Phoenix Car Accident Attorney Blog

As Tucson car accident attorneys, we think it is terrible when drunk drivers cause crashes, and especially terrible when those crashes result in injury and death. According to Fox 10, a 41-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle, hit numerous stationary objects such as a light pole and fence, then turned back onto the road and hit a Nissan on January 15, 2012.

The 46-year-old female passenger riding with the man was killed, while the 26-year-old driver of the Nissan he hit suffered serious injuries. Our deepest thoughts and condolences go out to the families of both victims, and we wish the woman in the hospital a quick and full recovery. There is no excuse ever for drinking and driving.

What Caused This Tucson Car Accident?

The man driving the Dodge Charger was intoxicated and, after hitting the stationary objects, turned the wrong way onto the Benson Highway, hitting the Nissan head-on. Drinking and driving causes serious and fatal injuries many of the time.

Tucson Car Accident Statistics

Alcohol-related Tucson car accidents killed 18 people and injured 356 in 2010, according to a study released by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). There were a total of 9,720 crashes in the city the same year, 518 of which were alcohol related. The only city that had more alcohol-related crashes was Phoenix with 1,457.

Contact a Tucson Car Accident Lawyer

The best Tucson drunk driving accident victim lawyers can tell the family of the woman who was killed that even though she may have entered the car with the drunk driver, the family may still have rights to seek compensation for her wrongful death. Attorneys can also help the woman who was in the other vehicle and was seriously injured by the drunk driver. The Husband and Wife Law Team at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. work hard to hold drunk drivers accountable for their decision to get behind the wheel. We work to obtain settlements for the victims and their families to pay for medical and funeral expenses and more. We also may seek to file punitive damages to further punish the driver who broke the law. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.

As Phoenix drunk driving victim lawyers, we weren’t surprised to hear that alcohol played a role in a wrong-way car accident on December 22 at 2 a.m., according to a news report in Fox 10. The intoxicated driver was traveling the wrong way on 43rd Avenue between Cactus and Cholla when the car hit another vehicle head-on. Three people were hospitalized for their injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims at this time, and we wish them a speedy recovery.

Causes of This Phoenix Car Accident

As injury lawyers for Phoenix victims of drunk driving accidents, we know that drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol can cause serious and even fatal car accidents. According to police, alcohol played a factor in this head-on Phoenix car accident. The intoxicated driver was apparently unaware that the car was traveling the wrong way down 43rd Avenue. The approaching car was unable to get out of the way in time and was most likely surprised by the fact the other car was traveling the wrong way on the street. There is no excuse for driving drunk.

Phoenix Car Accident Statistics

There were more than 29,000 Phoenix car accidents in 2010, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). There were 1,940 head-on car accidents in the state of Arizona in 2010, resulting in 47 fatal car accidents and 988 that involved injuries. Head-on car accidents can be extremely serious because of the rate of speed both cars are traveling - and in opposite directions.

Do You Have A Phoenix Dram Shop Claim?

Many people do not know about a claim called dram shop. An experienced lawyer could be the difference between no settlement at all and a fair settlement when you are hit by a drunk driver. In this case, where the at-fault driver was driving drunk, it may be that he was coming from an establishment that was serving alcohol. If he had too much to drink at an establishment it may be that the place that served him the liquor may be responsible for the injuries to the victims as well. Holding the bar as well as the individual who drank and then made the decision to drive is something that the Breyer Law Offices, P.C. work hard at every day. Contact us today for a free consultation.

As Mesa car accident attorneys, we were surprised to hear about a witness to a three-car accident who chased down a suspect on foot and held him at gunpoint until police took over. While we don’t recommend anyone putting themselves in danger, we are happy to hear the witness safely helped police apprehend the man who allegedly caused the three-car pileup. Police found that the suspect was impaired by both alcohol and drugs, according to ABC15.

Causes of Mesa Car Crashes

Because of the reports from numerous witnesses, police know the suspect ran a red light. They also found that he was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Unfortunately, it is not always as easy to determine other car crash causes. It often takes a lot of investigative work to uncover the facts if there aren’t witnesses or if drivers aren’t sure what happened. For this reason and many others, it is important to consult an experienced car crash attorney as soon as possible after the accident.

Injury Reports in this Mesa Car Accident

In this case, five people were transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The five people were riding in the two separate cars that the drunk driver hit. In cases like these, the person at fault may be responsible for paying the victims’ medical bills, lost wages, and damages.

How a Mesa Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

An experienced Mesa car accident lawyer can help investigate cases like these to uncover the facts and help secure compensation for the victims. When the at-fault party has been drinking and driving, a lawyer may be able to obtain a higher settlement by requesting punitive damages.

To see if your case may be one with punitive damages, call for a free initial consultation the Breyer Law Offices, P.C. at (480) 389-2463. For additional information, news and other topics of interest, please visit our Arizona Personal Injury Lawyers page on Facebook.

It is important for a Phoenix rollover accident lawyer to know what factors lead to rollover car accidents. If impairment is the cause of a rollover accident, the at-fault party will likely be prosecuted.

In recent news, three men were injured in a Phoenix rollover accident where Police suspect alcohol is involved. As reported by ABC 15, the crash happened on Interstate 10 near 43rd Avenue when a Jeep carrying two people hit another vehicle from behind. The impact caused the Jeep to rollover.

Both passengers of the Jeep were reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash; one of them was thrown from the vehicle. Another person inside the second vehicle was hurt in the incident. They were brought to local hospitals for treatment. A spokesman for the Department of Public Safety confirmed one of the victims was in critical condition but is expected to recover. Investigators found beer cans inside the Jeep.

What May Have Caused this Injury Rollover Accident?

Rollover accidents have a high fatality rate and usually involve travelling at excessive speeds. With officers finding beer cans inside the Jeep, it is likely that the driver was impaired, causing him to crash into the other vehicle. Impairment, as most of us know, is a major factor in fatal car accidents in the U.S. Further, driving under the influence may entitle the injured party to a punitive damage claim, which may result in additional money for an injury claim.

Contact an Experienced Arizona Rollover Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been involved in a rollover car accident in Arizona and have been seriously injured, seeking legal advice from skilled Phoenix rollover car accident lawyers can make the difference between a fair settlement and no settlement at all. An injury lawyer who understands the consequences to an at-fault driver when they have been driving drunk can make sure that the innocent victim gets the best possible personal injury settlement. When at-fault drivers are driving drunk, justice must be served to the innocent injured victims. For a free consultation with Attorneys Alexis and Mark Breyer of Breyer Law Offices, P.C. call today at (480) 389-2463.

A suspected drunk driving accident was reported in Phoenix Monday night after a vehicle crashed into a parked fire engine while emergency crews were responding to a fire at 26th Street and Thomas Road (ABC 15 09/06/2011).

According to report, members of the Phoenix Fire Department responded after a fire started on the second floor of what seemed to be a charter school. The situation was quickly placed under control and damage to the structure was minimal.

One of the fire engines was then hit by a slow moving vehicle driven by a person that was believed to be impaired. Only the car that hit the fire truck sustained damage and no one was reportedly hurt in the Phoenix drunk driving accident.

The suspect was detained by Phoenix Police.

Good control and vision are required in order to drive safely and effectively; two qualities which can easily deteriorate when alcohol is involved. We often hear warnings about drunk driving, but how dangerous really is it?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 22 percent of drivers involved in fatal car accidents exceeded the legal limit (.08 or greater) for blood alcohol content in 2009. Among the impaired drivers which were involved in fatal crashes, 72 percent or 7,281 died.

Imagine the lives that could have been saved if not for the failure of some to be responsible drivers. Help the fight against fatal road accidents by totally avoiding alcohol before driving; the life you save could be your own.

Impaired-driving accident victims in the Arizona area who are interested in filing for legal action related to a personal injury can call our drunk driving accident lawyers in Phoenix at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation.

Impaired driving or driving while intoxicated is one of the major concerns when it comes to road traffic safety. Drivers having high blood alcohol content are dangerous. They have bigger risk of car crashes which can result to injuries and fatalities.

Did you know that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), out of the more than 33,000 fatal crash deaths in 2009, 10,389 died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes?

On the other hand, the Arizona Department of Transport released the 2010 Motor Vehicle Crash Summary recently and it revealed that there were 695 reported fatalities and 33,195 injury crashes in Arizona. Alcohol-related fatal crashes reached to 210 while alcohol-related fatalities and injuries were 223 and 3,724 respectively.

Alcohol-impaired drivers are quite common on the roads of Arizona and alcohol-related crashes are one of the major concerns of the both the government and some private organizations when it comes road safety.

In San Tan Valley, a suspected drunk driver rear-ended a patrol car while the deputy stopped at a red light at the intersection of Hunt Highway and Gary Road (08/19/11). According to the Sheriff's Office, the deputy was able to check the car in which a 29-year old man was driving. The man was not injured but the deputy said the he was showing signs of impairment. He was also driving on a suspended license.

He refused to take a field sobriety test and was later submitted to a breath test. The result showed a 0.163, twice the allowed BAC level. He was arrested for aggravated DUI.

Meanwhile, the deputy suffered minor neck injury because of the crash.

If you have been a victim of an injury accident involving an alcohol-impaired driver and would like to seek compensation, contact our highly skilled Arizona personal injury lawyers at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are 260 people injured in alcohol related accidents in Arizona in 2009 alone. the Nationally there were 33,808 people killed in traffic crashes and 10,839 of those losses were due to alcohol use so that is about 32 % of all traffic deaths. Children under the age of 14 accounted for 181 of the traffic related deaths.

AZFamily reported that a 43-year-old woman and her niece were involved in a car accident in San Tan Valley last Wednesday evening, and allegedly, the woman was driving under the influence. As experienced drunk driving accident lawyers in Arizona, we know the dangers impaired drivers pose.

A witness stated that a red Chevrolet truck struck a passenger car in the intersection of Ocotillo Road and Arbor Lane and then left the scene. The victim driver had cuts on his arms, and glass in his left eye and was brought to the nearby treatment center to remove the glass particles in his eye, while his passenger was not injured. The sheriff’s deputy followed the red truck to a house for about quarter mile away from the accident scene. The 49 year old woman was identified and reportedly had the smell of alcohol coming from the inside of the truck. She admitted having two beers before driving and she was driving under the influence of alcohol. She had a blood alcohol level of .240, which is three time over the legal limit.

If one cannot designate a non-drinking driver, use public transportation such as the bus or light rail.

If you or a loved one was a victim of a driving under the influence accident, call us for a free consultation at (602) 457-6222, we may be able to help you. You can also visit our Arizona Personal Injury Lawyers Facebook page for news, useful information and other topics of interest.

Impaired driving tops the list of factors causing fatal car crashes in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has that on the average nearly 30 people die in a car crash involving an alcohol-impaired driver daily. This is equivalent to one death for every 48 minutes. From the recent statistics revealed by NHTSA, car fatalities involving alcohol-impaired drivers reached to 10,839 or about 32 percent of the total traffic-related deaths in the country.

One of the most common terms we often hear when we talk about impaired driving is the BAC or Blood Alcohol Concentration. Despite the decreasing number of fatal crashes involving impaired drivers for the past several years, there are still some of us who do not have sufficient understanding of the so-called legal BAC level or the 0.08%.

0.08% BAC is the legal or allowable amount of alcohol in the human body. Any driver who has a BAC higher than 0.08% is considered to be alcohol-impaired. As of 2009, all 50 states and the District of Columbia has created a law that states that it is illegal per se to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.

On Wednesday morning (08/03/11), a teenage boy crashed his car into a garage located near Dreyfus Drive and 129th Avenue around 5:30 a.m. The Arizona accident injured the passenger of the car who was later transported to a hospital.

Police said that the boy has been drinking when the accident happened.

In Arizona, laws have been passed in order to prevent traffic-related accidents, especially DUI crashes. It's up to us to do our part and follow these rules for our own safety.

If you have been a victim of alcohol-impaired driving and would like to seek compensation, we are available at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation. Call now and an Arizona DUI accident victim lawyer will be with you shortly.

Impaired driving has been considered as a threat when it comes to road safety. For the past years, many lives were lost due to impaired driving not only in the United States but also all over the globe. Drunk driving is considered illegal in all jurisdictions within United States.

Incidents of fatal car crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers is high accounting for almost 32 percent of deaths or one-third of the total traffic-related fatalities in 2009 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). From these total fatalities, 181 were children ages 0 to 14-years-old.

Around 12:20 am on August 5, a Florence woman was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving. The 35-year-old woman was seen by an off-duty police officer near Judd and Attaway roads driving erratically. She was pulled over in a school parking lot in Florence.

It was later found out that the suspect was with her 9-year-old daughter who was sleeping in the backseat. Officials also revealed that the driver had bloodshot and watery eyes and her speech was slurred. She failed several sobriety tests and had a BAC level of 0.235.

The driver admitted to the authorities that she had five beers before driving her car. She is now facing three counts of aggravated DUI with a passenger under 15-years-old.

Having impaired drivers on the road can be pose danger to everyone. Thus, we also need to be observant while on the road. The organization MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has some tips to how to spot impaired drivers. Here are some signs of intoxication that we should be aware of:

1. Quick acceleration or deceleration
2. Tailgating
3. Weaving or zig-zagging across the road
4. Driving “off road” (i.e. on sidewalks or lawns)
5. Almost striking an object, curb, or vehicle
6. Erratic braking
7. Drifting in and out of traffic lanes
8. Signalling that is inconsistent with driving actions
9. Slow response to traffic signals (i.e. a sudden stop or delayed start)
10. Straddling the center line
11. Driving with headlights off at night
12. Swerving
13. Driving more than 10 mph below the speed limit
14. Turning abruptly or illegally
15. Driving into opposing traffic on the wrong side of the road

If you have been a victim of alcohol-impaired driving in Arizona and would like to seek compensation, we are available at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation. Call now and a Chandler drunk driving accident lawyer will be with you shortly.

When taken in certain amounts, alcohol can disrupt our motor and cognitive skills. Many people experience delays in reaction, blurry vision, and poor decision making after drinking alcohol. This impaired state can lead to drunk driving accidents which have a high fatality rate.

In recent news, a son of a former Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy has been arrested on suspected DUI (AZ Family 07/27/2011). The 29-year-old suspect was arrested at around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning by Phoenix police and will be facing charges of failure to stay on the scene following a crash and driving under the influence.

The suspect has posted bond after being booked into a Maricopa County Jail.

Impairment is one of the major causes of car accidents all over the world. Every year millions of lives are lost because of motor vehicle crashes and a large percentage has alcohol as factor. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that at least 32 percent of traffic fatalities that occur each year involves an alcohol impaired driver.

Alcohol and other impairing substances affect ones ability to drive a car safely. The chances of being involved in a car accident increase dramatically which poses a major threat to public safety Authorities try to tackle this dangerous driving behavior by implementing DUI stops throughout the country.

You can contribute in the fight against impaired driving accidents by avoiding alcohol when driving and by reporting anyone who is driving dangerously or you suspect to be driving under the influence.

Victims of impaired drivers who are interested in claiming compensation related to a drunk driving accident injury can call our Phoenix drunk driving victim attorneys at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation.

Impaired driving is a large problem in the United States. Despite the decline of alcohol-related fatalities in the country recently, there are still concerns about motor vehicle accidents due to alcohol-impaired drivers.

Motor vehicles wrecks are the leading cause of death among those who belong to 5-34 age bracket in the United States. Young adults ages 18-24 have the highest number of fatalities due to impaired driving. In 2009, 9,813 reported cases of fatal crashes which involve alcohol-impaired drivers. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that alcohol is a factor in 26 percent of the country's crash cost.

In Arizona, an alleged drunk driver in Phoenix caused the death of one person after a crash on the Interstate 17 off-ramp at Peoria Avenue.

Phoenix police revealed that the crash happened when one of the vehicles driven by a 45-year-old woman was travelling northbound and was hit by an SUV (7/20/11). The victim was taken to a local hospital where she later died due to her severe injuries.

Meanwhile, the driver was suspected to have displayed signs of impairment. Authorities also checked his blood-alcohol level and it revealed that it was 0.281, three times higher than the legal limit.

U.S. States have their own way to prevent alcohol-impaired drivers on the road such as administrative license revocation, zero-tolerance law, and 0.08 BAC law. In Arizona, a new DUI law which includes a mandatory ignition interlock device (IID) went into effect in September 2007. It states that IID are mandatory to all offenders which, unlike before, were only intended for aggravate and extreme DUIs.

If you have been a victim of an alcohol-impaired driver in Arizona and would like to seek compensation, we are available at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation. Call now and an Phoenix drunk driving accident attorney will be with you shortly.

Did you know that nearly 30 lives are lost daily in a motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver? One is considered to be alcohol-impaired when the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. When a crash occurs and the driver BAC is higher than the allowed level, it is considered to be an alcohol-impaired crash, while fatalities which resulted from the crash are considered to be alcohol-impaired driving fatalities.

Although traffic fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes decreased by 7.4 percent from 11,711 in 2008 to 10,839 in 2009, alcohol-impaired driving is still a major threat to every road user all over the country. In 2009, 5,851 passenger vehicle drivers killed had a BAC of .08 or higher while the age group which has the highest percentage of drivers in fatal crashes with BAC levels of .08 were from 21- to 24-year-olds.

