Arizona injury claims

Thinking about an injury claim in Arizona? The rules that matter most are set at the state level: how fault is shared, which statutes limit filing time, what notice a government agency expects, and what insurance must cover. Below is a plain-language overview for Arizona, with local context on I-10 and I-17 and the industries that employ people in Phoenix and beyond.

Where people get hurt in Arizona: cities, roads and industries

Arizona's biggest population centers, Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa and Flagstaff, account for much of the state's traffic and many of its injury claims, but rural roads and small towns see serious crashes too.

The main corridors, I-10, I-17, I-40 and Loop 101, connect those cities and carry a heavy share of freight and commuter traffic. Work zones, merges and interchanges along these routes are where many multi-vehicle crashes happen.

The state's major industries, semiconductor manufacturing, construction, tourism and logistics and warehousing, shape the workplace injuries people report, from equipment and vehicle accidents to falls and repetitive strain.

Common injury claims in Arizona

Arizona's fault rule in plain words

Arizona follows pure comparative fault. In plain words, an injured person's recovery is reduced by their own share of the blame but never cut off entirely because of it. Someone found 30% responsible for a crash would see the recovery reduced by 30%, and even a person mostly at fault can still recover a reduced share.

So a driver who was a little over the limit on I-10 when another car ran a light near Phoenix is not automatically out of luck, though the other side will usually argue for as large a share as possible.

Filing time frames in Arizona (general information)

The general limitations statute for personal injury in Arizona is A.R.S. § 12-542. As listed in the sources we use, it sets a general period of two years for many personal injury claims.

General periods like these have many exceptions. Some claims must be started much sooner, especially against public agencies, and some rules pause or extend the clock. Because we cannot tell anyone their deadline, we encourage people not to wait to talk to a licensed attorney.

Claims against a government agency in Arizona

Getting hurt by a government vehicle, on public property or because of a road defect raises a separate set of rules in Arizona.

We have not confirmed Arizona's specific notice rules for government claims, so we don't list them here. Many states require written notice within a short window, sometimes months rather than years.

If a city vehicle in Phoenix or a road hazard on a public street is involved, mention it when you file so the reviewing attorney can look at notice issues right away.

Car insurance in Arizona: minimums

Drivers in Arizona must carry liability coverage of at least 25/50/15, meaning $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $15,000 for property.

Arizona is generally an at-fault state for auto claims: the driver who caused the crash, and their insurer, are responsible for the other person's injuries. Minimum limits can run out quickly in a serious crash, which is why uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) and MedPay coverage on a person's own policy can matter.

Animal bite liability in Arizona

Arizona is a statutory state for animal bite claims (§ 11-1025). Rather than the common-law one-bite approach, owner responsibility generally turns on the statute's terms, with exceptions for things like provocation or a person who was not lawfully on the property.

Report the bite to local animal control in Phoenix or wherever it happened, get medical care, and see our animal bite claims page for next steps.

Workers' compensation in Arizona

Workers' comp grew out of an early twentieth-century bargain. Employees get no-fault benefits for workplace injuries, and employers generally get protection from injury lawsuits by their workers.

Disputes often center on whether the person was really an employee, whether the injury happened on the job, and whether it was reported in time. Gig and contract workers in Phoenix should keep records of who directed the work.

When someone other than the employer caused the injury, such as an equipment maker or another contractor on a job site in Tucson, a separate third-party claim may be possible.

What to do after an injury in Arizona

1. Put your health first: get checked out, follow up, and keep the paperwork.
2. Report the incident: call police after a crash on I-10, file an incident report with a business, or notify your employer in writing.
3. Save photos, video, receipts, wage records and the other side's insurance details in one place.
4. Don't guess about fault when talking to insurers; stick to the facts you know.
5. File a free claim or call (833) 822-7800 to have an independent attorney licensed in Arizona review it.