If you or somebody you care about has been injured or sustained property damage in a vehicle accident in Arizona, you need to know that there are timeframes in place related to when you have to file your claim. Here, we want to discuss the auto insurance reporting requirements for a vehicle accident. We also want to touch on the overall statute of limitations for filing a vehicle accident claim. Failing to file a claim on time could result in crash victims becoming unable to recover the compensation they are entitled to.
What Arizona Law Says About Personal Injury Timeframes
When we turn directly to Arizona law related to personal injury claims, we can see that the statute of limitations is two years from the date an injury occurs (ARS 12-542).
This means that any person who sustains an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual, business, or entity in the state of Arizona has a two-year timeframe with which to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent party. Failing to file a claim within this amount of time will likely result in the injury victim becoming unable to recover the compensation they are entitled to.
But what types of injury cases does this pertain to?
There are a variety of ways that individuals can sustain injuries caused by the negligence of others throughout the state. Some of the most common ways that personal injury claims arise include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Car accidents
- Boating accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Dog bite incidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Public transportation accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Defective products
This is certainly not an exhaustive list of the ways that individuals can sustain injuries due to the negligence of others. We strongly encourage you to contact an attorney who can examine your case and determine whether or not the two-year Arizona personal injury statute of limitations applies to your situation.
What About AZ Insurance Reporting Deadlines?
Even though injury victims have two years to initiate a personal injury lawsuit in civil court in Arizona, it is crucial not to wait this long to file a claim when there are insurance carriers involved. Generally, if there is an insurance carrier involved in the case, the claim must be reported within a day or two after the incident occurs.
Insurance carriers have these strict reporting deadlines in place for a reason. You need to understand that insurance carriers are for-profit entities looking to do anything they can to limit how much money they payout in a settlement. If you fail to file a claim promptly after an injury occurs, the insurance carrier will use this delay as a reason to deny the claim. Speak to a Phoenix personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident to maximize your opportunity to receive compensation.
Working With an Arizona Car Accident Attorney for Help With Your Case
If you or somebody you care about has been injured as a result of the careless or negligent actions of another individual or entity throughout Arizona, you need to work with an attorney as soon as possible. When you involve a personal injury lawyer, you will have someone by your side who has the resources and legal experience necessary to fully investigate your claim. A skilled Phoenix car accident attorney will make sure that you file your claim on time both with any insurance carriers involved as well as with the courts. Contact Sargon Law Group today for a free consultation.