As a result of irresponsible drinking and driving, many of us have become victims of alcohol-impaired drivers. On Friday, an impaired woman was driving with her 7 ½ month-old baby when her car drifted over the center line into the southbound lane hitting another vehicle. The crash occurred about 2 p.m. On 43rd Avenue between Thomas and Indian School.

The baby was in an extremely critical condition due to the injuries brought about by the crash. Meanwhile, the 2 occupants of the other car, a man and his 2-year-old daughter sustained non-life threatening injuries and were treated at the hospital.

Although it is still uncertain, police are considering alcohol to be a factor of the crash. The woman was arrested on one count of aggravated assault, two counts of endangerment and one count of child abuse.

One effective way to avoid alcohol-impaired crashes is to drink responsibly. Arizona’s AAA offers roadside assistance 24 hours a day.

For victims of car accidents because of impaired drivers in Arizona, don’t hesitate to call our free consultation hotline at (480) 753-4534. As Arizona drunk driving car accident attorneys, we are ready to help you so that the negligent and impaired driver can be held liable.

A man from Scottsdale has died after a drunk driving collision in Scottsdale between a pickup truck and his vehicle (AZCentral 07/09/2011). Police say that the incident happened on Pima Road just north of McDowell Road. The man was pronounced dead on the scene after a Ford pick-up truck swerved off the road and into his lane, resulting in a head-on collision between the Ford and his Expedition. The driver of the Ford pick-up truck was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, while his adult passenger only had minor injuries. Police say that alcohol may have been a factor in the accident.

Drinking and driving are two activities which are not meant to be done together, since doing both increases the risk of getting hurt, or hurting others, especially while driving on the streets of Arizona. The next time, when going out for a drink, assign a designated driver. If you do not have a sober driver take a taxi or ride the bus to protect your safety and the safety of others.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Arizona, you may call us for a free consultation at (480) 389-2463. We are Scottsdale car accident lawyers and we may be able to help.

In the United States, alcohol-impaired driving is a serious problem by the government and other private organizations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that fatal crashes as a result of alcohol-impaired driving have slowly been declining over the past five years. From their recent statistics in 2009, drunk driving resulting in fatal crashes reached 9,813 cases. Despite this decline, fatalities due to alcohol-impaired driving reached 32 percent or 10,839 people of the total traffic accident deaths nationwide.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has ranked Arizona in 8th place in terms of drunk driving cases with 291 DUI fatalities or 27 percent of the total fatal crashes deaths.

In Peoria, a man was pulled over by Peoria Police on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday morning at 111th and Northern avenues (7/9/11). The man failed the sobriety test conducted by the police and was arrested. However, he resisted the arrest and had been taken to the ground to be handcuffed. He reportedly kicked one of the officers just above the groin while they were trying to bring him patrol car.

Detecting impaired drivers is not that difficult. According to the Family and Consumers Services, we can detect drunk drivers using these characteristics:

• vehicles turning with a wide radius,
• straddling the center stripe or lane marker,
• appearing drunk,
• almost striking an object or vehicle,
• weaving,
• driving on other than a designated roadway,
• swerving,
• driving below the speed limit,
• stopping without cause in a traffic lane,
• following too closely, and/or
• driving with headlights off.

Since the mandatory ignition interlock devices (IID) for all offenders which was in effect since 2007, Arizona has been reaping its positive benefits.

If you have been a victim of alcohol-impaired driving in Arizona and would like to seek compensation, we are available at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation. Call now and an Peoria drunk driving accident lawyer will be with you shortly.

Did you know that in every three vehicle crash fatalities in the U.S., one involves an alcohol impaired driver? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32 percent of traffic fatalities in 2009 involved a driver that exceeded the legal limit for blood alcohol content (.08 or greater) .

In recent news, a suspected drunk driving accident in Arizona happened at night which resulted into the death of a 38-year Tucson woman (AZ Central 06/27/2011).

According to report, the victim fell out of a truck she was riding near South Avenue B at around 7:30 p.m. She was then struck by another vehicle, sending her to a Yuma hospital in critical condition before being transported to a Phoenix hospital where she was pronounced dead the next day.

Investigators believe that alcohol was a factor in the accident.

No arrests have been made so far but police are waiting for blood test results of the driver to be released.

Authorities urge anyone with information about the incident to call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700.

It is interesting to note that in order to prevent car accidents from happening, a few countries such as the Czech Republic, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, it is illegal to have any amount of alcohol in the blood when driving. But since alcohol is present in the body even in those of non-drinkers, these countries follow special guidelines which help to determine recent alcohol consumption.

If you have been a victim of an impaired driver in the Arizona area and would like to receive compensation related to a personal injury, call our Arizona drunk driving accident victim lawyers for a free consultation at (602) 457-6222.

A recent car accident which involved multiple vehicles occurred in the eastbound lane of Interstate 10 in west Phoenix (06/22/2011). According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred when one of the drivers involved lost control while heading west on the freeway near 83rd Avenue, causing his car to cross through the median into eastbound traffic and hit three vehicles.

While authorities believe that alcohol was not a factor, the 47-year-old driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. It may take a month before blood test results are released.

Five people were hurt in the Phoenix auto accident, three of whom were sent to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Impairment has been a major factor in fatal car accidents in the U.S. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32 percent of traffic deaths in 2009 involved an alcohol impaired driver. This could mean that if people were responsible enough to avoid alcohol and other drugs before getting behind the wheel, 10,839 deaths might have been prevented.

On a positive note, authorities continue to exert efforts that aim to decrease impaired driving accidents. These include sobriety checkpoints which help prevent such incidents by arresting drivers who are caught exceeding the legal limit for blood alcohol content before they could cause a crash.

If you have been a victim of an impaired driver and would like to receive compensation related to a personal injury, call us for a free consultation at (602) 457-6222. As Arizona DUI accident victim lawyers, we believe that people who continue to abuse alcohol at the expense of the safety of others should be held responsible for their negligence.

Did you know that alcohol was involved in 32 percent of traffic fatalities in 2009? Out of 33,808 deaths in motor vehicle crashes in 2009, 10,839 involved a driver with more than .08 blood alcohol content (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Needless to say, impaired driving accidents continue to be one of the major problems in road safety.

In recent news, a Diamondbacks television announcer was arrested on Memorial Day on suspicion of drunk driving in Scottsdale (AZ Family 06/08/2011).

Scottsdale police say he was spotted making a wide right turn from 71st Place onto Shea Boulevard at around 1 a.m. on May 30 and was stopped by officers. According to the report, he was also seen weaving within his lane and had a flushed face and bloodshot and watery eyes. There was also the smell of alcohol in his vehicle.

He did not have his wallet or license with him at the time of the arrest. Blood test results are pending. He faces DUI, improper right turn and failure to carry license or vehicle registration.

Out of 807 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in Arizona in 2009, 27 percent or 219 involved an impaired driver (NHTSA). In an effort to decrease car accident deaths, statewide DUI enforcements have been made which resulted to thousands of arrests. We advise our readers to always avoid alcohol when driving, the life you save maybe your own.

If you have been a victim of an impaired driver in Arizona and would like to receive compensation related to a personal injury, call our drunk driving accident lawyers in Scottsdale at (480) 389-2463 for a free consultation.

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 30 people die every day in motor vehicle crashes due to alcohol-impaired drivers. In 2009, there were 10,839 people who were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.

ABC15 reported that a woman from Eloy, Arizona died after falling out of a moving vehicle. The woman was reportedly riding in the passenger seat of the car driven by her husband at the time of the accident. The woman died from a massive head trauma after being transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The couple had just come from a friend’s house where they drank some alcohol. The incident is still being investigated, and the husband has been arrested and may be charged with impaired driving.

Prior to any drinking in Arizona, be sure to assign a sober driver when going out with a group. If a friend is drinking, then be a friend as well and prevent him or her from driving by taking away their keys. This is the safest thing for them as it will keep them from hurting themselves and others.

If a sober driver is unavailable take a taxi or the bus instead. When hosting a party, be a responsible host and make sure that the guests leave with a sober driver afterwards.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an impaired driving accident in Arizona, then you may call at (480) 389-2463 for a free consultation.

Drunk driving accidents continue to raise concerns despite a very active campaign by the state against DUI’s. In a recent story published by AZ Central (04/19/2011) a vehicle crashed into a home Monday night and police believe impairment was a factor.

According to report, the Mesa drunk driving accident occurred after a 23-year-old man lost control of his pickup truck and crashed into the side of the house at Longmore Drive and Rogers Circle.

A large part of the living room wall was knocked out, but fortunately no one was inside the room at the time. No one in the house was hurt in the accident. The driver faces DUI charges according to Mesa police.

Alcohol impairment is often a factor leading to fatal accidents. From 2005 to 2009, fatalities in crashes which involved drivers exceeding the legally allowed blood alcohol content (.08) have reached more than 60,000, comprising 32 percent of the total roadway accident fatalities for the period.

On a positive note, DUI related and fatal crashes in general have been decreasing as of late. But with tens of thousands of people still dying each year because of car accidents, it is apparent that there is still more work to be done and more importantly more cooperation needed in order to minimize road accidents.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of an impaired driver in Arizona and would like to seek compensation related to a personal injury, call our Mesa drunk driver accident victim lawyers at (602) 457-6222 for a free consultation regarding your case.

Did you know that the total annual cost of alcohol-related crashes reach more than $51 billion across the country? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts 2009, nearly 30 people nationwide are killed everyday due to fatal car crashes involving a drunk driver.

In the United States, the average alcohol-related fatalities cost $3.5 million. This is $1.1 million in monetary costs and $2.4 million in quality of life losses. Meanwhile, the estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged $99,000 or $49,000 in monetary costs and $50,000 in quality of life losses.

In the recent statistics from NHTSA in 2009, fatalities as a result of alcohol-impaired driving crashes reached up to almost 11,000 or 32 percent of the total number of motor vehicle crashes in the country. On the same year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

At about 11 p.m. last Saturday, a mother and her 6-year-old daughter were injured in an Arizona DUI crash on the eastbound Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway ramp in Tempe (05/28/11). The Department of Public Safety (DPS) revealed that the late-night accident which injured the mother and her 6-year-old daughter was due to impairment.

According to DPS, the car which carried the two rolled down to the embankment after it collided with another car. The mother suffered serious injuries while the girl sustained minor ones. Both were taken to the hospital while the occupants of the other car were safe and uninjured.

The mother is now charged with aggravated DUI and is facing aggravated assault for the injuries she and her daughter suffered.

The danger of being a victim of fatal car crash involving a drunk driver is very high especially in busy roads of Arizona. The high rate of car crashes in Arizona is a harsh reminder that some of us are still not aware of the risks of alcohol-impaired driving.

Here are some tips from Sgt. Thomas Neve (DPS) that might help you to avoid an accident and to stay safe while on the roads:

• Find an alternate way to get home such as a taxi cab, designate a driver, or just plan to stay put
• Be alert and aware of your surroundings and other drivers, especially at night
• Call 911 to report a suspected impaired driver

Impaired drivers kill almost 30 people in the United States every day, which would make an estimated one death every 48 minutes. In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The government has measures in place to guard against these drivers, and yet, accidents still happen all the time.

A teenage girl from Phoenix sustained life-threatening injuries when a vehicle struck her (ABC15 05/06/2011). The 17-year-old girl was waiting at a bus stop when a female driver drove her vehicle up on the sidewalk, hitting the girl. Witnesses say that the vehicle continued to run for a short distance before it stopped. The female driver was then held down by bystanders until the police arrived, to keep her from leaving the scene. Police say that the woman, 54, may have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The 17-year-old victim was taken to a hospital for Arizona life-threatening injuries.

The life of that teenager will forever be changed and impaired driving caused her misfortune. Drinking and using drugs cannot be combined when driving. When drinking, let a sober person drive the car instead. If no sober person can be found, it would be better to ride the bus or a taxi home. When hosting a party where alcohol will be served, be responsible by reminding guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, or better yet, offer alcohol-free beverages.

If you are injured in a drunk driving accident, you should be aware of your legal rights and options. Call our Phoenix DUI accident attorneys at (602) 267-1280 for a free consultation. We may be able to help.

Festivals are a great way to spend time with family and friends and have a great time. One of those festivals recently celebrated was Cinco de Mayo. Of course, with festivals come food, parties, and alcohol. Various governments across the U.S. are aware of this threat and are always taking steps to prevent danger from occurring.

In the state of Arizona, a task force was formed to target drunk drivers during the Cinco de Mayo festivities (ABC15 05/08/2011). On Sunday, the task force had reportedly arrested 511 people suspected as drunk drivers across the state. 167 of those were considered extreme DUIs whose blood alcohol levels were .15 or higher. A .08 blood alcohol level is considered a legal level. 50 of those who were arrested already had prior DUI arrests, while 52 were still underage. Removing these people from the road helped prevent Arizona drunk driving accidents.

Drunk driving is a chronic problem in any society worldwide. In the U.S., it is slated that about 30 million people die in motor-vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. The CDC has also recorded a whopping $51 billion as the annual cost of alcohol-related crashes. In 2009, it was recorded that there were 10,839 people who were killed in alcohol-related driving crashes. Among those who are mostly at risk are the young people, motorcyclists, and drivers with prior driving while impaired convictions. Most of the recorded fatal crashes occur at .08 or higher blood alcohol level.

If you a have been injured by an Arizona drunk driving accident, make sure that you know your legal rights and options. You may call our experienced Phoenix intoxicated driving accident lawyers for a FREE consultation at (602) 267-1280. We may be able to help.

BlackBerry recently removed an application created by Research in Motion an Ontario, Canada based company that created a program for BlackBerry users to pinpoint DUI checkpoints and subsequently avoid them (AZ Central 3/24/11).

Senators in Nevada, New York, New Jersey, and New Mexico requested that the application be shut down. The Senators said "Drunk drivers will soon have one less tool to evade law enforcement and endanger our friends and families." Law makers hope that the maker of applications for the Iphone and Driod will follow the same suit.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that there were 1,036 fatalities caused by drunk driving. The NHTSA also reported that of those 1,036 people killed, 39 percent of drivers had a blood alcohol concentration of .01 or higher. The legal blood alcohol limit in Arizona is .08.

The upsetting fact is that people that drink and drive have mechanisms to avoid law enforcement. Many organizations have worked with law makers to change this including

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). They have worked diligently since they began in 1980 to rid the road of drunk drivers. Their campaign to eliminate drunk driving includes in-car breathalyzers, stronger police force on holidays, and working with the government and car makers to install an alcohol detection system in all newly manufactured vehicles.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a drunk driving accident please call us at (480) 753- 4534 for a free consultation. As Phoenix drunk driving accident lawyers we may be able to help you get rightful compensation.

We are now nearing the end of April, Alcohol and Drunk Driving Awareness Month. It is commonly known that alcohol and driving is a deadly combination, but did you know that the NHTSA in 2009 predicted that for this year, 10,839 people would lose their lives due to car crashes involving drunken driving?

The Country Thunder Music Festival that occurred earlier this month could have provided many opportunities for people to be exposed to the dangers of driving under the influence in Arizona. That would have been the case, but luckily the Pinal County Regional DUI Task Force was strongly present at the event.

The task force was busy doing their duty of preventing or stopping drunken drivers from getting on the road and endangering lives. Overall, there were 20 misdemeanor DUIs recorded during that period, 1 underage DUI, 2 aggravated DUIs, 29 arrests for minor alcohol consumption, and 52 arrests for both felonies and misdemeanors (KPHO 4/12/11).

According to the Sheriff of Pinal County Sheriff’s Offices, an average of 2.21 people are killed every day due to Arizona DUI related incidents. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System ranks Arizona 8th lowest in the nation for the percentage of traffic deaths resulting from DUI related accidents (2009). The state has some strong DUI enforcement laws, which hopefully are enough to deter drivers from getting behind the wheel impaired, but there is still much more that could be done to prevent more deaths.

There are many ways for ordinary people to play just as important a role as the Pinal County Regional DUI Task Force. In essence, exercising responsible driving is important, but also being a responsible citizen can help if you report suspicious driving behavior to the authorities. If you know anyone who is suffering from injuries due to DUI accidents, or if you are suffering yourself, we provide free consultations at (602) 267-1280.

Did you know that everyday 32 people in the United States die because of alcohol impaired driving accidents? In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that alcohol-impaired driving reached up to 30,797 cases in 2009. In the same year, NHTSA recorded 10,839 deaths involving drivers with blood alcohol concentration exceeding the legal limit of .08 – .32 percent.

We are aware that alcohol is also the primary reason of fatal car accidents in the United States. Drunk driving is a big concern in the country. Although statistics show that fatal DUI-related accidents have been steadily decreasing over years, the numbers could always be lower.

Every April, we highlight the need to prevent and treat alcohol-related related problems. Alcohol Awareness Month started in 1987 by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. It aims to raise awareness of alcohol abuse and encourage people to make healthy, safe choices. This is also the opportunity for communities to work together in educating everyone especially the children about the importance of being alcohol-free.

This month, let us all work together to further lessen the number of fatal car accidents due to impaired driving. Many of us have lost a friend or a loved one because of a careless and reckless driver. Arizona AAA usually offers a free “Tipsy Tow” during holidays for drivers who cannot avoid drinking and driving. There are also many other services for free or a small charge to get impaired drivers home without having to get behind the wheel. A small ride fee is nothing compared to a priceless life. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is also a very well known group of people fighting to save more lives from drunk drivers every year.

