Car Accidents

Phoenix Car Accident Attorney

Driving or riding in cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles is something that most of us do every day, without a second thought. But when you look at the frequency of motor vehicle accidents across Arizona and the United States—and especially when you’re involved in an accident—you may begin to think twice about that next trip down the road.

During a typical year in Arizona there are more than 100,000 traffic crashes resulting in some 50,000 injuries, 850 deaths and $3 billion in economic losses. A person is injured in an Arizona car accident every 11 minutes, while somebody is killed every 10 hours.

The frequency of auto accidents might make it seem like crashes are inevitable, but this is simply not the case. In fact, most accidents are the result of human error and therefore preventable. From distracted driving to drunk driving to speeding and following too closely, unsafe drivers are practically as common as driving itself.

Accidents, in other words, don’t just happen. They are almost always caused by somebody else acting carelessly or recklessly.

If you or a loved one has been harmed in an auto accident caused by somebody else’s negligence, the Resendez Injury Law Group can help. We provide honest, personalized and compassionate representation to car accident victims and will work hard to obtain on your behalf compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other accident losses.

To learn how Resendez Law can help you after a crash, call (602) 824-9444 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

Causes of Arizona Car Crashes

A landmark study by Indiana University in the 1970s found that human factors caused or contributed to 93% of motor vehicle crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed the accuracy of this figure in its 2008 National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey.

NHTSA noted in its 2008 report three main types of driver error: failure to correctly recognize the situation (recognition errors), poor driving decisions (decision errors) and driver performance errors. These error types are consistent with Arizona Department of Transportation (AZDOT) crash data, which reveals the following leading crash causes in the Grand Canyon State:

• Driving too fast for conditions
• Failure to yield right-of-way
• Following too closely
• Disregarding a traffic signal
• Making an improper turn
• Unsafe lane change
• Inattention/Distraction
• Lane deviation
• Drunk driving
• Driver asleep or fatigued

Non-Driver Accident Causes

While human error is the underlying cause of nearly all car accidents, driver error isn’t always to blame.

For example, cars that crash due to defective designs (think of those Toyotas with sticking accelerators or GM cars with faulty ignition wires) may be attributable to the manufacturer or to a repair shop that performed shoddy work.

In other cases, the road may be inherently dangerous due to potholes, excessively steep slopes or a lack of signage. Such defects could be the fault of a government entity (such as AZDOT) responsible for road design and construction.

The bottom line is that non-driver error does contribute to accidents. The Resendez Injury Law Group will explore all possible accident causes in order to improve the chances that you receive a full and fair recovery.

Compensation for West Valley Auto Accidents

Personal injury law is based on the concept of making a victim “whole” again. While this concept isn’t meant to be taken literally—after all, some crashes result in irreversible, life-changing harm—it offers those injured in car accidents the means to pay for accident-related costs, which typically include the following:

• Medical treatment
• Past and future lost income
• Property damage
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment (the inability to enjoy day-to-day activities)
• Loss of consortium (the impact of injuries on spousal and/or parent-child relationships)

Legal Help for Phoenix Car Accidents

Most people get into at least one car accident during their lifetime, but whether you’ve been in a crash before or this is your first crash, there is nothing routine about the medical, financial and legal fallout of an accident.

Resendez Law understands what you’re going through because we handle personal injury cases exclusively. We deal with clients who’ve been in accidents every day and understand that you’re looking for more than legal help. You need an advocate to guide you through the complicated maze of insurance companies, paperwork and negotiations. You need somebody who puts your interests first.

From the moment you contact us for a free consultation until the day your case is resolved, expect Resendez Law to go the extra mile.

We serve clients in Phoenix, Peoria, Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Surprise, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Yuma, Flagstaff, Queen Creek, Gila Bend and throughout the state of Arizona.

Sources:

• Arizona Department of Transportation: Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2013
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey