether they are fractures, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, or other major injuries, be sure you follow your doctor’s recommendations and treatment suggestions. This helps to document your injuries and show that you take them seriously. It can be tempting to “tough it out,” but this is not the time. Now is the time to let trained medical professionals evaluate you and document every injury. You only get one body; take care of it.
Do Not Talk to Insurance Adjusters. We cannot stress this enough. On one hand, your insurance policy will require you to notify your own insurance company. Your attorney can help with this. But when it comes to the other driver’s insurance company, you should not talk to them unless your auto accident attorney tells you it is OK. Adjusters will only try to trick, deceive, or mislead you. They are out to save money, not pay money.
Keep All Paperwork. Keep everything. Get the police report, take photos, get names of witnesses, and keep every single document you receive related to your crash.
Hire a Surprise, Arizona, Personal Injury Lawyer. Contact an auto accident attorney who can advise you on your rights and take over the negotiations with the insurance company on your behalf. Don’t risk getting swindled out of significant compensation. Our team of dedicated litigation attorneys can help protect your rights.
Throughout Surprise, AZ, and the whole Phoenix region, there are specific places where car accidents are simply more likely to occur. Whether it’s blind spots, complex intersections, heavy traffic flow, or just plain confusing lights and layouts, these are just five of the most dangerous intersections in the region, based on data from the Arizona Department of Transportation.
This busy intersection in Glendale sees about 68 crashes and 30 injuries each year. Much of the problem stems from the influx of heavy traffic from Glendale Community College. Also, there are densely packed neighborhoods nearby, with a lot of foot traffic at the nearby strip mall. There are about 60,000 vehicles driving through this intersection every day.
With 61 accidents and 22 injuries, this dangerous intersection sees about 85,000 cars a day in neighboring Glendale. Reported as perhaps one of the busiest roadways in the Valley, this intersection is home to restaurants, car dealers, convenience stores, and tons of other shopping attractions. Parking lot accidents are common as well, but the majority of the serious injuries happen right in the intersection.
This intersection in nearby Chandler saw 49 accidents with a total of 13 injuries in 2013. But it has more than 79,000 cars pass by each day. What makes this intersection so dangerous is its proximity to the Loop 101 exit. Home to a lot of industry and tech companies, busy workers hustle to and from work in the morning and afternoons, causing heavy congestion and frequent collisions. There’s also the busy Chandler Fashion Center, which draws crowds, especially during holiday months.
This Phoenix intersection is not far from Surprise.With 48 collisions and 17 injuries, it boasts about 61,000 drivers every day. Drivers are eager to avoid Interstate 17, so they divert to 27th Avenue, hoping to get home faster in the evenings. This traffic often combines with busy school traffic at nearby Grand Canyon University, causing a perfect storm for crashes.
There are multiple dangerous intersections on Indian School Road, and for years it has claimed a lot of lives and caused countless injuries. In particular, in 2013 alone there were 51 auto accidents and 38 injuries at the intersection of 75th Avenue, as well as 49 accidents with 28 injuries at the intersection of 67th Avenue, making this a very dangerous road in the area.
While there’s no shortage of stupid and reckless things that drivers do to cause wrecks, there are certainly consistent themes that seem to show up time after time. Some of the more common causes of motor vehicle accidents are:
Talking or Texting. Drivers who can’t put down their cellphones are one of the leading causes of serious and fatal crashes in America. The desire for instant gratification often overrides common sense, causing people to try to send messages or surf the Internet when they ought to be driving.
Distracted Driving. While cellphones are just one type of distracted driving, there are many other things that keep drivers from paying attention to the task at hand. Distractions can be billboards, children or other occupants of the vehicle, eating, reading, looking at directions, applying makeup, or just about anything else that keeps the driver from paying attention.
Driving Under the Influence. Alcohol is still a leading cause of highway fatalities in the U.S., but drunk driving is just the beginning. Many drivers are impaired by drugs, including prescriptions.