Continue reading "Prevent Serious Injuries: April is Alcohol Awareness Month" »

A higher incidence for car accidents is associated with driving at night, rough and unpaved rural roads, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, vision problems and distractions (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System). Statistics from NHTSA showed that a majority of fatal accident victims were drivers (63%), followed by the passengers (28%), motorcycle riders (4%), pedestrians (3%), and pedal cyclists (2%).

A fatal car crash in Deer Valley killed one woman two Saturdays ago at 83rd Avenue and Union Hills.

According to the police, the fatal car crash occurred when an SUV slammed into a Honda driven by a 64-year-old woman that led her car to be pushed into a nearby brick wall. The Honda was at stop at a red light.

The 64-year-old woman didn’t survive the fatal crash because of the severity of the injuries she sustained from being crushed from both the SUV and another vehicle that her car bumped into.

The driver of the SUV was taken at the custody of the police because he was suspected to be under the influence when the fatal car crash happened. The police are still waiting for the blood test to confirm their suspicion.

The 64-year-old woman was an active volunteer for the Red Cross serving at the Emergency Communications Response Vehicles during disasters and whenever it was in need.

Driving under the influence triples the risk of meeting a fatal car crash. In 2009, 32% of car accidents death toll was due to alcohol impaired driving crashes (NHTSA). Please remember the lives you put at risk when you get behind the wheel impaired, especially now, during Alcohol Awareness Month.

Continue reading "Drunk Driver Car Crash Kills Philanthropist" »

Did you know that one person dies every minute due to impaired driving? Back in 2008, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that approximately 32 people died every day as a result of drunk driving accidents. In fact, impaired driving is still considered one of the major causes of fatal car crashes in the United States. In 2009, a total of 9813 out of 30,797 were the result of alcohol-impaired driving in the United States.

Arizona, which is quite notorious when it comes to having high numbers of fatal car accidents, had 710 cases of fatal accidents in 2009. From this number, 196 or 28 percent were due to alcohol-impaired driving. Out of those alcohol caused accidents 134 of them involved single car accidents, and 61 involved multiple vehicles.

One such fatal car accident occurred in a busy Peoria intersection, of 83rd Avenue and Union Hills Drive on Saturday afternoon (3/19/11). Police investigations show that the driver of the Lincoln Navigator was impaired when he rear-ended a gold sedan. This collision triggered a series of crashes involving four vehicles. Sadly, the driver of the gold sedan, a woman died in the hospital.

Meanwhile, the driver was also taken to the hospital due to minor injuries and will recover soon. He might face DUI charges. Investigators are still waiting for the result of the blood test for additional charges.

Drinking and driving is a serious offense but despite it's danger, impaired driving is still a prevalent problem in traffic safety. If you have been drinking and are not able to operate your vehicle have a designated driver or cab take you to your destination safely.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of an impaired driver, you can reach us at (480) 753-4534 for a free consultation. As impaired driving accident lawyers, we may be able to help you in getting the payment you deserve for the damages you or your family member has acquired. .

Did you know that 8% of the American population admitted to impaired driving at least once in their lifetime? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Statistics (NHTSA) 33,808 people nationwide died in traffic crashes in 2009. Approximately 32% of the fatalities were the result of alcohol-impaired driving. In 2009, about four people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities for every 100,000 Americans.

Also in 2009, 219 lives were lost in Arizona. Twenty two of those fatalities were people under the age of 21. NHTSA also reported that from 2008-2009, alcohol-impaired fatalities declined nationally and in 33 states. Alcohol-impaired fatalities involving drivers under the age of 21 also declined nationally in 25 states.

During the celebration of St. Patrick's Day on March 17th, AAA Arizona will offer free one-way rides for impaired drivers for up to 10 miles. The Tipsy Tow service will start at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 17 and continue until 6 a.m.. Friday, March 18. This is to help keep impaired drivers off the road and also to ensure a safe and fun evening for those that will be celebrating. Motorists will only be entitled for a free tow to their homes. For trips exceeding 10 miles, motorists will be charged with the standard towing rate. Tipsy Tow can be reached at 1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357).

Other services such as a vehicle start, flat tire change, gas delivery and/or taxi service will not be provided to the motorists. However, motorists can request for free towing to a hotel only if they plan to become guests. We hope drivers take advantage of this service to help save innocent lives from impaired drivers.

NHTSA has reported that one out of three traffic-related fatalities were due to alcohol-impaired drivers. Since its launch in 2009, Tipsy Tow has aided a number of drivers in getting them to their destination safely.

Continue reading "Keeping Drunk Drivers Off the Road: AAA Tipsy Tow Free Service on St. Patrick's Day" »

Alcohol has been blamed as one of the major causes of fatal car accidents across the globe. In the United States, alcohol impaired driving takes its toll by taking away thousands of lives on the road each year. In 2009, approximately 22 percent of drivers that were involved in a fatal crash had a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater; this really reflects on how big of a problem impaired driving is despite awareness campaigns by advocacy groups.

A recent Phoenix car accident occurred where police say alcohol might have been a factor. The crash happened near Seventh and 23rd avenues of Carefree Highway at around 12:40 a.m. Wednesday morning (AZ Family 02/23/2011).

According to the Phoenix Police Department, a vehicle was going west in the eastbound lanes and collided with another vehicle.

The 22-year-old driver of the second vehicle, who remains in critical condition, had to be airlifted to a local hospital after suffering life threatening injuries. The driver of the first vehicle, a 39-year-old woman, suffered serious but non fatal injuries.

The wreck blocked portions of the highway and westbound traffic goers were advised to take Seventh Street north to Desert Hills and then Desert Hills to 27th Avenue, where they can get back on the Carefree Highway.

Continue reading "Alcohol Linked to Phoenix Injury Crash" »

Every day, approximately 32 people in the country die as a result of alcohol-related crashes (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). In a survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it was reported that from the total number of 30,797 fatal crash incidents in 2009, 32 percent or 9,813 were due to alcohol-impaired driving.

In Arizona, 28 percent or 196 fatal crashes from 710 were because of alcohol impairment. There were also 219 alcohol-related fatalities, 22 of these fatalities being of those under 21. Moreover, it was revealed that most DUI accidents occurred from 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. and 3 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. in 2009.

On Saturday night, a car driven by a 34-year old woman crashed near 45th Street and Baseline Avenue. Police said that the woman was drunk while driving the car with her children before the crash. She fled the scene with her youngest child but left her 8-year old son at the scene injured.

The woman was later found hiding in an apartment complex. Police also said she was driving on a suspended license. She was booked into jail for four felony counts namely: aggravated DUI, aggravated DUI with a passenger under 15, failure to stay at the scene, and endangerment.

2009 saw a greater amount of DUI arrests in Arizona, equalling over 14,000, as compared to the year before with only 10,500. This is the result of the extensive campaign against alcohol-impaired drivers on the roads who often pose dangers to everyone. While the greater number of arrests may seem like a bad thing, it doesn’t necessarily mean there were more people on the road driving drunk; it means the authorities were able to catch more drivers all together.

Continue reading "Two Children Endangered as Mother Drives Drunk" »

Drunk driving endangers not only the health but also the lives of drinking drivers, their passengers, and all others on the road. Drinking alcohol and driving is one very dangerous combination. In the United States, one person is killed every 45 minutes as result of motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. That is equivalent to 32 people everyday. Statistics also show that one out of every three fatal motor vehicle accidents involves an alcohol-impaired driver.

In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System (NHTSA-FARS) has witnessed a decline in the total number of fatal crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers from 10,631 cases in 2008 to 9,813 in 2009. This decline was also perceived in Arizona, which has 209 cases in 2008 and 196 in 2009.

Unfortunately, another suspected drunk driver has injured yet another victim in Phoenix. The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday when the victim’s car was struck by a truck driven by a suspected impaired driver at 27th Avenue and Baseline Road.

According to the emergency crews, the man had to be extricated from his car after the crash. The police on the other hand stated that the driver, a woman, was suspected of driving under the influence.

Drunk driving is one of the major causes of car accidents in the United States and being involved in such is a serious, often felony case. Thus, it is always helpful if you cannot avoid drinking, have a designated driver pick you up instead of driving your car alone. In order not to find yourself as a victim of a car accident, always remember the most common causes that lead to it--impaired driving and distracted driving—and look for the signs of these factors in other drivers. Swerving, speeding, tailgating, and drifting lanes are signs of both distracted driving and impaired driving, so give drivers exhibiting these symptoms lots of space, and if you are suspicious that the driver may actually be impaired, be sure to contact the authorities.

Continue reading "64-Year Old Man Injured by Suspected Drunk Driver" »

Over the years, we have recognized the dangers associated with drunk driving. In the United States, drunk driving has been one of the major causes of fatal road accidents. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System reported 9,813 fatal vehicular accidents due to alcohol impaired driving. However, through the efforts of different public and private organizations we have seen a decline in the number of persons injured and killed as a result of drunk driving.

But, as the nation sees this decline, it has also become more aware of the similar threats and dangers that are brought about by drugged driving or driving under the influence of any drug that can affect a person's brain and impair one's motor skills, reaction time, and judgment.

In 2009, a total of 3,952 or 18 percent out of 13,801 fatally injured drivers had drugs reported within their systems after the accident. In Arizona, 82 persons or 19 percent were tested and found to be positive for drugs.

A 14-year old boy was caught driving a vehicle on Interstate 17 on Wednesday evening (KPHO 02/03/11). The Arizona Department of Public Safety officers tried to stop the vehicle but he fled from the officers and exited the interstate on 19th Avenue until the driver lost control of the car and crashed.

Police reported that the boy was extremely defensive and combative when being arrested and was suspected to be under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.

Continue reading "14-year old Boy Suspected for Drugged Driving in Phoenix" »

Impaired driving accidents kill thousands of people every year in the U.S. You may remember only a month ago, a statewide holiday task force made more than 3 thousand DUI arrests in just a span of 5 weeks. But despite admirable efforts of police to curb impaired driving, there remains a number of people who continue to put everyone’s life at risk.

In Phoenix, a woman was arrested for driving the wrong way on the Loop 101 at Cave Creek Rd while under the influence of alcohol early Tuesday morning (AZ Central 01/25/2011). The 42-year-old driver was seen driving east in the westbound lanes and was forced by police to stop. The woman will be facing charges of driving under the influence, endangerment, unlawful flight and criminal damage.

Luckily, no one was reportedly hurt in what could have easily led to another fatal Phoenix car accident.

In 2009, 32 percent of all driving fatalities involved an impaired driver—these fatalities alone reached over ten thousand. Impaired driving is a preventable risk—individuals can make the choice to designate a sober driver, friends and acquaintances can stop others from getting behind the wheel after drinking, and hundreds of free services are available to get drunk drivers home safely without endangering others. As observers and other drivers sharing the roads, we must always be alert to suspicious behaviors such as speeding, drifting lanes, and tailgating and report these risky actions to the authorities to prevent these dangerous drivers from harming more innocent victims.

Continue reading "Impaired Driver Arrested After Driving Wrong Way on 101" »

Another life was lost in a freak Phoenix car accident Saturday morning as an SUV crashed into the bedroom of a 30 year old man, killing him in his sleep (KPHO 1/15/11).

In what police suspect to be a case of a drunk driving accident, the 21 year old driver was driving irresponsibly, “doing donuts” with his SUV in the intersection near 7300 W. Roma Ave at 4:30 a.m. when he lost control and hit another vehicle parked in the driveway of the victim, pushing it into his bedroom.

The driver and the passenger, his 16 year old brother, were not hurt in the accident, but fled the scene. The other people inside the victim’s house, children aged 1, 4, 7 and 10, were unharmed.

Investigations reveal that the two were drinking in a nearby friend’s home just before the wreck as confirmed by witnesses. Authorities were able to convince the suspects to turn themselves in after making phone contact. The driver faces charges of manslaughter, leaving the scene of an injury accident, eight counts of endangerment, and criminal damage.

Thousands more fatal car crashes involving alcohol impairment will sadly claim loved ones’ lives this year. Annually, the average number of drunk driving fatalities recorded by the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) is over 10,000. Their latest count from 2009 revealed fatal car crashes for that year involved 10,102 drivers having .08 blood alcohol concentration or greater.

Continue reading "Man Dies after Drunk Driver Crashes Through Bedroom in Phoenix" »

In an effort to eradicate drunk driving accidents, a special DUI task force was formed by a number of police departments in Arizona. The operation, which lasted for five weeks, completed more than 3500 DUI arrests when it ended January 1st of this year.

Included in the wave of arrests was the case of a man involved in a Phoenix car accident Friday last week (AZ Central 01/03/2011). The 19 year old suspect appeared to be intoxicated when Surprise police responded on the scene. Although he admitted to having rear-ended the other vehicle, the suspect was not very cooperative, spitting on and kicking one of the responding officers.

The accident happened at West Greenway Road and 175th Drive intersection at around 7:30 pm. Two people were hurt and were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The suspect will be facing aggravated assault against an officer, DUI, disorderly conduct, and a few more charges.

Continue reading "Man Charged With DUI and Assault in Phoenix Car Crash" »

Motorcycle riders are often times prone to dangers not being met by car drivers. In fact, recent statistics showed that motorcycles have higher fatality rate per unit distance travelled compared to automobiles.

Did you know that helmets are 37 percent effective in preventing fatal head injuries according to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2006? CODES or the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation, stated that helmets can prevent brain injuries by 67 percent.

The alarming number of Phoenix motorcycle accidents continued to rise when two new victims of a motorcycle accident were sent to the hospital on New Year's Day. The riders were not wearing helmets and were identified to be a man and a woman in their 40s. The incident happened at 19th Avenue and Jomax Road when the victims failed to completely make the left turn and laid the bike down in the intersection (KPHO.com)

The woman acquired a broken arm due to the impact of the accident while the status of the man was unknown. Although the reason of the accident is still unclear, authorities suspect alcohol to have been a cause.

Helmets can protect and save lives, but in Arizona it is a choice for riders to wear one or not. NHTSA research has shown that 1,829 motorcycle riders were saved by helmets in 2008, and helmet usage has increased by 8 percent in 2009 compared to 2008. We hope all riders choose to ride as safely and as aware as possible, free of impairments and alert to all surrounding drivers and circumstances.

Continue reading "Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Leaves 2 Injured on New Year's Day" »

Did you know that someone gets killed in a vehicular accident involving a drunk driver every 50 minutes (MADD 2010)? This is equivalent to 32 people getting killed every day. In the United States, 11,773 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2008. This amounts to 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths that year.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety reported that alcohol is a factor in more than 26 percent of Arizona's crash cost. In 2009, Arizona was ranked third in terms of the total number of persons killed by state and highest driver blood alcohol concentration in crashes according to the data of NHTSA-FARS.

Another suspected drunk driver was killed in a Scottsdale multi-truck accident. Scottsdale police said that the Phoenix man was driving a four-door Chrysler while travelling westbound when he strike a Ford pickup after swerving from the opposite lane. The Chrysler continued forward and crashed into a large truck.

The driver was removed from his car and was taken to the nearest hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police said that alcohol played a vital role in the collision.

More and more public and non-profit agencies have become advocates to get drunk drivers out of the road. However, such advocacies may become useless if we do not start within ourselves. We hope especially on this New Year’s Eve that everyone makes the responsible decision to have a sober ride home. If you find yourself without a ride, try AAA Arizona’s free tipsy tow service. Just call 1-800-AAA-HELP and ask for a “tipsy tow” to have a tow truck come and pick you and your car up. Your consideration is greatly appreciated by all others on the roads.

Continue reading "Fatal Multi-Truck Accident Kills Drunk Driver in Scottsdale" »

Impaired driving is considered to be one of the most persistent threats to public safety in North America. In 2009, NHTSA – FARS reported that 6,957 drivers involved in fatal crashes were under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication. This alarming situation triggered many public and non-profit agencies to advocate even stronger towards the elimination of impaired driving.

The alarming fatality count due to impaired driving continues to rise as a car hit two pedestrians while crossing a street in Phoenix last Saturday morning (12/25/10). Police authorities reported that the two victims, ages 52 and 53 were crossing McDowell Road when a Chevy Avalanche sport utility vehicle hit them around 2:30 a.m. The impact was so terrible that it killed the 53-year old man and seriously injured the other. The latter was sent to a local hospital and is in serious condition.

The driver was a 34-year old female. As reported by AZ Family (12/25/10) the driver was travelling westbound on McDowell Road when she hit the two victims. She then lost control and crashed into a traffic signal. Investigators believe that the driver was drunk when the incident occurred.

Phoenix authorities have been exerting monumental efforts to increase traffic safety awareness. For drivers on Arizona’s highways, we hope you will take this tragic event as yet another reminder of the importance of being safe and aware drivers. Please remain vigilant in obeying traffic rules and reporting suspected impaired drivers in our vicinity. If you choose to drink please also make the choice to stay off the roads. Appoint a sober driver or call a service to take you home. AAA is offering once again it’s free tipsy tow service that you can use to get home after too much to drink.

