Jocelyn Mackie is a former civil litigator with content published on Findlaw, LifeHacker, and Marketwatch. She became a legal content writer to demystify the law and support informed decision-making by consumers. Jocelyn graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, and enjoys dutifully serving her cats and horses.
Jocelyn Mackie, J.D.
Jocelyn Mackie is a former civil litigator with content published on Findlaw, LifeHacker, and Marketwatch. She became a legal content writer to demystify the law and support informed decision-making by consumers. Jocelyn graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, and enjoys dutifully serving her cats and horses.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Reviewed
Adam Ramirez, J.D.
Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida.
After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Court judge. He researched and wrote legal precedent in published opinions on behalf of the Court.
He has been an editor, columnist and journalist at the Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Oregonian, Golf Digest, FindLaw.com and other media outlets.
He lived in Colombia and Argentina teaching legal English to attorneys and law students. He is also a Spanish-language subject matter expert.
An avid waterman, he surfs and scuba dives frequently.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Phoenix is the seat of Maricopa County, which unfortunately takes the crown for car accidents in Arizona. Maricopa County had 86,687 car crashes in 2021, resulting in 35,488 people injured and 594 dead. This crash rate accounts for 71 percent of collisions in Arizona.
A car accident is jarring, whether you walk away with whiplash or take a life flight to the hospital. Injuries complicate the matter by adding higher insurance claims, lost wages and possible disability to the whole disruptive picture. Hiring an attorney who handles car crashes can make this ordeal easier. Here are Forbes Advisor’s best car accident lawyers in Phoenix to get you started on your search.
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Best Car Accident Lawyers in Phoenix, AZ
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Car Accident Laws in Arizona
Arizona’s automobile and negligence laws affect your car accident claim. Among them are insurance requirements, statutes of limitations and comparative negligence laws. Here is a summary of these laws and how they will affect your case.
Car Insurance Requirements
Arizona law requires every driver to purchase liability insurance for their vehicles. It applies to all vehicles operated on public roads, including golf carts, motorcycles, and mopeds.
The minimum required levels for liability insurance are:
- $25,000 bodily injury liability for one person
- $50,000 bodily injury liability for two or more people
- $15,000 property damage liability
Insurance companies must notify the motor vehicle division if they cancel a policy or the driver fails to renew it. They also report new policies. You can visit MVD Now to update your vehicle registration or insurance information.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a lawsuit. You have two years from the accident date to start civil litigation for car accident claims. So if the accident occurred on March 3, 2022, you have until March 3, 2024, to file a complaint and summons, or the court will not consider your case.
This deadline doesn’t apply to insurance claims. Most insurance companies require that you inform them of an accident and its claim within two to seven days of an accident. So, start that process as soon as possible.
Comparative Negligence in Arizona
Arizona is a pure comparative negligence state. Even if a plaintiff is at fault for an accident, they can still recover damages.
However, the damages award will decrease by the percentage of fault. For example, if a jury decides a plaintiff is 60 percent at fault, it will reduce the verdict by that percentage. So, if the plaintiff incurred $100,000 in damages, their award decreases by $60,000 to $40,000.
How to Find a Phoenix Car Accident Attorney
You want to make a wise choice when finding a car accident attorney. Generally, you want someone qualified and compassionate who is willing to take your case to trial if necessary. But you also want someone who gets along well with you too. Here are tips for finding a good match when you search for a lawyer.
Request Referrals
You may have a friend or relative who recently hired a lawyer for a car accident. Ask them whom they used, and check them out. You can likely get a good referral this way, especially if you and your friend or relative have similar values. At the very least, you’ll learn whom to avoid.
If you don’t know anyone who hired a car accident attorney, a few referral services are available. The Maricopa County Bar Association offers a referral service by calling them or filling out an online form. You can also search the Arizona Bar Association directory for a car accident lawyer.
Of course, this list also gives you a head start on finding a lawyer. You can see their Google reviews and client feedback on their services.
Check for Specific Experience
You want an attorney who handles car accident claims and will take your case to trial. While most of these cases settle without court intervention, litigation is still possible. So, look for trial attorneys who handle accidents and personal injury claims.
Many of the attorneys listed here have their recent verdicts posted on websites. While you may not have a multi-million dollar case, you can still assess trial experience from these verdicts.
Choose Contingency Fee Arrangements
Hiring an attorney and paying them by the hour can become expensive. Most car accident claims are contingency cases, meaning an attorney receives a percentage of your final settlement or verdict. The fee can range from 33 to 40 percent, depending on at what stage your case settles.
You should be able to review the contingency fee agreement and ask questions. Be cautious if an attorney doesn’t offer a written agreement or give you time to read it.
Follow Your Instincts
Finally, you want to hire an attorney you can work with well. You are entrusting private medical and personal information to an attorney so they can build an effective claim. Some of this can include embarrassing medical information or incriminating facts. You must be comfortable sharing that information with your attorney. If you aren’t, move on to the next one.
You should also feel comfortable at the attorney’s office. Listen to how staff speaks about and to clients. Take notes of whether they acknowledge or ignore you. If the atmosphere seems rushed or hostile, leaving and finding another attorney is OK.
Generally, if anything feels “off,” move on. There are plenty of car accident attorneys in Phoenix, and, likely, one of them will work well with you.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considered many factors to develop the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Phoenix in 2024. Forbes Advisor’s mathematical module considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we consider factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience
- Special licenses & certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education & employment background
- Scholarly lectures & writings
- Awards & honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from various sources, including state bar associations, court records, and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Remember that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds but does not evaluate their personalities or knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when facing a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I Need a Phoenix car accident lawyer?
Many people manage their insurance claims well while only pursuing property damage compensation. Insurance companies are less likely to dispute the repair or replacement of your car. However, insurance companies are more likely to dispute your damages if there are injuries. So, hiring a Phoenix car accident lawyer can help them take your claim more seriously.
Is Arizona a no-fault case for car accidents?
No. Arizona is a fault-based state, meaning the person who caused the accident is responsible for your injuries and property damage.
What is the average car accident settlement in Arizona?
The average car accident settlement ranges from $10,000 to $30,000. Your settlement amount could be lower or higher depending on your injuries, percentage of fault, lost wages, and insurance coverage limits.
