Phoenix Arizona Personal Injury Attorneys

Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions

The following information includes frequently asked personal injury questions. The answers stated are general in nature and are not intended to apply to every personal injury situation. Each case is different and carries its own set of circumstances which must be taken into consideration by competent legal counsel. By contacting our Firm, you can receive a personal consultation regarding your specific legal claim.

What is Personal Injury?

Personal injury is any physical or mental injury to a person that results from another person's negligence or harmful act. Personal Injury involves civil law cases as opposed to criminal law cases which involve a defendant and the State of Arizona. Personal injury can occur in a wide variety of ways. The following are some of the most common situations resulting in personal injury:

• Auto accidents and other vehicle accidents (aviation, bicycle, boat, motorcycle, railroad, truck, etc.)
• Dog/Animal Bites
• Accidents involving drunk drivers
• Accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists
• Spinal cord, neck, brain and birth injuries due to negligence

What should I do if I am involved in an automobile accident?

If you are involved in an automobile accident, we suggest the following:

1. If you are injured or think you may be injured, seek medical attention immediately. If you are worried about payment for those services, many doctors are willing to wait to receive reimbursement from the insurance company. Those doctors will see you without any initial out-of-pocket expense. If you cannot locate a doctor to help you, please contact us for assistance.
2. Obtain the name of the insurance company and the policy number for the person who is responsible for causing the accident.
3. If anyone witnessed the accident, obtain his or her name and telephone number, if possible.
4. Do not give a statement, recorded or otherwise, to any insurance company about any facet of how the accident occurred or injuries you sustained prior to or from the accident. You may waive your rights by doing so.
5. Do not sign anything for an insurance company, including releases to obtain your medical or employment information. You may waive your rights by doing so.
6. Contact us within 24 hours of the accident, if possible. Generally, the sooner you obtain legal counsel, the more we will be able to assist you in the matter. The initial consultation is free. Generally, if we take a case, it is done on a contingent fee, which means there are no up front costs to you. The attorney fee is paid at the end of your case when the recovery from the insurance company is paid.

What should I do if I am bitten by a dog?

Try to identify the dog that bit you and see if you can get the address to the house at which the dog bite occurred. Get medical attention as soon as possible after being bitten and follow all physician instructions relating to your care. Get medical attention quickly because any delay in getting medical attention could affect your eligibility for a claim.

As soon as possible after you've received medical attention, focus on finding out as much as you can about the dog and the owner, including whether or not the owner has insurance. Types of insurance policies that typically cover dog bites include:

• Homeowner's insurance;
• Renter's insurance;
• Landlord's insurance (covering the owner, occupier and/or manager of property);
• Commercial general liability insurance (covering stores and other businesses);
• Insurance covering employers (protecting employees only); and
• Motor vehicle insurance.

If the owner does have insurance, be sure to find out:

• The name of insurance company;
• The address of the office;
• Telephone number; and
• The policy owner's name.

Have good pictures taken of your injuries on the date of the attack and at reasonable intervals afterwards. This is especially important to document any sign of infection, bite wounds and marks on the face if you were bitten on the face and other important visual images of the effect of the attack.

Interview witnesses (if there were any) at the location of the attack or as soon as possible after the attack. The sooner you interview witnesses the better because memories fade in time and you need the facts as fresh as possible. Be sure to take down names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses to the attack.

Once you do all of this, contact us immediately for further assistance on how to proceed with your case.

What is Wrongful Death?

Wrongful death occurs when a person's death was caused by the negligent, willful or wrongful act of another. In addition to injuring the person who died, people who depended upon the deceased for financial or emotional support may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death. The State of Arizona has enacted a statute permitting a lawsuit to be brought by the relatives of a person who died as a result of a wrongful act.

Under what circumstances can a wrongful death occur?

Wrongful Death Law provides financial compensation to the family of a person whose death was caused by the negligent, willful or wrongful act of another. Wrongful death cases are filed as a result of a variety of situations, including:

• Medical malpractice resulting in a patient's death
• Neglect or abuse on the part of a nursing home that results in a patient's death
• Automobile, bus, train, airplane or other common carrier fatality accident
• Occupational exposure to hazardous conditions or substances (exposure to asbestos, etc.) resulting in death
• Death during a supervised activity (sports tournament, field trip, etc.)

What is the Statute of Limitations?

Every state has certain time limits, called "statutes of limitations," that govern the period during which you must file a personal injury, catastrophic, wrongful death lawsuit or other civil lawsuit. In some states, for example, you may have as little as six months to file a lawsuit from an automobile accident. When the statute of limitations expires on your case, you simply don't have a case anymore.

Statutes of limitations differ not only from state to state, but also in regard to the kinds of lawsuits involved. In some states the statute of limitations for medical malpractice, suits against governmental agencies and wrongful death actions is shorter than that for other types of personal injury cases.

How do I know if I need an attorney?

If you have been seriously injured in Phoenix or within the state of Arizona, and are unsure about the outcome of your injury, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Make sure this is done before you give any official statements or sign papers of any kind. Arizona laws require filing a lawsuit within a specific period of time. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you may be prohibited from filing a lawsuit and obtaining any compensation for your injuries if you delay.

How much do you charge for personal injury, catastrophic injury or wrongful death counsel?

We bill on a contingency fee which means we only get paid if you get paid.

If you or someone you know in Arizona needs the assistance of an experienced Phoenix Arizona Personal Injury Attorney, call Bernard Rethore today at 866-435-1655, or use the contact form provided on this site to begin your free consultation.