Continue reading "1 Killed, 1 in Serious Condition after SUV hit 2 Pedestrians in Phoenix" »

A special holiday task force has been working hard since the season began at Thanksgiving. There are 4,158 authorities in the Valley participating in this effort statewide. They have already made 2,700 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs out of their 28,592 traffic stops. As Arizona drunk driving victim attorneys, we applaud this effort and hope it continues to remove impaired drivers from the roadways and perhaps deter drivers from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

An Avondale man is in the hospital after he was involved in several hit and run accidents (AZ Family 12/24/10). He caused an accident at the intersection of Dysart and Sage roads, then proceeded to flee the scene. No accounts of any injuries of those other vehicles’ occupants have been reported yet. The driver then hit several vehicles in a community and rode up on the lawns of numerous homes. The police were able to capture him and after he is released from his unspecified injuries, they expect to take him into custody for the hit and runs and for driving while impaired.

Did you know that one in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related accident in their lifetime (MADD 2010)? Or that this year, 10,839 people will die in a drunk driving accident? As lucky as some drivers are to have not been one of these statistics, it is not difficult to find someone who is. Drunk driving is more common and dangerous than many people believe. We hope you will keep these numbers in mind as the New Year approaches, and make safe choices as you celebrate.

Continue reading "Impaired Driver Suspect for Several Avondale Hit and Run Accidents" »

Underage drinking is a serious problem in the United States. Vehicular crashes are considered to be the leading cause of teenager death in America and one out of three is alcohol-related. Based on the data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), teens whose age ranges from 15 to 20 years old are the most prone to injuries and death due to car accidents. Moreover, research showed that behaviors are the primary reason for most teen-related crashes. Speed, drinking and driving, distracted driving, and drugged driving are just some of the things that worsen this problem.

A Chandler car accident occured last week when an SUV crashed into two homes around 8:30 p.m. near 128th Street and Riggs Road (AZ Family 12/16/10). A group of teenagers were seen inside the SUV by the witnesses when the collision happened. Two of the teens were injured and was taken to a local hospital while the other one ran away.

Authorities are still figuring out the reason of the crash, but investigators are considering impairment as one of the major factors. There were reports that the driver lost control of the vehicle, crashed into a house and hit the gas line, and then crashed into the second house. There were no reports of injuries on the part of the homeowners but the area had to be evacuated due to the broken gas line.

During this holiday season, the authorities have been even more aggressive in their enforcement of existing laws such as 0.08% BAC laws, minimum legal drinking age laws, and zero tolerance laws for drivers younger than 21 years old. Since Thanksgiving, over 1,300 people have been arrested for driving under the influence, and over 300 were arrested for extreme DUI, which is driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or higher (AZ Central 12/13/10).

Continue reading "SUV crashed into 2 homes in Chandler" »

AAA estimates that almost 3 million people will be traveling between now and January 2nd (ABC 15 12/15/10). That’s a lot of people on the roads! With the roads becoming more crowded and everyone hustling about to get to their gatherings, it is important to always keep safety in mind to avoid serious injury during this busy time of year.

Can you believe travel in Arizona is up 3% from this time last year? Although the weather is fairly pleasant in the valley well into the winter months, sometimes drivers forget while traveling north the drastic decrease in temperature and the increase of precipitation.

For those of you unfamiliar with driving in snowy or icy conditions, we hope you will remember these few tips to stay safe and avoid serious accidents.

• When planning a long distance drive, please check your tire air pressure to avoid blow outs. Changing a tire on the side of the road could lead to a serious injury accident in poor visibility conditions such as snow, or due to a negligent drunk driver.
• Keep at least 500 feet between your vehicle and any snow plows on the road. Not only are they wider, but they have more blind spots than typical trucks, so they require a lot more room around them, also to account for the spraying snow and/or debris.
• Never get out of your car if you get stuck in the snow except to check to make sure the exhaust pipe is clear of snow and debris. If it gets clogged, you and your family could be at risk of deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

Continue reading "Tips to Avoid Serious Injury during Peak Holiday Travel Times" »

Did you know that according to the National Center for Health Statistics in 2006, car accidents are the leading cause of fatalities in children ages 3 to 14? In 2008, 4 percent or 1,347 out of 37,261 traffic fatalities in the United States are children aged 14-and-younger. In addition to the over 1,300 fatalities, 529 children were injured in motor vehicle crashes (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, FARS).

Last Thursday evening (12/9/10), a Phoenix wrong-way car wreck happened on the Loop 101 when a car crashed head-on into an SUV from Surprise driven by a pregnant woman (AZ Family 12/9/10). The driver of the car was a 45-year old woman from Glendale. She was driving with her 6-year old and 4-year old sons when the accident happened.

Investigators said that the mother and her two sons were not wearing seatbelts. She was declared dead at the scene and her 6-year old son, who was riding in the front seat, was pronounced dead at the hospital and the 4-year old boy was seriously injured and remains in critical condition. Although investigators suspect that impairment is involved, they will not be positive until the medical examiner’s results are available. Meanwhile, the pregnant woman was reportedly wearing her seatbelt and acquired only non life-threatening injuries.

This incident which killed two and injured one only proves the importance of wearing seatbelts on every ride. Eighty-eight percent of drivers and passengers use seatbelts on a regular basis (National Safety Council 2010). Wearing one can prevent serious injuries in a crash by 50%, and have saved more than 75,000 lives from 2004 to 2008. Refraining from using your seatbelt could result in a traffic ticket or a serious injury in the event of an accident.

Continue reading "Fatal Glendale Accident Leaves 2 Dead, 1 Injured" »

Impaired driving is one of the main reasons of vehicular accidents in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - FARS, 219 people were killed in Arizona fatal car accidents involving drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels above the legal limit of .08 (2009).

Did you know that the average alcohol-related fatality in the United States costs $3.5 million (NHTSA)? $1.1 million is for monetary costs and the remaining $2.4 million in quality of life losses. Moreover, the estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged $99,000. This is divided into $49,000 and $50,000 for monetary costs and quality of life losses respectively.

It was early morning of Wednesday when a woman was airlifted to the hospital after being plowing into a mesquite tree in Gilbert (AZ Family 12/1/10). According to authorities, the driver was heading west on Guadalupe Road, into oncoming traffic. Fortunately, her car went directly to the curb and hit the tree instead of another innocent driver. However, the damage of her car was so extensive that the paramedics had to remove the driver from the car as quickly as possible. The driver suffered from serious head and leg injuries.

According to the Gilbert Police Department, there was no sign of impairment or speeding on the part of the driver at the time. Luckily, there were no other vehicles involved and no one was inside the car with the driver when the crash happened. The accident is still under investigation.

Continue reading "Woman Air-lifted After Crashing Car into a Tree in Gilbert" »

Did you know that 11,773 people were killed in car accidents involving drunk drivers in 2008 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)? Authorities arrested over 1.4 million drivers for impairment last year, yet that is less than one percent of the 159 million self-reported episodes of drunk driving. That means there are still millions of drunk drivers out there on the roads. As Arizona car accident attorneys, we ask all driver to please be careful.

Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, a truck hit a wooden power pole head-on at Sage Brush and Schnepf in San Tan Valley, Arizona. The single-car crash was caused by a man whose blood alcohol concentration was around five times the legal limit which is .08. Although he did not acquire severe injuries, he was taken to a local hospital due to his high intoxication level.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office reported that the driver had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.374, 4.5% higher than the legal limit. Prior to the said incident, it was also reported that the man had four prior offenses involving drunk driving or driving under the influence of (DUI). He is currently facing aggravated DUI charges for this most recent accident.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has found that the average drunk driver has driven drunk 87 times before the first arrest (2010). With four prior offenses, this driver has probably endangered himself and others thousands of times by driving impaired. It was very fortunate that no serious injuries were suffered by any party.

Not only should this driver and other drunk drivers be held responsible for any damages resulting from over-consumption of alcoholic beverages, but bartenders, bars, nightclubs, and liquor stores can also be liable if they carelessly sell liquor to minors or visibly over-intoxicated individuals. There are many options available to keep these drunk drivers off the roads; please, if you see or know someone who has been drinking this holiday season, get them a cab, drive them yourself, or call a service to take them home.

Continue reading "Truck Hit Power Pole in San Tan Valley, Driver Suspect for DUI" »

One out of every three people will be involved in an alcohol-related accident in their lifetime, according to MADD (2010). Drunk driving is a completely preventable offense that puts everyone on the road in danger.

Four people are injured today as a result of a suspected drunk driving accident (AZ Family.com 11/5/10). The driver, in a small sedan, was speeding around a curve, lost control, and hit a semi-truck head-on. The truck driver is unharmed, but the driver and all 3 passengers were transported to the hospital with broken bones and other injuries. The accident is still under investigation.

Last year in Arizona, 807 people were killed in car accidents—59% of those accidents involved a driver with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System 2009). If nearly 60% of all accidents are caused by drunk drivers, imagine how many more drunk drivers are on the roads not getting caught. Please, as a courtesy to all drivers and all families in Arizona, do not let someone get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.

Continue reading "Suspected Drunk Driver Hits Semi Truck, Injures 4" »

On Halloween, twice as many children are killed in pedestrian accidents as compared to any other day of the year (Safe Kids USA 2009). More pedestrians populate the sidewalks during the dusk and evening hours of 5:30-9:30pm, and children are more excited, so they may move unpredictably.

To protect children this Halloween holiday, there will be more officers patrolling the streets in the valley looking for impaired drivers (ABC 15 10/29/10). Drivers are reminded never to drink and drive and to avoid distractions like texting. It is even more important this weekend with the increased number of pedestrians on the roads to be 100% attentive to the road.

Parents are encouraged to also speak with their children before going out to trick or treat about pedestrian safety. Safe Kids USA has also compiled a list of tips for parents and trick-or-treaters this holiday:
• Try to wear light-colored costumes and clothing, and attach reflective tape or other materials to improve visibility in the dark.
• Walk with flashlights or glowsticks so they can see better and avoid tripping hazards as well as be more visible to motorists.
• Only cross the street at corners and always use crosswalks. Look both ways before and while you cross the street.
• Stay on sidewalks, where available, or walk facing traffic as far to the right as possible. Try to stick to residential streets where there may be less traffic.
• Use makeup, face paint, and wigs instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.

We wish all families a safe and happy Halloween!

Continue reading "Pedestrian Accidents Twice as Likely on Halloween" »

Despite increased education, enforcement, and awareness, sadly, impaired drivers still make it on the road. Lately there have been a few instances in which police officers stopped a driver who was traveling under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or even prescription drugs with children in the car, but it was luckily before any accidents occurred.

Unfortunately early Monday morning, authorities did not stop one mother before she crossed into oncoming traffic and slammed into a wall, critically injuring her three children in the car, ages 5, 8, and 9 years (KPHO 10/4/10). No other cars were involved in the crash that wrecked the family’s sedan. Police suspect that alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Our thoughts are with the families of these drunk driving victims, and we hope all have a speedy recovery.

Drivers who get behind the wheel under the influence are typically not doing so for the first time. They may not be necessarily addicted to their drug or drink of choice, but they utilize it to a higher level than the average consumer, seriously impairing themselves. The resulting poor choices may lead to medical treatment, either for an injury or addiction treatment. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been working with hospital emergency departments by teaching alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI). All patients who enter an emergency room are screened with SBI to identify those individuals who are at risk, and those individuals are given counseling on site to help prevent a recurrent visit for the same or a worse condition. These efforts help reduce the number of impaired drivers on the road.

Continue reading "Drunk Driving Mother Injures Self and 3 Children" »

Driving under the influence of any drug or illegal substance, including alcohol, prescription drugs, or marijuana, is not only dangerous for all drivers on the roadways, but for the actual driver and any passengers in the car as well. We are proponents of sober driving as parents, Arizona highway drivers, and car accident attorneys.

A Mesa father was pulled over last Thursday for speeding and driving erratically and it was found that not only was he driving while high on marijuana, but his 20-month old son was also in the car (AZ Central 9/10/10). Luckily the police officer stopped him before any accident occurred, but we can imagine how much worse the situation could have been.

Marijuana causes impairments similar to drinking alcohol. While the individual effects vary, general reactions consist of impaired coordination and perception, weakened problem solving and critical thinking skills, and marred memory (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2009). All these skills are indispensable while driving a car. Impaired critical thinking skills mean when quick thinking is needed to avoid an accident, it may take two minutes instead of two seconds to react, which is enough time to cause a serious wreck. Coupled with impaired coordination, the skills needed to turn the wheel quickly to get out of the way of oncoming traffic is not there under the influence of marijuana.

Continue reading "Mesa, Arizona Father Drives under the Influence of Marijuana with Infant in Car" »

In Arizona over this past Labor Day weekend, an amplified effort by state officers arrested over 1,700 people for driving under the influence (Arizona Republic 9/6/10). As Arizona personal injury lawyers, we thank the officers for their hard work to make the roads safer for us all this past weekend and appreciate their continued efforts.

Driving under the influence is a very serious offense as it puts all others on the road in danger. It is important as a safe driver to always be aware of the signs of impaired driving, such as excessive speeding, impulsive braking, and exaggerated turns.

Drivers who are impaired are potentially subject to punitive damages as well. Punitive damages allow victims to collect damages against the negligent party above and beyond compensatory damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer. To collect for punitive damages there are certain elements that must be met in a court of law including showing that the wrongdoer acted with an "evil hand and evil mind."

Continue reading "Labor Day Brings Increased Number of DUI Arrests" »

The Arizona Republic reported on 8/30 that a suspect was arrested for his involvement in a fatal crash in Surprise. He was found with illegal narcotics on his person. Though it has not yet been proven that he was under the influence at the time of the crash, this kind of event only makes it more apparent that you must always be aware of your surroundings.

While driving, always watch your mirrors for erratic driving around or behind you. Changing lanes without signaling, speeding, and swerving are signs that a driver may be impaired by drugs, sleep depravation, or even by using a cell phone. Drivers who are not paying 100% attention to the road pose hazards to other drivers. Always maintain a distance from cars with drivers exhibiting this type of behavior to prevent any accidents.

Continue reading "Watch for Impaired Drivers" »

In many Mesa motorcycle accidents, motorcycle riders typically sustain terrible permanent injuries and many times they sustain fatal injuries. Although most witnesses do not agree, the fact is that many times in car accidents, it isn’t the motorcyclists’ fault that the crash even occurred.

Mesa motorcycle accidents as well as motorcycle accidents all over the worlds usually occur because the other involved driver was not paying attention to the roadway. In many instances, the adverse driver was not paying attention to the roadway, including examples such as texting while driving, talking on their cell phone, looking down and going through documents, looking at the radio, or the cd player, among other things other than looking at the roadway. It can even be for a split second that the car driver is not looking at the roadway and then they collide with the motorcycle rider.

The problem for motorcycle riders is that when the other driver is at fault and collides with the motorcycle, the motorcycle rider has limited protection and usually gets seriously injured. The most careful rider can be severely injured because they are completely exposed. For what may be a minimal impact between two cars, between a motorcycle rider and a car it is a total different situation, much more likely to result in serious injury for the motorcycle rider compared to the person riding in the vehicle. If you are a motorcyclist who was hit by a car in a Mesa accident, there are several necessary steps you must take to make your case have the best chances of settling for the maximum value.

First, do not speak to any investigation firms, especially any investigator from an insurance company. A representative from an insurance company may call you to try to get a recorded statement. This is very typical. Do not let them convince you that you have to give a recorded statement. You do not have to give a recorded statement.

Second, avoid any solicitors at the hospital or ambulance who try to get you to consult a law firm, especially if that person comes to your hospital or home. Often these solicitors are not lawyers and are investigators or people who are paid by lawyers who are looking for new clients. This is not a good way to choose an attorney.

Third, go ahead and take the time to find an attorney and go through the internet. You can check the State Bar of Arizona to search for advice on what law offices are best qualified to handle your serious injury claim. We suggest to look on the internet and research whether the lawyer you are thinking about hiring has tried similar cases to yours. Also, check if the attorney you are thinking about choosing has a good reputation your community.

Fourth, you should to take pictures of all your injuries or bruises that were caused by the motorcycle accident. Of course after a serious collision and significant injuries, it may be impossible for you to take pictures of the scene of the accident yourself. You can have family members take photos or the police will often take photos of the scene and any other vehicles involved in the accident. Pictures you take of your personal injuries and bruises can be used as essential evidence to prove the seriousness of your injuries.

Fifth, talk to an experienced Mesa car accident attorney as soon as possible. As qualified lawyers who have worked with many motorcycle accident victims, many with very serious injuries and many who have sustained fatal injuries we are ready to help you and answer any of your questions.

Feel free to give us a call anytime and we can give you honest answers to your questions.

Continue reading "Mesa personal injury lawyers - Mesa Arizona - 3707 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa Arizona 85206" »

Mesa car accidents and truck accidents require very different follow up when you have been an injured victim. One of the differences between a car accident and a truck accident, is that it is absolutely necessary for the victim or their attorney to submit to the trucking company a spoliation letter. A spoliation letter tells the trucking company that they have to hold onto the evidence and are unable to destroy anything. In many cases, trucking companies destroy the actual truck involved in the accident, or any other pertinent evidence, to get rid of any proof that they know would show that they were at fault for causing the accident. Therefore, sending the trucking company a spoliation letter would thereafter hold the trucking company accountable for keeping the evidence. A spoliation letter also requires the representatives for the trucking company to hold all necessary documents that prove that the truck driver was responsible for the accident. We have had many cases where spoliation letters made the entire different in the case. Many times when we send spoliation letters the trucking company will still destroy the evidence however when we are able to show that the trucking company received the spoliation letter we are then able to get evidence into the courtroom that we may have otherwise not been able to.

The question becomes why do trucking companies want to go as far as destroying evidence from a car crash when they know that it will come back to haunt them. Many times, the trucking companies will get away with destroying the evidence because they do not receive a spoliation letter or because the spoliation letter is not effective and complete. Many times trucking companies destroy the evidence because they bank on the fact that juries often times will not believe or be persuaded that the trucking company deliberately destroyed the evidence. Having the spoliation letter though signed by a trucking representative that they received it further helps to show that the trucking company on purpose destroyed the evidence.

After a car crash, especially when someone is seriously injured, it is important to have a complete and legally valid spoliation letter sent to the trucking company. Every case is different and typically each spoliation letter will be different as well.

Do you have an experienced Mesa Arizona car accident lawyer on your side? It is vital if you are seriously injured in a trucking accident to make sure you at least speak to an experienced injury lawyer in Arizona. If you do hire an attorney, make sure to ask the lawyer for a copy of the spoliation letter so you can review it to make sure that all the details are accurate. Some attorneys who take trucking accident cases are unfamiliar with the important or legalities for spoliation letters. If you have been seriously injured it is important to make sure you are hiring someone with the experience necessary to handle your serious injury claim.

When a minor is involved in a Arizona car accident in Arizona, the procedures are entirely different. During the negotiation stage, it is important to always make sure to account for the future injuries that may occur with a minor. Many times, it is unknown what will occur exactly. That is OK but a minor can recover damages for personal injuries that are likely to occur. People think many times that the threshold is that you have to absolutely know and predict the future. In fact that is not the case. When proving and collecting upon a personal injury claim for future damages, and this is true whether it is a minor or not, a person can collect for future damages by showing that it is more likely than not that the future damages or future medical care or future medical bills will be incurred. Thus, the standard is more likely than not. In criminal cases, the standard is beyond a reasonable doubt. When it comes to a car accident the standard is not as high a threshold as with a criminal case.

Fast forwarding to the settlement process. Typically, a minor’s settlement will have to be approved by a Judge. The Judge will listed to the lawyer, the guardian and the minor. Sometimes the minor does not have to appear for the Court hearing but if the minor is above 10 we encourage the parents to have the minor attend. Both parents must have notice that the court hearing will take place.

The Judge will listen to the fact and will either approve or disapprove the settlement and the disbursement of the settlement. At that time, it should be very clear to the minor and the parents what the minor will receive. Usually, either a restricted account is set up at a bank account or an annuity is purchased for the minor. The minor cannot touch the money until the minor reaches age 18. At that time the minor will have to petition the court to release the funds. This is an easy process to have the funds released but it is necessary to have a court hearing.

If you have any questions on a settlement regarding a minor’s injury or if your minor child has been injured, contact the husband and wife law team to help with your claim.

Mesa car accidents happen every day but they do not happen every day where they are intentional. Today I got a call from a man who sits on a homeowners association board and a homeowner ran him over with his vehicle. This type of behavior is astonishing. The caller wanted to know what was the best way that he could proceed.

Under motor vehicle law in Arizona, there is a big difference between intentional acts and criminal acts. In fact this is probably true with most civil cases in terms of whether or not insurance will cover. Of course, you can pursue the negligent person whether or not there is insurance, but typically when an Arizona lawyer is involved it is because they are going after an insurance policy.

A lot of what an attorney does is find different policies when someone is seriously injured from a motor vehicle accident in Arizona. Above that, attorneys also negotiates liens, talks with doctors, requests specific reports, preserves evidence, and deals with insurance companies who treat people unfairly.

Many people do not realize as well that the prosecutor actually has the say so in whether or not a person gets pursued criminally. The victim has no say in whether or not the prosecutor initiates criminal charges against the perpetrator. With that being said, we still always recommend that the injured person call the prosecutor to let the prosecutor know that they were injured.

You do have to remember though as a victim person if the person who hurt you is found to be criminally negligent that may void out any liability on the part of their insurance company paying. Most insurance policies say that they will only pay for negligent acts not purposeful and intentional acts. Therefore, when you are injured you will have to decide whether their act was negligent or whether it was intentional. Typically the cases that we deal with, the acts are negligent and therefore we can recover the monies from the insurance. Even when it has to do with an assault many times, the act is still negligent even though the person might have swung a fist or something like that. The reason it is still considered negligent under the law is that someone might swing a fist to hit another person, for example, but they do not intend to hurt the person seriously. That is, it is all about the person’s intent.

In this particular case it does appear that the person who hit the man with their vehicle was doing so with intent to hurt but even then it is hard to say without getting more evidence.
Our office serves all of Arizona.

We are known as The Husband And Wife Law team and we handle car accidents in Mesa and are motor vehicle accident attorneys in Arizona. We also handle motorcycle accidents throughout the Valley as well. We have an office located in Mesa for motor vehicle auto accident victims so that they have easy access to come to our office.

We also have an office located in the east valley in the Chandler, Ahwatukee, Tempe, area that is closer for people who have been in an accident in these areas in the easy valley, such as Ahwatukee, Chandler, Tempe, Maricopa. We started as Ahwatukee car accident lawyers in 1996. Our first office was in Ahwatukee.

We still have an office currently in Ahwatukee as well. Insurance adjusters know that we are car accident lawyers in Chandler and car accident lawyers in Tempe as well. Our Ahwatukee office is just a few minutes from Chandler and Tempe Arizona. If one of our offices is not close to you or near you and you are seriously injured, we are able to visit you in the hospital or come to your home as we understand that when you are seriously injured because of an accident it is difficult to come see a lawyer.

Many of the cases we accept are in the Glendale area as well. As Glendale car accident lawyers, we receive many calls each day from people on the west side who have been injured. As lawyers in Avondale who handle car accidents in Avondale Arizona we have help a lot of people in this part of the west side as well. We do have an office in Avondale Arizona and can meet people there if they live close to this area and this is more convenient. Peoria car accident lawyers and Sun City car accident lawyers we are available as well to help people who live in this area of Arizona. Recognized through out the Valley as Arizona car accident lawyers, we also help people in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills.

Although there are a lot of Arizona car accident lawyers, Mark has received recognition for Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Arizona and has received top ranking from Martindale-Hubbell which is a renowned legal source for more than 100 years. There are also many Scottsdale car accident lawyers and we are available to help those who have been injured in an auto accident in Scottsdale as well as all the other cities listed above. We are not near Bullhead City, but we still consider ourselves Bullhead City car accident lawyers, as we have clients who have been injured in Bullhead City.

Many clients who are injured in Bullhead city are brought to Vegas Hospitals. We have visited clients in the Vegas hospitals before. If you believe that you need an accident attorney to protect you, give us a call even if you have been hurt in Bullhead City. Do not let the distance from Phoenix scare you as we can still come to you. There are many car accidents in Gilbert as well. Our Mesa office is located near Gilbert so as Gilbert car accident lawyers we are still able to help protect your rights as well.

Remember when you are looking for an attorney, you are not going to spend a lot of time in your attorney’s office regarding your car accident claim. The most time you will spend is the initial visit and then after that you will mostly have telephone appointments. Certainly, for our office we encourage clients to call and come by but it is not necessary.

It is most important you pick an excellent lawyer that you have trust in and know that those Arizona injury lawyers will do a great job for you rather than pick an auto accident attorney just because they are a few minutes from your house. The outcome of a personal injury claim can be life changing so it is very important that you feel very comfortable with your injury lawyer and that you trust that you have made a great decision when you hire the attorney.

Mesa car accidents often result in drivers and passengers being seriously injured in auto accidents. Many car crashes often result in the wrongful death of an innocent person by the negligent of another driver.

When you or your loved one is involved in a serious car accident in Mesa Arizona it is important to consult with an experienced lawyer. Mark Breyer has top rating by Martindale-Hubbell, a renowned lawyer source for more than 100 years. He also has top ranking from AVVO, a legal ranking company. Mark has recently received an award by ATLA for Top Trial Lawyers In Arizona. Mark also is an expert in injury and wrongful death law as certified by the State Bar of Arizona.

The State Bar of Arizona has certified less than 2% of attorneys in the Valley, including auto accident lawyers in Mesa, Arizona. To be certified as an expert in injury and wrongful death law by the State Bar of Arizona you must show high qualifications, pass an exam, receive ratings by Judges and other attorneys in Arizona, as well as show the requisite amount of trial experience and cases handled in injury and wrongful death law.

As The Husband And Wife Law Team and car accident lawyers in Mesa, Arizona, we pride ourselves as giving our clients the Breyer Law Experience. All our clients receive top notch legal service as you would expect from a certified specialist as well as the client service that they deserve. We offer a no fee guarantee for all cases that we accept. We only handle serious injury and wrongful death claims but can help you if you call and set you in the right direction.

Unlike most law offices, even if we cannot help you we will try to find an attorney that can help you or give you a free consultation on your claim. We also have an injury book that we offer free to all Arizona residents. We do not charge a fee unless we settled your claim and we advance all costs. We have the resources necessary to hire the best experts and process all of our cases to the fullest to receive the best settlement. Call us anytime. We are here to help. Call Now!

Mesa auto accidents and motorcycle accidents happen every day. We currently have an office in Mesa, Arizona but we also have offices throughout Arizona. We serve clients Statewide. As Accident lawyers in Mesa and in Arizona, we began our law practice in 1996. We originally began our office in Ahwatukee, Arizona. Our office has grown because of our successes. We however still stay true to our original concept when beginning our office, which is to give the best client service with the best legal service as well.

Whether you are involved in a car accident in Mesa, Arizona or anywhere throughout the Valley, we are able to help you. We do not just hand off your automobile or motorcycle case to an associate or a paralegal, we take the lead in the case and always speak with our clients. Of course, we have excellent experienced paralegals that we work with but when you need to talk to a lawyer, you will speak to us and not have trouble reaching us.

As attorneys who practice injury and wrongful death law in Arizona, Mark Breyer is a certified specialist by the State Bar of Arizona. This signifies that the State Bar of Arizona has certified him as a specialist and expert in Arizona injury and wrongful death law. Auto accident lawyers in Mesa Arizona can help injured victims get their fair compensation. Less than 2% of attorneys in all of Arizona, not just car accident lawyers in Mesa, Arizona are certified specialists in injury and wrongful death law. Therefore, this is an amazing accomplishment by Mark. It shows the success that we have had but more than that it is a testament by Judges and other attorneys around the Valley that Mark is a competent lawyer who has the trial experience and experience to handle injury and wrongful death claims.

If you have been injured in an accident in Mesa, Arizona or just have questions please do not hesitate to give us a call. Although we are selective in the injury and wrongful death cases that we are able to handle, we will give you advice and point you in the right direction.

We serve all of Mesa Arizona and all cities statewide in Arizona. We handle car accident claims in Mesa and if you are unable to come to our office in Mesa we can come to your hospital or to your home. We recognize that when you are seriously injured it is difficult to come to an attorney’s office.

We offer a no fee guarantee and you can reach us 24/7. Feel free to call anytime. We are here to help and you can rely on the "Husband And Wife Law Team."

After an Arizona car accident, whether it be in Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Maricopa, Apache Junction, Scottsdale, Glendale, Sun City or any other place in Arizona you must file a claim with the adverse party, and I (Alexis) recommend that you file a claim with your own insurance as well.

I have had many people through the years call me after their statute of limitations has run for their Arizona car accident only to learn that filing a claim is not the same as filing a lawsuit. Filing a claim for an auto accident means that you talk to the insurance company, given them all the information, and let them know that you were injured in the auto accident. Usually, the insurance adjuster will call you for status of your medical care or they may discuss your claim with you. As I always say, it is important to remember that the insurance adjuster is not your friend. This is an adversarial relationship. You want what is best for you and the insurance company wants what is best for them. What is best for the insurance company? To settle a case for as little as possible.

Filing a claim is just that – talking to the insurance company. There are many different statutes of limitations. The statute depends on the type of claim. Some car accidents have a 180 day statute of limitation, some a 1 year statute of limitation and some a 2 year statute of limitation. For other injuries the statutes can vary as well. When a minor is involved the statutes can differ also. It is important to always consult with a lawyer to make sure you at least get an evaluation of your deadlines for your case.

If you are simply negotiating with the insurance adjuster and the statute is arising, it does not matter. You have to file a lawsuit or settle the claim before the statute of limitations. If you are negotiating and the statute is coming up, it does not matter. Negotiating with an insurance adjuster on a car accident claim does not stop your obligations from dealing with the statute of limitations.

Under the law, a person who makes an injury claim in Arizona is held to the standard of knowing all the laws. It is not enough to say as someone recently did when they called me that they were not aware of it. The person who called said no one warned her of the statute and she didn’t know. Unfortunately, this is not a defense to missing a statute of limitations.

Technically based on the Department of Insurance, an insurance adjuster is supposed to tell you the statute of limitations, but many times they tell you in a letter immediately following the auto accident in Arizona so people do not really understand what this letter means. Also, the problem is that even if the adjuster or insurance company does not tell the person who was injured in the car accident in Arizona, there really is no recourse against the insurance company as there is no legal punishment for the adjuster. Therefore, the bottom line is do not rely on the insurance adjuster to tell you what your statute of limitations are for your case. The truth is many times the adjusters don’t even know so once they hand the file over to an attorney, the attorney might make a legal argument that the adjuster did not even know about.

Filing a lawsuit is where you actually have papers that are filed with the Court. This is the only way to preserve and protect your claim in regards to the statute of limitations. You can file a lawsuit and not continue with it, but it is necessary to continue negotiations to show the adjuster that you have filed the lawsuit. When filing a lawsuit, it requires a fee, a cover sheet, a summons, and what is called a certificate of compulsory arbitration. These documents all need to be filed with the clerk and when filed the clerk will stamp them and give the case a number. This is the number an adjuster will be looking for once the statute of limitations date passes.

If you have any questions about your statute of limitations and want a deadline review of your case, feel free to call our office.

Mesa Car Accident Lawyers is part of what we are. We actually serve the entire Valley. I focus on Mesa in this blog because I received several calls today asking where our law office was in Arizona. So there you go. The above is our address. We have other offices through out the Valley so if you have any questions just let us know.

Do you know what a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death law means? In short, the State Bar of Arizona awards certain lawyers as being a certified specialist in the area of injury and wrongful death law when they have proven that they have had ample trial experience, recommendations from Judges and other lawyers in Arizona, as well as passing a specialist exam. Also, certified specialists do not maintain there specialist certification forever. They have to reapply and continuously show that they are litigating cases and have an active practice in personal injury law. To find about more about the qualifications of a lawyer being awarded a certified specialist distinction visit the Arizona State Bar. There are only about 2% of Arizona attorneys who are considered specialists by the State Bar of Arizona. In fact, if you are not a specialist you are not considered an expert by the State Bar.

Mark Breyer of the Husband and Wife Law Team is a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death law. It is a great accomplishment and a testament to our successes! If you have been involved in an auto accident in Mesa or anywhere in Arizona do not hesitate to give us a call. We help injured victims and are injury lawyers in Mesa and we also help individuals throughout the State of Arizona. To find out more about our office, call for a free consultation or visit our website.

An Arizona car accident occurred in 2006. It involved a young girl who had just turned 18 years old and another driver, who had run a read light. As car accident lawyers in Mesa, Chandler, Avondale, Peoria, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, Glendale, Sun City, Phoenix, and as you know we serve injured victims through out the Valley - many of the claims we handle deal are with drivers running a red light. Running a red light causes many car accidents in Arizona. In fact I have never done the statistics of our own cases in terms of what types of car accidents cause the most claims in our office, but off the top of my head I would probably say running red lights and failure to yields. Of course, car accidents in Arizona come in all sorts of ways.

So back to the story. A young girl is driving. An innocent driver when all of a sudden she is stuck by a driver who has not only run a red light but is totally drunk. The police come to the scene of the accident. Luckily some witnesses stay, but most of the people who witnessed the car accident in Arizona left the scene. As a side note, if you ever do witness a car accident it is so vital to stop and let the police know. We have had many cases where the driver says he had a green light or did not fail to yield, whatever the case may be, basically where the driver at fault denied liability, and if it were not for a witness the police would not deem anyone at fault. Regardless of what the police determine, as personal injury lawyers in Arizona, it is a lot harder to prove fault when a driver does not admit they are at fault and there are no witnesses. At that point sometimes, it can become a he said-she said dispute in proving who is at fault for the auto accident. That is when accident reconstructionist experts and other experts come into play to prove to a jury or judge that our client was not at fault.

The police are at the scene of the auto crash in Arizona and the young girl is seriously injured. She cannot get out of the vehicle. She is trapped in the vehicle. She is in serious pain. She will face many surgeries and as much as physical pain she will undergo just as much, if not more, emotional pain, from dealing with all the physical injuries. Meanwhile, the drunk driver gets taken away from the scene. He at least admits fault, of course, he is drunk. He is taken into custody. Both vehicles are towed from the scene and the young girl gets taken by ambulance to the hospital to face all her surgeries while the drunk gets taken to prison. Prison, a place he had already been and should have stayed from causing other car accidents in Arizona.

