Arizona Passenger Injury Lawyers

Being involved in an Arizona motor vehicle accident as a passenger can upend your life, often causing personal injuries that require medical care and treatment, sometimes making you unable to work or enjoy everyday activities, and leaving you with trauma and stress afterward.

Whether the accident was the fault of the driver of the car you were riding or another party, you need to understand your legal rights and options if you’ve suffered injuries as a passenger.

What Are Some Common Passenger Accident Injuries?

Many different types of Arizona accidents can cause passenger injuries. For example:

• A rear-end collision with another vehicle
• A T-bone or sideswipe accident caused by another vehicle
• A single-car collision caused by the driver in which the passenger suffers injury
• A trucking accident
• A motorcycle, ATV, or other recreational vehicle accident that injures a passenger

Passenger injuries can sometimes be severe or even catastrophic. They often involve the following types of personal injuries:

• Broken or fractured bones
• Head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or concussions
• Back or spinal injuries, sometimes including partial or full paralysis
• Neck or shoulder injuries
• Internal injuries or bleeding
• Soft tissue injuries and whiplash
• Mental anguish and emotional trauma after the accident
• In the most severe cases, the wrongful death of a passenger

A personal injury to a passenger can mean significant monetary damages. You may need medical care or even hospitalization, including the costs of medical testing, imaging, and treatments.

You may also be unable to work after the accident, resulting in lost wages or income. In addition, you may have significant pain and suffering, and the quality of your life may be greatly impacted. All these expenses, out-of-pocket costs, and non-economic or general damages may be sought during your claim against the party responsible for the accident.

What Can Passengers Do to Prevent Arizona Auto Accidents and Injuries?

While drivers may be the most important players in preventing potential injuries in a motor vehicle accident, there are several things that passengers can do as well to help. When you’re riding as a passenger in Arizona, take the following steps to help mitigate the impact of an accident:

• Ride safely. Never distract the driver with your actions or words, whether an interesting conversation, a noisy phone application, or a jerky movement.
• Buckle up. Wear your seatbelt every time you ride in a car, and use proper safety gear if you are riding on a motorcycle, ATV, or other vehicle requiring it.
• Make sure you’re with a safe driver. If you are unsure about accepting a ride from a particular driver, err on the side of caution. Always ride with a designated driver, and never with someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Make sure you’re in a safe vehicle. It should be equipped with the requisite seatbelts and other safety mechanisms. If you feel uneasy about getting into the car, err on the side of caution.
• Stay alert. Passengers can play an important part in notifying the driver of any road hazards, obstructions, or other dangers they observe while riding.

What Are Some Important Things to Know About Passenger Injury Cases?

If you’ve been involved in an Arizona motor vehicle accident as a passenger, it is important to understand the issues of liability and damages that will surround your potential claim. Generally, passengers are not considered liable for Arizona accidents, unless their conduct contributed to the cause of the accident by distracting the driver. Although passengers typically won’t be blamed for accidents, they can recover compensation for their injuries.

Typically, an Arizona passenger injury case will involve a negligence claim. To prove a negligence case, you will need to show the following four elements:

• That the party responsible for the accident owed you a duty of reasonable care to be safe on the road
• That they breached their duty to you, whether by driving recklessly or unsafely
• That the party’s actions directly caused your injuries
• That you suffered damages as a result of the accident

It is important to note here that liability issues can be complicated for any car accident victim. There may be several parties liable for your injuries, for example—perhaps another driver on the road was largely liable, but perhaps the driver in whose car you were riding also made a mistake, contributing to the accident. Several traffic laws might be involved, several different insurance policies, and several different factual questions about what caused the accident.

Arizona passenger injury cases will often involve lengthy negotiations with insurance companies, who often have significant legal and financial resources on their side.

Because passenger injury claims can quickly turn complex, you should consult an experienced, knowledgeable Arizona passenger injury lawyer about your legal rights and options. An attorney with passenger injury claim experience will be able to accurately assess your damages’ full extent and value, and ensure you preserve evidence needed to state a strong claim.

Your Arizona passenger injury lawyer will also communicate and negotiate on your behalf with the other parties and their insurance companies. If a fair and reasonable resolution is not possible, they will be able to take your claim to the proper court.

How Can Torgenson Law Help with Your Passenger Injury Claim?

Many variables can affect your resulting claim when you’re involved in a passenger accident. You need an attorney by your side with the knowledge and experience necessary to investigate the facts of your claim thoroughly, preserve important evidence, negotiate with the other party and their insurance provider, and present a strong case on your behalf.

At Torgenson Law, we understand the significant impact of a serious injury on a person and their family. If you find yourself injured as a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, contact Torgenson Law. We are conveniently located near the Phoenix Japanese Friendship Gardens in Downtown Phoenix. Call us today at 602-726-0747 for a free case evaluation.