Lack of Experience. New drivers are among the most dangerous group of people on the roadways, as inexperience and youth are a scary combination.
Unfamiliar with Area. Whether tourists, visitors from out of town, or those new to an area, people often cause serious accidents by stopping in traffic to look for addresses or making sudden, last-minute lane changes.
Aggressive Driving or Road Rage. Tragically, some crashes are caused by aggressive and reckless drivers trying to prove a point. Tailgating, intimidation, threats, darting in and out of traffic, and other reckless behaviors can lead to road rage injuries.
Auto accidents can change your life in the blink of an eye. Injuries can range from minor to the catastrophic. But even low-impact collisions can cause painful and lasting effects. Common injuries include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). This is an injury that occurs when the brain suffers a physical trauma due to a rapid and violent force, whether a direct blow to the head or even a violent shaking action. It causes fissures and microscopic damage to the brain tissue and leads to serious symptoms.
Concussions. All concussions are serious, and many lead to post-concussive syndrome. This can involve headaches, cognitive impairment, loss of consciousness, nausea, dizziness, and many other problems.
Fractures. Broken bones take a long time to heal and can be extremely painful. In some cases, they can lead to deformities and permanent scars, especially where surgery is required to treat them.
Scrapes, Bruises, and Lacerations. While most accidents involve some degree of bruising and soreness, when glass is shattered or sharp metal edges are exposed due to vehicle damage, victims can suffer severe skin tears, lacerations, and other wounds that can lead to blood loss, internal organ damage, and other traumas.
Muscle Strain and Sprain. Perhaps the most common injuries are those often referred to as “softtissue,” meaning strains and sprains to muscle and other non-bone structures. These can be very painful and take months to resolve.
Dislocations. When a limb is separated from the joint (shoulders, knees, ankles, wrists, etc.), it can be painful and debilitating. Even once it’s properly treated, there can be nerve damage, torn ligaments and tendons, and months of recovery.
Spinal Cord Injuries. Whether a partial or total injury, there’s no such thing as a minor spinal cord injury. Depending on where the injury occurs in your spine, it can result in permanent loss of mobility or paralysis.
Amputations. When you lose a part of your body, you are never the same again. Amputations can leave lasting phantom pains, nerve damage, odd sensations, and can cause embarrassment and disfigurement.
Whiplash. These injuries are caused by a fast-moving thrusting action, where the head is jostled back and forth violently, leading to severe pain in the neck and shoulders.
The statute of limitations, or time limit, on car accident injury claims in Arizona is two years. This means that you have only two years from the date of the accident to file your claim, although there are some exceptions. If you miss this deadline, you will likely forfeit your right to receive any compensation for the crash. So it is crucial that you speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
No one can determine with certainty how long any one car accident claim will take before it is resolved. The timeline for a claim will depend on the complexity of the case, the value of the case, and the court schedule, if it goes to trial.
After a car accident, victims can file a claim to recover compensatory damages for any injuries or other losses. The most common damages available in an accident claim include medical bills (including future treatment needs), income the victim lost after missing time from work, lost future income, pain and suffering, and property damage. After reviewing your specific case, your lawyer can advise on the total damages available.
There are many ways a car accident lawyer can help with your claim. While working on your case, a lawyer will:
It is natural to feel overwhelmed after an accident. The best steps to take after a crash are to remain calm, try to move to a safe place, and stop your vehicle. After doing that, you should:
Lastly, speak to a car accident lawyer as soon as possible after a crash. A lawyer will take care of your entire case and ensure your rights are protected.
When you’ve been hurt by someone else’s careless or negligent driving, you have options. Call an experienced car accident lawyer in Surprise, today.
At Mushkatel, Robbins & Becker PLLC, we know what it takes to recover maximum compensation for victims of auto accidents. But time is limited to pursue your claim. We never charge a fee unless we succeed. For a free consultation, contact us today.