The injured girl’s vehicle is taken care of. Her parents called the insurance company and ultimately the vehicle was totaled. It didn’t really matter because the girl would not be able to walk for many months but at least the vehicle was not sitting in storage and accumulating charges against the injured victim.

The parents talk to their daughter and tell her to hire a lawyer. They explain to her that she needs to be protected. She has a high amount of medical bills and had no surgery. The daughter tells her parents that she is not ready to file a claim. She tells them emotionally it is all just too much and she doesn’t want to deal with it. The parents do everything they can to convince her to hire an injury attorney but since the daughter is 18 it is ultimately her decision as she is not a minor. The daughter says she doesn’t want to talk to an accident lawyer in Arizona because she has already talked to the prosecutor and it is all taken care of so she is set. The parents again plead to have her just consult a lawyer but she refused. Eventually, the parents give up and all through the while they have continued to support their daughter.

Fast forward four years. The girl still cannot walk like she used to. She has been through multiple surgeries. Emotionally she is a mess but much better than she was at the time of the car accident. It just took her a long time to get back to her emotionally stable point. Now she is ready to consult with an Arizona personal injury lawyer. Now she wants justice.

She decides to call an injury and wrongful death lawyer in Phoenix and guess what she reaches our office. She asks can she pursue a claim. She is crying through out the conversation because it is still emotional for her, as would be expected. When I tell her that it is too late she is shocked. How can it be too late? She tells me the prosecutor told her that the prosecutor was pursuing her claim for her. I go over the statute of limitations for car accidents in Arizona with her and try to see if there is any way that the statute could not have passed. There is simply no way. She could have hired a lawyer. She could have got to the Court house to file a claim. She was not a minor. She herself had no insurance so it was not a matter of underinsured just the claim against the adverse driver for causing the collision in Arizona. Such sad news to tell someone that now when they are ready to pursue justice, they cannot because they waited too long. That her parents were right – nothing a daughter wants to hear. I know as a parent myself those are the last words kids want to hear – that their parents were right!

Anyways, as an injury lawyer in Arizona, I bring this scenario to everyone’s attention because it is a perfect example why all injury victims should consult with Arizona personal injury lawyers. This girl has been misled or mistakenly understood that the prosecutor was filing the claim for her. She was unaware of the statute of limitations and now sits with thousands and thousands of dollars of medical bills because she did not simply talk to an injury lawyer. I do commend her for focusing on her emotional pain and doing everything she could to heal and not having that feeling of running out to get a lawyer. The thing is because of the adversary relationship with injured victims and insurance companies, in order to protect yourself as an injured victim of a car crash in Arizona it is necessary to seek a consultation with an injury lawyer. This is my attempt at letting everyone know the important of just consulting with a lawyer, especially after a serious car accident. Also, for all those claimants out there that think the prosecutor is filing your claim – almost always that is not correct. Prosecutors handle criminal investigations and matters, and yes it is true that they will prosecute the drunk driver for the injured victim. When it comes to a civil case against the driver though for pain and suffering that is what a personal injury lawyer in Arizona handles.

The fatal motorcycle accident last week that claimed the lives of 4 innocent victims and others who were injured is becoming more tragic as the investigation proceeds. According to reports the driver, Michael Jakscht, of the dump truck had methamphetamine’s in his system at the time of the motorcycle crash.

Driver of deadly motorcycle accidend found to have drugs in his system on day of crash

At first, police thought it was an accident from the driver shuffling papers and not paying attention, but now news reports are indicating that the driver had illegal substance in his system at the time of the motorcycle crash. Further, it is reported that the driver had received two speeding tickets a couple of days before the motorcycle crash and his driving record indicates that he has had five tickets in the passed, some for carrying too much weight in the truck.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the families of this fatal motorcycle crash

My thoughts and prayers again go out to these families. This is certainly a tragic accident. Some motorcycle accidents are just accidents. When reports were that he was shuffling papers I thought that is very careless driving behavior but in some respects in it an accident – still deserving of punishment but something a lot of drivers do is get distracted and do not pay attention.

Justice must be served

Given the current reports and if they are true, I think this driver deserves to be convicted of every count that he is charged with for killing these Arizona motorcycle riders. Of course, we are all innocent until proven guilty, but if these reports are true this man was driving while under the influence of illegal substance and has ruined the lives of many families, which extends to probably hundreds of people when you consider the spouses, parents, children, siblings, friends, and even grandchildren.

Innocent lives have been destroyed

In reading some of the obituaries, it reminded me again how fragile life is. This man has destroyed lives of beautiful families and justice must be served. We can never bring back these motorcycle riders, but these families need to make sure that they have lawyers on their side fighting for them and that this driver is punished for what has been done.

Punitive Damages

In reading that the driver received citations for carrying too much weight, it makes me think that the company might have some liability as well regarding why the truck caught on fire. I will admit this is all assumptions and speculation based on all of the prior cases we have handled, but I wonder if there was too much material on the truck and that is why the truck caught on fire. This needs to be looked into right away.

Legal experts must be retained immediately

An expert regarding trucks, weights, and accidents, needs to look at the biomechanics of this accident and truck to see if there is any liability on the company for carrying too much weight. There may be others responsible as well. This is not to say that the driver should not be held accountable, I just wonder if there are other factors out there that make others responsible as well.

Spoilation of evidence

The first thing that needs to be done is that this truck needs to be kept in a place where the evidence is no spoiled. The truck needs to be examined and put in a place – storage area – where experts can look at it and investigate further as to why this truck caught on fire and if anyone else is responsible for taking the lives of these innocent individuals.

A letter needs to go out immediately to the company owners and the insurance company for the spoliation truck letting them know that if the truck is tampered with the parties will look to the spoliation law in Arizona, which basically says when you are put on notice not to tamper with evidence, if you do tamper with that evidence the Court can instruct the jury to look at the tampering of evidence in a negative light.

Arizona case law for those lawyers who are looking for authority on spoliation of evidence

There are a long line of Arizona cases that indicate the Court should instruct a jury that it can draw a negative inference against the party who fails to preserve evidence. For those injury and wrongful death lawyers that may follow this blog for legal tips, if anyone wants to check our an Arizona case on point it is State v. Willits, 96 Ariz. 184, 393 P.2d 274 (1964). Other legal cases that can be reviewed for destruction of evidence include Souza v. Fred Carries Contracts, Inc., 191 Ariz. 247, 955 P.2d 3 (App. 1997), Nat'l Ass'n of Radiation Survivors, 115 F.R.D. at 557 (citing Cecil Corley Motor Co. v. General Motors Corp., 380 F.Supp. 819, 859 (M.D. Tenn. 1974)) and Alexander v. Nat'l Farmers Org., 687 F.2d 1173, 1205-06 (8th Cir. 1982), cert. denied, 461 U.S. 937, 938, 103 S.Ct. 2108, 2110, 77 L.Ed.2d 313, 314 (1983).

Expert Arizona injury and wrongful death lawyer

Of course, I am biased since all we do is practice injury and wrongful death law in Arizona, but especially in this fatal motorcycle accident, it is imperative that these families hire the best motorcycle accident lawyer that they can find. If you have questions about this article or accident, call our office and we can review with you how the law affects this case.

Expert Arizona Injury and Wrongful Death Lawyer on Arizona Motorcycle Accidents

Mark Breyer is a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death law in Arizona, which only 2% of all lawyers in Arizona have achieved as awarded by the State Bar of Arizona. He has been names Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona by ATLA and has achieved top legal ranking for legal ability and legal ethics from Martindale-Hubbell, a renowned legal source for over 100 years known throughout the United States. We offer a no fee guarantee and can assure all clients that we represent you will get the representation that you would expect from a top Arizona injury and wrongful death law team with the communication you would expect from a husband and wife law team. We are a top notch legal team and Mark has achieved his awards from getting the results and justice that our clients deserve.

Society should never forget the innocent victims of fatal accidents

Most importantly our thoughts are with these families. It is clear that this was a special team of motorcycle riders and that justice needs to be served. All of these riders are very special and as a society we all have to work together to make sure that innocent victims of fatal crashes like these are not forgotten and that society understands the dangers of driving while distracted and that those who are driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be punished by the full extent of the law. There is no tolerance whatsoever for this type of chosen driving behavior which kills innocent victims.

Most people are not involved in Arizona car accidents. Most people never have to talk to an Arizona injury and wrongful death lawyer. Most people will never have to know what is involved to make an injury or wrongful death claim with the insurance company. These are the lucky people.

Unfortunately, there are many others who are involved in Arizona car accidents. These people may have either been seriously injured or lost a loved one from a fatal Phoenix, Arizona car accident. Maybe it wasn't in Phoenix, maybe the car accident was outside of Phoenix, such as a car accident in Chandler or Ahwatukee or Tempe, or all the surrounding areas that are in Phoenix, Regardless of where the accident is, these are the unlucky people. It is better to be ignorant of the law and the insurance claims but unfortunately many people are forced to learn about it and forced to seek out an experienced Arizona accident and injury lawyer.

Currently, the insurance companies have been successful in convincing society that people who are injured and seek money damages are greedy. I (Alexis) want to tell everyone about a situation that recently happened with one of our clients and you tell me who is the greedy one!

Our clients were involved in a car accident and let's call him "Joe" who was the driver. Joe was very seriously injured. He was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he remained in ICU for a couple of weeks. During this time, his wife was at home caring for their children and trying to go back and forth between the hospital and tend to all the kids at home. Meanwhile, Joe's vehicle was towed from the scene of the accident while Joe was being taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Joe's car was old so he did not have collision coverage on the vehicle. The insurance company of the person who was at fault who hit Joe's vehicle would not do anything because they said they had to get in touch with their insured first and investigate as to whether or not their insured was at fault. Where was their insured? In jail. Their insured had been taken to jail from the accident scene because he was driving drunk and was found to be at fault for the car accident.

The insurance company took 8 weeks to investigate the car accident and talk to their insured. After 8 weeks they admitted liability and said they would pay for Joe's total loss. Sounds fair? I suppose that part is fair. But here is the unfair part. Joe's vehicle sat in storage the entire 8 weeks because the insurance company would not move it out of storage. They told Joe to move it himself. Yes, Joe who was in ICU for part of this time. If not Joe, then his wife they expected to take care of it. Joe and his family could not afford the storage charges, the towing charges, and where would thye have had their totaled vehicle moved to - Joe's family would have had to move their totaled vehicle to another tow yard place that would also have charged for storage charges.

This makes absolutely no sense - does it? But these are the types of things that insurance companies try to get away with it. They won't get away with it here though because Joe hired our office and we sent the insurance company multiple letters indicating that they had to remove the vehicle or they would be responsible for the storage charges. If the insurance company doesn't pay for Joe's storage charges plus Joe's loss of use for his family not having a rental vehicle what will happen and what can you do as an accident victim?

You file a lawsuit. Some Arizona injury lawyers might not want to file a lawsuit but that is exactly what we do. You have to file a lawsuit to show these insurance companies that they cannot bully you and your clients around. We have had some cases where insurance companies try to do this and we have received 3-4 times the value of the vehicle in the end because the insurance company has to pay interest and so many other charges when they are found at fault for their actions.

The bottom line is this is an excellent example of how an innocent person can be taken advantage of by the insurance company. Next time someone tells you a person who pursues an injury claim is greedy tell them this story and let them know that if you've never been involved in an Arizona car accident and been hurt and had to make an Arizona injury claim or had to hire an Arizona injury lawyer to get what is fair then you do not know what our legal system is all about. Remember this story and how the insurance company is the one who is greedy.

When people are involved in an Arizona car accident many times they are seriously injured. When we represent clients who are seriously injured in an Arizona car accident, many times we see that they have trouble paying their mortgage, medical bills, utility bills, etc. This is to be expected because when a person is injured they are unable to work and therefore they have trouble paying all of their expenses. For many, all of these issues are why people look into hiring the best Arizona car accident lawyer.

Getting An Advance on Your Arizona Injury Claim

There are companies out there that will make an advance on an Arizona injury claim. Typically, they require a lot of forms and will only pay a minimal amount compared to the value of the settlement. In order for these companies to decide if a person can qualify for an advance on their settlement claim, they will talk to the injury lawyer, review the police report, ask about liability, request to see the car photos, and any other evidence that the attorney may have. The funding company has to be very conservative in the amount of money that they lend out because they will be lending this money out and it will be totally dependent on the outcome of the settlement. Therefore, the funding company will be taking a great risk when they lend out money to personal injury individuals.

Why as Phoenix Injury Attorneys Do We Recommend Against Injured Victims Getting An Advance On Their injury Claim?

Typically, we recommend against any of our clients getting advances on their injury claims. Why is that? The reason is because funding companies charge an enormous amount of interest when giving out a loan on an injury claim. By a lot of money it can come out to as much or more as 50% in interest and fees. In other words, if you get a loan on an injury claim in the amount of $10,000 you will need to pay back $15,000 out of your personal injury settlement. Also, as the months go by, the interest will continue to increase at a high rate. Many times to make sure you get the best settlement possible it will take longer and you do not want the taking out of a loan to affect whether you can hold out on settlement.

When May A Client Need An Advance on Their Injury Claim

There are some times where we do understand why clients need to get an advance on their settlement. Of course, as lawyers we listen to our clients and do anything needed to address what they would like out of their settlement claim. Therefore even if we do not agree with the client taking out an advance on their settlement, we will still do everything we can to help the client. The times that we understand that the client needs an advance is where they have tried everything possible and are just so behind that the extra interest will not make a difference. We had a client once who was going to lose his home because he could not work and getting an advance on his settlement was the only way he could save his home.

It is important to try to do everything you can to avoid an advance on your claim because of the high interest rates and fees that go along with getting an advancement on a personal injury claim. We do understand why the funding companies have to charge such high rates and that is because if the case is lost they will not get any money so the funding company is taking on a lot of risk.

If you have any questions on an Arizona injury claim, feel free to give us a call. As Arizona personal injury lawyers, we are able to answer all your questions and if we cannot help you, we will point you in the right direction so you get the help and care that you need.

I find it very interesting that people who are involved in an Arizona accident will call our office and say how they don't want a McDonald's case verdict or anything like that but they do want to be compensated. What is interesting about that is 1) many people know nothing about the McDonald's case and 2) it is amazing how influential the insurance industry is to convince everyone how bad it is to file a claim or lawsuit against someone.

McDonald's Coffee Injury Case

With reference to the McDonald's coffee case, most people only know what they have been told by the media which mostly comes from the insurance industry as only their insurance industry has enough money to go on TV and do all sorts of other stuff and alter facts about a case. What really happened in the McDonald's coffee case is that an older woman was burned by hot coffee because of McDonald's choices. You see McDonalds decided that they would create a campaign to let everyone know that their coffee was the hottest. In doing so, they made the coffee so hot that many people were getting burned. All of these people, society never heard of but McDonalds and the others knew that the coffee was too hot - so hot that it would cause injury sooner or later.

Real Facts Of Case

As a result, the woman was severely burned. It was not just a little burn, but very significant burns on her body. When the case went to Court, the Plaintiff's lawyer asked for what we call "punitive damages." Punitive damages is where a company or individual acts such that their conduct is seen with an "evil mind." When a Plaintiff's lawyer ask for punitive damages the jury can award money damages to punish the Defendant for their egregious actions. The way the media portrayed the McDonald's case is that some woman got burned because of her own actions and millions of dollars was awarded to the Plaintiff. That is not what happened at all.

What happened was that McDonalds knew that they should not be serving coffee this hurt because others had complained of the temperature and being hurt... a little. As a result, McDonald's was warned to lower the temperature of their coffee to avoid future injury and McDonald’s chose to not do so and keep the coffee at the hot temperature because they didn't care who got hurt, they only cared about sales.

Injury Case Goes to Court

When the case went to Court, the Judge found that there was enough evidence for the Plaintiff's lawyer to argue that McDonalds acted with an evil mind. The jury found that as well and awarded one day of coffee sales to the woman as a punishment. That is where the millions of dollars comes in.

Did you know that the Judge has the power to reduce the award a jury gives? So when you are on a jury, you actually do not have final say, the Judge does. In this case, the Judge did lower the amount of the award in fact and the woman did not get the amount that the jury awarded her.

Perception of Society When Pursuing An Injury Claim

The perception of society now is that it is bad to make a claim when you are in an auto accident or have received personal injuries from the negligence of another individual. As Arizona lawyers who help individuals everyday who have been hurt by the negligence of another individual we here time and time again that people don't want a McDonald's coffee case verdict or they just want their vacation pay paid back, or they just want their medical bills paid.

Arizona Injury Law

The law is set up so that the only way a person who is hurt by another individual can get back to square one is through making a claim. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to file a lawsuit but you do have to make a claim. We all pay insurance companies thousands of dollars and as a whole billions and billions of dollars to insure us. In my opinion, and of course I (Alexis) am bias as I am a personal injury lawyer, but in my opinion that is exactly why we have insurance. We have insurance so that if an innocent individual is wronged, the insurance company will pay.

Auto Accident and Other Personal Injury Claims

If you are injured in an auto crash in Arizona and you incur medical bills and lost wages, you should be entitled to compensation of your medical bill and lost wages, but also for all your pain and suffering. It is the pain and suffering that makes our system as it is and people should know there is nothing wrong with pursuing what is fair, which includes money for pain and suffering, future medical bills, permanent injuries, and all the other elements that make a person not whole when they have been hurt by another individual. This is why we have insurance and people who are hurt should not be made to feel that making a claim is the wrong thing to do.

