Seasoned Tempe Car Accident Lawyers
Experienced attorneys for anyone hurt or the family of anyone killed due to a car crash
Car accidents can change lives in an instant. Just one driver who runs through a red light, speeds, or drives while drunk can cause drivers and passengers to die. Victims of car accidents can suffer permanent injuries, and some survivors live with constant pain. Even those people with less severe injuries lose time from work, have expensive medical bills, and agonizing pain and suffering.
Tempe drivers, passengers, and pedestrians need experienced car accident lawyers when they’re hurt driving on Interstate 10, the Broadway Curve, US Route 60, the beltway loops, or any local roads. At Plattner Verderame, P.C., our car accident lawyers have been fighting for car crash victims since 1991. We prepare each case for trial and only recommend settlements when they justly compensate your for your injuries. Our lawyers fight to hold every defendant who caused the accident responsible – drivers, car owners, Tempe governmental agencies, and others.
What are the common types of Tempe car accidents?
According to City-Data, 25 people in Tempe died in car crashes in 2017. About half of those fatalities involved people who were intoxicated. In Maricopa County, there were nearly 94,000 crashes in 2018, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Nearly 26,000 of these crashes caused injuries, and 467 of the Maricopa County crashes caused fatalities.
Some of the most common types of car crashes our Tempe injury lawyers handle include:
- Rear-end accidents. These crashes usually happen because the driver in the rear was distracted or was driving too fast for conditions. They often cause soft tissue injury damages and whiplash. The car in the rear is almost always at fault.
- Head-on crashes. These accidents are the deadliest type of car crash especially if the vehicles were traveling at high speeds. They usually occur because a driver was intoxicated or crossed into another lane because he/she was distracted.
- T-Bone crashes. This type of crash often happens at intersections or if vehicles spin around because of an emergency. The front of one vehicle strikes the driver side or passenger side of the other car. The occupants of both cars often suffer catastrophic injuries or death.
- Sideswipe. This type of car accident occurs when one car tries to pass another or when two cars are merging. This car crash type can also occur when two cars traveling in opposite lanes are too close to each other. Sideswipes can cause each car to spin or move into other vehicles.
- Rollovers. Some vehicles such as jeeps and SUVs are prone to rollovers because their center of gravity is different than a standard car. Rollovers also happen when a car tries to take a turn to quickly.
- Single car crashes. The passengers in this kind of crash usually have a strong case against the driver. Tempe single car accidents happen because a driver was driving while distracted, was drunk, or was violating a local traffic law.
- Multiple-car pileups. These chain-reaction crashes can occur when there’s heavy traffic, when there’s a road emergency, or for other reasons. They usually involve multiple plaintiffs and multiple defendants.
- Hit and run crashes. Drivers who cause a car crash which results in injuries or property damage and fail to remain at the scene of the accident can be liable for standard damages and for punitive damages.
- Rideshare accidents. Uber and Lyft drivers who cause an accident are liable to any passengers and other people on the road that they hurt. Uber and Lyft are required to have one-million in coverage for driver accident if the passenger was taking an approved ride.
In addition to liability for damages to passengers and other drivers, any driver who causes a car crash can be liable to pedestrians and bicycle riders that they strike. Many pedestrians and bicycle riders die when they are struck by a car or they suffer catastrophic injuries.
Why are the causes of Tempe car crashes?
How an accident occurred normally helps determine who is liable for the wreck. Our Tempe car accident lawyers fight to hold all accountable parties liable for any injuries or deaths they cause. We regularly work with the police and with investigators to determine the cause of the accident. Some of the reasons car accidents occur include:
- Violation of Tempe and Arizona traffic laws. Drivers who speed, make illegal turns, pass improperly, merge without looking, drive recklessly, or violate any traffic rule are likely to cause a car accident.
- Distracted driving. Drivers should have their hands on the steering wheel, their eyes on the road, and their minds on the traffic around them while they driver. There’s no excuse for talking on a cellphone while driving or for eating, drinking, playing with the radio, looking at a GPS system, or driving due to any distraction. Teenagers are the age group most prone to drive while distracted.
- Drunk driving. Many fatal and catastrophic accidents are due to driver intoxication. Drivers who drive drunk often veer into other lanes, violate traffic rules, and fail to react to dangerous conditions. They should be held liable for getting into a car while drunk and then causing a Tempe car accident.
- Defective car parts. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of products that are defective are generally strictly liable for any injuries or deaths that occur due to the defect. Common car defects that may cause an accident are defective steering systems, fuel lines, ignition systems, tires, and air bags.
Other types of car accidents include accidents in construction zones, driving in bad weather, driving at night, objects in the road such as potholes or dead animals, and defective roadways.
Who is liable for Tempe car accidents?
The starting point for assessing liability in a Tempe car accident begins with the driver. All Arizona drivers are required to have minimum liability insurance for any accident that they cause. In addition to the driver, the following people/entities may be liable:
- The owner of the car if the owner gave the driver permission to use the car
- Manufacturers or others in the supply chain if products are defective
- A liquor licensee who sold liquor to an adult who was visibly drunk or to someone under the legal age limit – provided the person served consumed the alcohol and provided the alcohol was the proximate cause of any damage or harm
- A state or governmental entity responsible for the design and maintenance of a roadway if the design was faulty or the maintenance wasn’t properly done
If the accident involved a truck or a public transportation driver than the trucking company that hired the driver and the transportation agency may also be liable.
What damages can I recover for a Tempe car accident?
We demand compensation for:
- Wrongful death damages if someone is killed
- All medical bills including surgeries, doctor visits, treatment with physical and mental therapists, medications, and medical devices – for the rest of the victim’s life if needed
- Lost income for any wages or profits that were lost because the victims could not work or won’t be able to work in the future
- Compensation for the daily physical pain and emotional suffering of the victim
- Damages for scarring or any type of disfigurement
- Property damage to the vehicle
- Any other relevant damages caused by the car accident
In addition to demanding payment from the insurance companies for the driver and other responsible parties, victims may also be entitled to uninsured and underinsured compensation.
Common types of car accident injuries in Tempe
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord damage including paralysis, herniated discs, chronic back and neck pain, arthritis, and other types of spinal pain
- Broken bones
- Muscle damage and soft tissue damage
- Internal bleeding and damage to internal organs
- Cuts, bruises, and lacerations
- Loss of limb
- Burn injuries
There may be other types of injuries such as heart attacks depending on how the accident happened and the health of the victim.
Speak with an honest Tempe car accident lawyer today
Experience matters. It’s important to move quickly after an accident to preserve crucial evidence, to investigate the scene of the accident, to speak with witnesses, and to direct victims to the correct physicians for their injuries. At Plattner Verderame, P.C., our Tempe car accident lawyers have been fighting for crash victims for nearly 30 years. We have a strong track record of significant verdicts and settlements. To discuss your car accident claim, call us at 602.266.2002 or contact us today to arrange a free consultation. We handle accident cases on a contingency fee basis.