Arizona Lawyers Who Can Help

With that being said, not all injuries are worth pursuing and there certainly are some people out there who bring frivolous cases but there are a whole lot more people who are injured because of someone else’s negligence and deserve fair compensation. If you are someone who doesn’t know if you have an injury case and are looking for Arizona personal injury lawyers who can help, feel free to give us a call. We have offices Valleywide and we can come to you. Call us Valleywide at 602-267-1280. You will not be disappointed in Arizona’s Husband and Wife Law Team’s client communication and legal abilities.

If you have been in an accident in Ahwatukee, call the Ahwatukee Car Accident Lawyers who are right in your neighborhood. Although we have other offices throughout the Valley, our first office began in Ahwatukee back in 1996.

Mark is rated Top 100 lawyers in Arizona by ATLA, top ethical and legal ratings by Martindale-Hubbell, Top rankings by AVVO, and he is a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death law by the State Bar of Arizona. Only about 2% of lawyer sin Arizona have been deemed an expert by the State Bar of Arizona.

You can find out more about us in the Ahwatukee newspaper or come by our office which is located near 46th Street and Chandler Blvd - our office in Ahwatukee. If you work in another part of the Valley most likely we have an office near your work as well. If we do not have an office near you, we will come to you.

Feel free to call anytime as well at our East Valley number. As Ahwatukee auto accident lawyers we are here to help. We also handle other areas of personal injury as well. Give us a call and get your free consultation. We are confident you will trust our office and get honest answers to all your questions.

People who are involved in a car accident are often convinced that only personal injury clients who are at fault for the accident have an uphill battle in proving their claim. In fact, in my (Alexis) opinion every personal injury victim in Arizona has an uphill battle? Why is that?

Whether you are at fault for an accident in Arizona or not are an injury victim, you face an uphill battle fighting against the insurance companies. Of course, that doesn't mean we don't win. it just means that the fight against the big goliath insurance companies is always an uphill battle as the insurance company adjuster or opposing counsel will do everything in their power to try to minimize the injuries sustained to a personal injury victim.

We have had rear-end car accidents where the opposing counsel argued liability. We had a case go to trial where our client was parked on the shoulder of the road with his hazard lights on because his car broke down. The opposing counsel argued to the jury that our client was at fault for getting rear ended because he knew his car had some mechanical problems now and again and therefore he should not have driven the car and had he not driven the car he never would have been on the shoulder of the road. These are the arguments that attorneys use when arguing the value of a claim for a car accident victim in Arizona.

When a person is seriously injured in an auto accident in Arizona, they not only face the wrath of being judged by the insurance adjuster and insurance company but also the jury. Currently, the tend of public thinking is that people who are in a personal injury claim are just in it for the money. Some people think that the seriously injured who pursue claims are quitters or just looking for a quick fix. In actuality, it is just the opposite. People who are seriously injured and stand up to the justice system to get a fair settlement or take it to trial to get their day in Court are very strong individuals. Going through a personal injury claim can be quite difficult because of the judgmental opinions brought on by others many times when evaluating the injured person's decisions.

Having the courage to face up to the insurance adjuster or opposing counsel and to continue to fight for a fair settlement is one of the reasons it is important to pick the best car accident lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona. Injured victims needs to take their time in finding an attorney and make the best decision the first time around.

It is so important to hire an attorney that you feel comfortable with to guide you and to give you the continued strength to fight for a fair settlement and to get what is fair. It is important that you hire a lawyer who you can trust and that you know will fight for you.

So the next time someone reads about a personal injury lawsuit, consider the real life experiences of these individuals who have had their lives forever changed by injuries that they did not cause. Rather than thinking about how a person should not pursue an injury claim, think about how hard it must be to stand up to people who are telling you that you should not have been driving because you knew your car had mechanical problems, or you should have gone to the doctor rather than waiting a week, or you should have gone back to work even though you had two broken legs and were on pain medication all day, or you should have lived with the pain rather than getting the surgery that made you feel better. I could go on and on about these stories. Being questioned about the path you took in your medical care, or why you couldn't work are things that are very difficult. Being called a liar when you did nothing wrong is very frustrating and difficult to take and understand why our legal system is such.

This is why though when you have the best Phoenix, Arizona injury and wrongful death lawyers on your side, the lawyers can give you the confidence necessary to pursue your claim and to get a fair settlement. This is why it is important to trust the lawyers that you hire as the best injury lawyers will always make an accident victim know that they are doing the right thing in pursuing their claim. When another driver kills an innocent driver, the right thing is to pursue the at fault driver for what is fair so that the family who lost a loved one is compensated. After all, this is our legal system.

The injured people who pursue a claim or the family who lost a loved one due to the negligence of another individual did not choose for this to be our legal system for car accident victims. This is the system and everyone should honor the system - for good and bad. Further, think about it, we all pay insurance so that in the time of need it is there. If this is our legal system then it would make no sense for injured people to not pursue a claim when they are hurt by the negligence of another individual because this is exactly why people buy insurance.

I am not talking about frivolous claims either. I am talking about claims where people are rear ended and need surgery, or a person drives drunk and kills another individual, or a person fails to yield at an intersection and seriously hurts another individual. These are the types of claims that I am speaking about. Even people who are hurt in a lesser fashion however are still entitled to a fair settlement.

Of course, there are people who lie and I recognize that but I stand by my thinking that most people who pursue a personal injury claim in Arizona are not liars or exaggerators. Sure that is what the insurance industry has made it out to be because they want people t get on the jury and award small numbers. That is why the insurance industry spends so much time and money to make people think that everyone who files a claim is a liar or an exaggerator. The fast majority of claims are real and the people are honest. We never will get rid of liars but they should not ruin the fair settlements for all other individuals.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident that resulted in serious personal injuries and would like to speak with a Phoenix car accident injury lawyer - Phoenix, Arizona personal injury attorney - that has fought for the rights of many others who have also suffered similarly, please give us a call at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. We can provide answers in your fight for justice. We offer free consultations and a no fee guarantee which means we do not get paid unless there is a settlement.

If you are in an Ahwatukee car accident or a car accident in a part of Arizona for that matter, the first thing that you should insist on is the police coming down to the scene of the accident. Typically, the Phoenix Police will come down to an accident scene when the accident occurs in Ahwatukee. Although Ahwatukee is a small community, it is still part of Phoenix, Arizona.

The only time the Phoenix Police will not come down to the scene of an accident when it is in Ahwatukee or another area in Arizona is when the car accident occurred on private property. Even then many times the police will come down and investigate but might not write an actual report. It is very important to have an accident report if you are involved in an accident because it given an opportunity for the police to write down all the details, such as the date of the accident, the time of the accident, the cars involved in the accident, and the people who are involved in an accident. Many times when there is no police report at all, the parties involved can deny that the accident happened at all and it makes it harder to prove on various levels.

Once you have the police report, you should call the insurance company of the other driver. Filing a claim is not difficult, but we do recommend that if you are the injured person that you have your car accident lawyer call in the claim for you or that you have another person, whether it be your friend or a family member call in the details of the claim. Usually a person is startled after a car accident in Arizona and even if they are not seriously hurt they still have a lot of adrenaline going so they may not answer all the insurance company's questions correctly.

When you call in a claim for a car accident, you should have as many details as possible in front of you. The insurance company will ask you the following:

1. the police report number
2. the date of the accident
3. the intersection where the accident occurred
4. how the accident occurred
5. your name, date of birth, address, phone number
6. the other driver's name, address, phone number
7. the cars that were involved, including license plate numbers and vin numbers
8. the insurance company of the other driver and the policy number
9. the phone number of the other insurance company
10. the witness' names
11. if any citations were given at the scene of the accident
12. the amount of damage to each vehicle
13. the injuries
14. the names of all passengers in the vehicle
15. be ready for other questions as well!

If the injured person does call in the claim be ready to answer all of the above questions and more. If the insurance adjuster asked questions about your Ahwatukee car accident be sure to request that the conversation NOT be recorded. Also, you should know that as Ahwatukee car accident attorneys, we always request the 911 tapes right away. Often times when filing a claim the insurance company will ask if 911 was called. 911 tapes typically have to be ordered within 30-90 days otherwise they will be destroyed. In some of our cases, having the 911 tapes played a pivotal role in the car accident claim.

After speaking to an insurance adjuster, we always send a confirmation to the insurance company regarding the whereabouts of the vehicle, especially if the vehicle is in a tow yard. You want to make sure that when filing a claim you let the adjuster know if you think the car is totaled or if it is repairable, and the exact location of the vehicle. At the time the claim is being report, it is a good idea to let them know whether or not you will need a rental vehicle and to even try to gain information about the adverse insurance's policy limits especially if there were serious injuries involved in the car accident.

Continue reading "Ahwatukee Car Accident Lawyers Discuss How To File a Car Accident Claim in Arizona" »

When you have been involved in a Phoenix car accident or any other type of injury claim in Arizona, if the negligent part is a government entity you must file a Notice of Claim within 180 days. It is important to understand that does not mean 6 months but 180 days. I say that because many people have called at the 6 months mark and said they thought they had six months to file the Notice of Claim but actually 180 days is a few days short of six months so it is important to note. There are also certain requirements that must be met in the Notice of Claim for the Notice of Claim to be valid.

The requirements of a Notice of Claim include;

1. Listing the individuals on the Notice who are to receive the Notice - You cannot just put anyone down on the Notice of Claim. The Notice has to be served on the people who are by law required to receive these legal documents on behalf of the person that caused the negligence. So if you are hit by a driver who is driving a bus you do not necessarily serve the bus driver but the people who are responsible for receiving the legal documents. As a lawyer to be safe, I would also serve the bus driver.

The notice of claim is very complex so this paragraph and guide is only to give people an idea of the background of what is required for a Notice of Claim to be valid but not to be relied upon for legal advice. I strongly recommend that no matter what the claim people speak to an attorney when a government entity is involved so they do not miss a deadline or file the notice of claim inaccurately and lose their claim.

2. Claimant information- A notice of claim should include the name of the person who was hurt, the address, phone number and date of birth. It is always better to give more information than not enough information. We recently started giving even the claimant's email address.

3. Details of the accident - By this we mean details of the incident, the location of the crash or injury, the date, the description of all the facts pertaining to the Arizona car accident. Remember Notice of Claims do not just apply to car accidents in Phoenix they also apply to any negligent action caused by a governmental entity/employee that results in a person getting hurt. The notice of claim should include the injuries, the extent of injuries, the future prognosis and medical treatment along with details of the accident itself.

4. Amount of the claim - In the notice of claim an amount must be stated for the notice of claim to be valid. This is usually a very difficult thing to do because many times the injured person is still in the hospital or still undergoing therapy or rehabilitation so the exact amount of the value of the personal injury claim may not be known. The notice must contain as much information about the injuries and the amount of the claim should be a number that is reasonable and can be justified but at the same time is not a number too low that does not take into account all of the unknowns about the injury.

5. Explanation of damages - In this section all medical bills should be detailed so that it is understood the extent of the medical bills. This part is sometimes also difficult because many times there are going to be a lot more medical bills incurred but because of the short time frame of 180 days it may not be possible to have all the medical bills. This section is just to give the entity an idea of what the bills may be.

6. Supporting documentation - As much supporting documentation should be attached to the notice of claim as possible. We attached all medical records and billing statements that we have in our file. It is also a good idea to attach things like the Arizona police report. When it is involving an Arizona fatal accident many times the police report will not even be ready within the 180 days so that a lawyer may not be able to attach this type of supporting documentation.

Conclusion

If you have been involved in a Phoenix car accident claim or any other type of personal injury claim in Arizona where you think the Defendant that is responsible for your injuries was working for a government entity you should strongly consider consulting a lawyer so that you do not ruin your claim because you did not know the requirements of the notice of claim statutes.

Continue reading "A Guide For Phoenix Car Accident Victims To Understand The Requirments Of A Notice Of Claim" »

If you have been in a car accident in Arizona there are a few things you should do before anything. First, if you are hurt you should immediately go to the doctor. Why is that? Many people tell me (Alexis) they are hurt but don't want to go to the doctor. The necessity for going to the doctor after a Phoenix car accident is that if you do not have medical documentation the insurance company will most likely deny your claim. Without showing proof of your injury the insurance company will most likely say that if you were hurt you would have gone to the doctor.

Second, take pictures! Pictures can be of your vehicle, your body, items damaged inside the vehicle, the other vehicle, skid marks in the road, your hospital room, etc. The old saying "a picture is worth 100 words" is probably more true in proving a car accident injury claim than anything else. When a lawyer is explaining to an adjuster the trauma you went through, having a picture to show the trauma makes the claim that much more understandable.

Lastly, if your vehicle is in a tow yard steps must be taken immediately to try to remove it from the storage yard as the facility where the vehicle is being stored will charge storage fees for each day which can get very expensive. Some facilities charge as much as $50.00/day. You can make a claim through your own insurance company is liability is still being investigated. If you do not have collision coverage on your vehicle, specific letters need to be written to the insurance company indicating that you do not have the means to move the vehicle. In Arizona there is a law that says an injured victim has the duty to mitigate their damages. What that means is that an injured person has to take steps to move the vehicle. Therefore, when we represent clients we show all the steps that were taken. Another old saying which is very true for when dealing with insurance companies is "if it isn't written, it didn't happen." We recommend that all communications with insurance companies be in writing. If you are writing to the insurance company then one day those documents can be used as exhibits. Telephone calls cannot be used as exhibits and can be denied.

Continue reading "Your Guide What To Do After Being In A Car Accident In Arizona" »

Do you really need a Phoenix Car Accident Lawyer? Here is a list of 10 items that can help you decide if you really do need a Arizona car accident lawyer. Not all cases require a lawyer and it is important for you to know whether or not you really need a lawyer. Of course, you always can call an attorney for a free consultation as well. So here is my (Alexis) top 10 list as to whether or not you need an injury lawyer for your case.

Top 10 List for if you need an injury lawyer due to a car accident:

1. You were seriously injured: If you are seriously injured in a car accident, you should consult a lawyer. A serious injury for this purpose would include broken bones, being in ICU, needing surgery, having to be off work for a long period of time, having to be on disability, and having a permanent injury. These are the types of elements that should lead a person to consult a lawyer. You may not need a lawyer still but if you have these types of injuries or similar then you should do yourself a favor and talk to an attorney before you destroy your Arizona injury claim by missing an important deadline.

2. Liability: If the insurance company does not put you in a rental right away and admit liability, you should consult a lawyer. If the insurance company tells you that they need to speak to their insured or the accident is still under investigation then that is a sign that they might deny liability. Even if the person who caused the car accident was cited it still may be that the insurance is going to play games and deny the claim.

3. The person who hit you was a government employee: That is they work for the state, city, or any corporation that is a government entity. Why does this matter? This matters because the laws against suing a government employee who causes a car accident are much different than suing a private individual. For example, a "Notice of Claim" must be filed with the Risk Management. The Notice of Claim must be served on the correct people. It must be completed correctly. The Notice of Claim must be served within 180 days. After the Notice of Claim is filed correctly, a lawsuit has to be filed within one year. There are just too many complex law that when your claim is against a government entity the injured victim needs to understand how to protect their rights.

Continue reading "Top Ten List To Decide If You Need a Phoenix Arizona Car Accident Lawyer?" »

As Phoenix car accident lawyers, we see that many people are involved in car accidents throughout the Valley and do not know what to do after they are in an auto accident. This is a brief guide for you if you have been involved in a car accident and are confused as to what to do to protect your rights or if your family member has been in an auto accident, is in the hospital, and you want to help but you do not know what to do.

Most people who have been seriously hurt because of the negligence of another individual really are not able to do much after a car accident because of their injuries. Maybe the most important thing to know is do NOT to talk to anyone. I (Alexis) would advise you to report your claim to your insurance and the adverse insurance, but even then I would recommend that you let someone else report the claim because the adjuster will start to ask you questions and you may be confused due to your discomfort. Never give a recorded statement to any adjuster unless you first speak to a lawyer.

Take pictures of anything you can think of that will pertain to the auto accident. Examples of this are pictures of the car, pictures of the car that hit you, pictures of property in the vehicle that was destroyed, pictures of your injuries or of your family member that is injured and pictures of the hospital. You want to take pictures of anything that could later be destroyed or contested. Another example would be debris in the roadway or skid marks where the Phoenix crash took place.

Sometimes it can be uncomfortable to take pictures of a loved one when in the hospital however these pictures will be invaluable to proving an injury or proving the extent of damages in a car accident claim. Many times you are not able to take pictures at the scene of the accident but someone can go back to the scene to take pictures of the roadway. If a family member is in the hospital, a loved one could go to the tow yard or wherever to take pictures of the vehicle.

Follow your doctor’s advice. Many people who are injured in an accident ignore their doctor and do not seek follow up care. It is important that you follow your doctor’s orders and continue with medical care when you are hurt.

Documentation is the key to a car accident claim. If you can take a picture, take the picture, if you are given doctor’s advice, follow the advice or seek a second opinion. if you are unable to work make sure the doctor gives you a note saying to remain out of work. A note from your employer is going to be needed as well.

Lastly, do not speak to the insurance company, especially do not give a recorded statement, and do not sign a medical authorization from the insurance company or any other documents regarding the insurance company obtaining your medical records. This is a brief guide and is just meant to give you some pointers. If you have questions for Phoenix Personal Injury lawyers, feel free to give us a call.

Ahwatukee is a small part of Phoenix Arizona. Although as Phoenix Car Accident Lawyers, we have offices all over the Valley and even in Tucson, we began our law practice in Ahwatukee.

Ahwatukee is located in the southeast corner of the City of Phoenix. Ahwatukee is a great place to raise a family and is probably most known as a safe and affluent community. As one of Phoenix’s 15 urban villages, Ahwatukee has a population of about 85,000 people in its stretch of 35.8 square miles. For those of you who are not familiar with Ahwatukee, Ahwatukee is bordered on the east by Interstate 10, by South Mountain Park on the north, by the Gila River Indian reservation on the south, and by state owned land on the west. Just like most neighborhoods throughout Arizona, unfortunately Ahwatukee has its share of personal injury incidents. In the last few years, there have been many accidents on Pecos Road, which is a relatively new road. Pecos Road seems to attract more accidents because of the lack of lights at some intersections and because it is a wide open road and drivers are likely to speed. Since first built Pecos Road now has speed limits signs up more frequently, cameras to reduce speeding, and more intersection lights have been installed. Nevertheless, it seems this road is one of the road where most accidents in Ahwatukee take place.

In the event that visitors and inhabitants of Ahwatukee suffer injury as a result of another individual’s negligence, either due to a car accident, truck accident, work accident, or another kind of personal injury accident, a skilled Ahwatukee car accident lawyer can be of assistance.

As I (Alexis) am writing this article, we have had our office in Ahwatukee for 14 years. We are a big part of the Ahwatukee community as it has always been very welcoming to us as people and our office.

As we have many clients from Ahwatukee since I believe we are the only team of injury lawyers in Ahwatukee that practice solely injury and wrongful death law, I believe that the most frequent type of injury claim in Ahwatukee does car from car accident. We have seen first hand what the negligence of drivers can do to our neighbors in Ahwatukee. Remember though as car accident victims, you do have rights. It is important that you speak to a lawyer to make sure that your rights are protected. That does not mean you have to hire a lawyer, it just means that we advise you to speak to an attorney to make sure your rights are protected. In doing so, you will make sure that your rights are protected and you will be holding the negligent people responsible for their actions.

Continue reading "Ahwatukee Car Accident Lawyers - Do you need an Injury Lawyer Close to Your Home in Ahwatukee?" »

Phoenix Car Accidents are happening every day. I read about a car accident last night and this morning I by passed an accident. What occurred to me were several things. First, when someone is involved in a car accident many times you cannot tell the extent of their injury. The girl in the car accident this morning was walking around; however, you could tell the extent of her pain on her face and by the people around her. Of course, I was going by at a fast rate of speed so just caught a fast glipse but it is amazing how many times an adverse lawyer will point to the medical records and argue that the person was not injured because basically they were able to move. My point is just that many times you cannot tell the extent of someone's injuries when they are in an accident and that the medical records or police report many times do not reflect the extent of injury as well.

Second when driving by the accident this morning, I thought to myself that although the general consensus is that we are a society full of litigation, the fact is that our system is generally fair. What is most fair currently is that injured victims have access to lawyers now. It used to be if people who were injured could not afford representation, they were unable to hire a lawyer. Now, Phoenix Car Accident Attorneys offer free consultations and contingency fee agreements. A contingency fee agreement is basically where a client and lawyer engage in an agreement by which a lawyer will be owed a percentage of the settlement. Usually the percentage is 1/3 but we have seen many some attorneys charging more and some attorney, who boast to be discount attorneys, charge less.

Let me warn you about discount attorneys. With all due respect, think about it. Would you go to a discount doctor? A discount surgeon? A discount dentist? Most people when it comes to discount services do not feel comfortable. When it comes to products of course everyone wants a good deal. Services though are different. I don't think anyone would feel comfortable if the discount surgeon were going to do brain surgery on you. Is that the doctor people would really choose. Of course, not.

For some reason though discount attorneys still have clients flocking to them. I think the reason is that people think that isurance companies will offer the same amount to any attorney. This is not true. The value of a claim is based on the documentation and the processed by which the attorney has gone through to "prove" the client's claim. If an attorney does not get a witness statement, does not talk to the doctor, does not advise the client correctly, or any other mistake, the client will not get the settlement deserved. Picking the right attorney does make a difference and generally speaking it is my opinion that discount attorneys do not have the time to work up a case compared to other attorneys. I am not saying this is true for every lawyer but generally speaking I think people should be wary of discount attorneys. Further, look carefully at hte contingency fee agreement. Many attorneys will increase their fee at litigation, Our policy is to keep the fee the same whether the case settled or we have to file a lawsuit. You do not want to be put in a position as a client where the attorney has an incentive not to settle your claim.

If you would like an evaluation on your claim, we are happy to speak to you and give you a free case evaluation. As Phoenix Car Accident lawyers, we give free phone consultations and want to make sure that people have a clear idea as to whether they have a case and how it needs to be pursued.

Mark Breyer, Phoenix Car Accident Lawyer, Receives Honor of Being Named Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona

Just wanted to include in this blog an award/honor that Mark has been given by the American Trial Lawyers Association. Mark has been named Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona. This is a very special award especially considering how many attorneys practice injury and wrongful death law in Arizona.

I understand that this is a little more of a press release than a blog post, but that being said, I think it deserves an entry on the blog especially considering that this is a blog about Phoenix Car Accidents.

So there you have it - Mark is a nationally recognized lawyer for his legal abilities. He has received other accomplishments as well but I think he is particularly proud of this one. Of course, as his wife, I feel that I can boast for him and let everyone know what a great accomplishment this award is for Mark and our whole office.

We have been practicing serious injury and wrongful death attorney together since 1996. It all started when we were in a little office and had just 1 child. Now, we sit with our own office building, long standing staff members, a thriving law practice, lots of awards for Mark and 7 children. What an accomplishment!

Mark has also attained the high distinction from the State Bar of Arizona as a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death law. This honor has been awarded by the State Bar to less than 2% of all Arizona attorneys. While any lawyer can claim they are a personal injury lawyer, less than 1 in 50 lawyers can prove their specialty has been demonstrated to the high degree required to achieve “injury specialist” designation from the Arizona State Bar.

That's all for my boasting... So if you need anything in reference to a personal injury claim, feel free to call our office. All of our consultations are free and we are always happy to help.

As a Phoenix car accident lawyer, I (Alexis Breyer) receive calls every day from injured victims wanting a case evaluation. What is interesting is that almost every day in one of those calls the caller tells me that the insurance adjuster told the caller not to get an attorney. As of this morning, I have already talked to two callers who told me that the insurance adjuster told them that they should not call or hire an attorney. The first caller was told that she shouldn’t hire an attorney because the adjuster would offer the same amount to the caller regardless of whether or not she had an attorney. The second caller was told that he shouldn’t get an attorney because why would he just want to give a third of his case to an attorney.

Do Not Trust An Insurance Adjuster Without Speaking to An Attorney

In talking with these potential clients, I do not blame them at all for not calling an attorney until they did. Basically, they trusted the insurance adjuster and until the adjuster did not return their calls and gave them very low offers they had no reason to really doubt her. Until you have been through this experience as an accident victim or have been told horror stories, you probably would have no reason to believe that you should not trust an insurance adjuster.

Unfortunately, now these people are left with low ball offers and in one case hardly getting the medical bills paid, and will probably not be able to find an attorney. Now, let’s look at this in a little more detail. Is there any proof that lawyers get more money and how do lawyers get more money. What’s the secret?

First, I am not sure whether insurance adjusters really believe what they say to injured victims or if they are just lying. My best guess is that adjusters actually really do believe that they would give the same offer to a victim regardless of whether or not they are represented. So no I don’t think adjusters are liars.

An Insurance Adjuster Is Not Your Friend

In terms of proof that lawyers get better results than unrepresented victims if you use common sense it would seem this would be true. Think about it, as the caller I talked to today said, he answered the adjuster a lot with “I don’t know.” Of course, you don’t know. You are not a lawyer and lucky for you, you have never been through this before. In contrast, the adjuster has been through this before and is trained by someone to know all the ins and outs. In fact, think about it.

An insurance adjuster is trained not to give a victim more money but quite the opposite. Why is an insurance company in business? Not to give victims more money that’s for sure. An insurance company is in business to give out as little money as possible and that is their goal in every case that they handle. So keep that in mind if you know someone who is injured or if you are ever the unfortunate one to get injured. Bottom line, is the insurance adjuster is not your friend and never will be. The insurance adjuster will never have your best interest in his thoughts. His/her only thought will be how do I get this file to a point where I can give out as little money as possible.

Hiring An Experienced Auto Accident Lawyer Means You Have a Trusted and Loyal Guide On Your Side

In contrast, when you hire a lawyer and let’s assume if you are seriously injured you hire an experienced attorney who knows what they are doing not someone who is practicing family law and saying they practice injury law! Assuming you consult with an experienced attorney (of course, like our office!) assuming this, you have an experienced guide on your side. Once you hire a lawyer who is experienced in Arizona injury and wrongful death law, you can be worry free.

I am pretty sure that most experienced lawyers know much more than any insurance adjuster. Lawyers know the law. They won’t get pushed around by the insurance adjuster. Lawyers don’t trust insurance adjusters when they say things as they already know what is true and what is not. Lawyers are going to know how to process a claim to get the best settlement. Lawyers will have the injured victim get the documentation that is necessary to get the best possible settlement.

So maybe the adjuster believes they would give the same settlement, but the fact is with an experienced attorney you would not be comparing apples to apples because an experienced attorney would have at their disposal much more information to prove the claim in comparison to an innocent victim who has never been through the legal system before.

Insurance Industry Study Showed Unrepresented Victims Got Less Money In Their Pocket Than Victims Who Hired A Lawyer

In addition, there has actually been an insurance industry study as to whether or not unrepresented victims get more money by handling their own claim compared to those who hire an attorney. Guess that they study found? The study found that those represented by lawyers had a higher rate of recovery for themselves than those who chose not to hire lawyers. That is, claimants who hired lawyers got more in their pocket than claimants who chose to trust the insurance adjuster.

Handling a personal injury claim is complex. Ask yourself do you know what coverage’s apply, do you know what subrogation means, do you know what balance billing liens are, do you know how to hire an expert, what happens if you get a low ball offer how are you going to file a lawsuit, if you aren’t a lawyer can you even threaten a lawsuit, how do you know how to negotiate your claim, and there are so many more questions. I thought the caller I spoke to earlier made a good point though and that was once I said, “I don’t know” so many times it then occurred to me I should consult a lawyer.

Take Advantage of an Attorney's Free Consultation

The great thing about injury lawyers now is that most of us offer a free consultation. So injury victims have nothing to lose but a few minutes of their time talking to a lawyer. You may think from this article that I think all injury victims should have a lawyer. Actually, that is not true. I am only an advocate that all injury victims should speak to a lawyer before they pursue their injury claim. It is important to know what hidden deadlines to beware of and what to watch out for when speaking to an insurance adjuster. Most seriously injured victims I do think are most better of by hiring a lawyer, but the bottom line is everyone should have a free consultation with an experienced attorney so that they have all the information necessary to decide how to pursue their claim. As Phoenix Car Accident Attorneys, we offer free consultations so if you ever have questions feel free to call our office. What you can expect from our office is honest answers with experience behind every word.

Phoenix car accident lawyers are called every day because car accidents are happening at a high rate in Phoenix and thousands of people are injured each year in the Phoenix metro valley area . In most auto accidents there is someone who has made a mistake that has caused the accident. In legal terms when someone makes a mistake it is called "negligence."

When someone is at fault for a car accident, that is they are "negligent", that means that the injured person is entitled to compensation for their injuries. It can be compensation for more than just their present injuries. For example, an injured person can be compensated for their medical bills, pain and suffering, future lost wages, etc.

When someone is injured due to the fault of another driver, the injured person should seek a consultation from a Phoenix car accident lawyer. It is important to know that just because you decide to have a consultation with a Phoenix car accident lawyer it does not mean that you have to hire them. Many attorneys, like our office, will offer free consultations to evaluate your claim. When individuals call our office, many times, we let them know they don't even need an attorney and explain why we feel this is true. The bottom line is that we recommend all car accident victims speak to a Phoenix car accident lawyer sooner than later just to make sure that their rights are protected and that they are aware of all the statute of limitations and deadlines for their claim.

So how do you decide to hire a Phoenix car accident lawyer? Hiring a car accident lawyer is a very important decision. You don't want to hire someone just because you saw them on a billboard or because you have been hearing their commercials for years. You want to hire a lawyer who is experienced in injury and wrongful death law and has the credentials to get you the best possible settlement for your claim. After all, you only have one chance to settle your injury claim and of course you want to make sure that you get the best settlement possible.

I (Alexis Breyer) have created a brief guide below that addresses how to hire a Phoenix car accident lawyer. If you would like more details you can order our Arizona Injury Book ($15.95 value but we offer it free to all Arizona injury victims) which goes into a lot more details on this Guide to Hiring a Phoenix car accident lawyer.

Step One - Ask questions to make sure you will get top royal treatment

When choosing the Phoenix car accident attorney that you are going to hire, you must remember that you will have a very close relationship with the lawyer you choose. You want to make sure that you feel very comfortable speaking to the lawyer and asking questions. You don't want to have a relationship with the attorney where you feel like you are asking dumb questions.

It is very important to make sure that you will receive what we call top royal treatment from the attorney that you choose to hire. You can know this by paying attention to the person who answers the phone, asking if they offer free consultations, and seeing how long it takes to set up an appointment to speak to the attorney.

When you do meet with the attorney ask them how many cases they take in each year. Ask them if you will be just another number. See what kind of policies they have in place to make sure that all your questions are answered. It is important to have a working relationship with the attorney and to also know the paralegal that you will be working with as well. Make sure that the law firm employs top notch paralegals. Ask what your relationship will be with the paralegal as well as the attorney. Ask about the policies that are implemented throughout the entire case so that you can make sure you can always get your questions answered. For our office, we feel that there are two aspects to every case. There is the legal aspect and the client-attorney relationship. When you come to our office, you will experience "The Breyer Law Difference." That is, you will not only get the best possibly representation but you will also see that client service is a top priority in our office.

Step Two - Suggestions of Questions to ask an attorney you are considering hiring

When you to speak to a Phoenix car accident lawyer, the attorney will ask you many different questions so that they can assess your injury claim. For our office, it is important that we have a clear picture of how the accident happened and the injuries sustained in the accident. We also may ask a lot of questions about prior accidents and prior injuries. The reason for this is that it gives us a better understanding of the whole pictures of your claim. Understanding the whole picture of your claim will lead to better advice for each individual person.

At your initial consultation, you should ask the attorney just as many questions as the attorney ask you! At least you should feel comfortable asking as many questions as you need to ask. Hiring the best Phoenix car accident attorney for your claim is very important and you must ask certain questions to make sure you are hiring an attorney with the best credentials.

Below are the questions that we recommend asking the attorney you are considering hiring:

1. Do you practice only injury and wrongful death law or other areas of law as well?

2. How long have you been practicing injury law?

3. How many Phoenix car accident cases have you handled?

4. How many cases have you handled and what is your success rate?

5. Are you a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death law?

6. What percentage of your cases settle and what percentage goes to trial?

7. Are you successful at trial?

8. Do you have a contingency fee agreement?

9. Have you received any awards based on your legal abilities?

10. Do you have any other accomplishments to prove you are the best - such as speaking at seminars in the community or written a book in injury law?

These are the questions that we think are very important to ask when interviewing an attorney. There are no right or wrong answers but the answers to these questions will give you more of an indication as to the qualifications of the attorney you are interviewing. As said above, you only get one shot at your car accident claim, so it is vital that you hire the right lawyer and that the attorney has the experience necessary to get you the best settlement possible for your claim.

Step Three - Choose an attorney you feel most comfortable with and that you trust

This last step is an individual decision. You will be working closely with your lawyer and it is important that you trust the lawyer you hire. At first, when you contact a Phoenix car accident lawyer listen carefully to the person who answers the phone, are they friendly, do they make an appointment right away for you to speak to the lawyer, do they provide a free consultation, and do they answer all your questions. When you meet the attorney ask yourself if you will be able to trust the advice that the attorney gives to you about your claim. An attorney is going to process your claim and it is vital that when the attorney gives you advice that you respect that attorney and trust their advice. Lastly, when you are seriously injured in a car accident, it is important to consult an attorney right away. It is better to consult a lawyer right away and have it be an instance where you do not need the services of a lawyer rather than down the road finding out that you will missed a deadline or a statute of limitations that you did not know about. After all, especially when you can have a free consultation why not at least speak to an attorney.

If you would like a free case evaluation, you can call Phoenix car accident lawyers at Breyer Law Offices, "The Husband and Wife Law Team" at any time. You can also find out more details about our Phoenix Car Accident Guide by requesting our book, "The 13 Biggest Mistakes that will destroy Your Arizona Personal Injury Claim: The Master Guide to Arizona Injury Claims." The book is free too so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain - which is finding out how to most protect your rights and claim.