Abels & Annes, P.C. Personal Injury Blog

In 2014, there were 3,127 motorcycle accidents across the state of Arizona. During that same period of time, there were 192,474 motorcycles registered within the state. That means that roughly 1.5 percent of all registered motorcycles were involved in some type of collision in a single calendar year. When you consider that most riders operate a motorcycle for many years in a row, you understand that the risks associated with bikes can be high and that a collision is not only possible, but in some cases, likely. Motorcycle crashes pose a unique set of risks to those involved when compared to a car accident. Though it is true that any type of collision can result in injuries, motorcycle accidents are more likely to cause harm because there is little to protect the bikers in the event of an impact. Unlike a car, there are no airbags, no crumple zones, and no seat belts to help a rider survive a crash which means that they suffer injuries at a high rate.

Some car accidents are cut-and-dry, easy to determine who was at fault and whether a driver made a mistake prior to an impact. Others are obscure and very complex, nearly impossible for a typical driver to sort through and it may take experts weeks or months to come to final conclusions about a cause. But accident victims do not have an unlimited amount of time to learn about their legal options. Most who are injured in Phoenix have the right to seek financial payment for their damages but only if they act within a time period specified by law. Beyond that, victims often need to get medical treatment and provide for themselves and their families which can be difficult if they are hurt. For these reasons and others, it is often a good idea to speak with a personal injury attorney to learn about whether you have a valid claim, and if so, who may be liable for your damages.

At some point, almost everyone is a pedestrian. Whether they walk primarily from location to location or simply walk a short distance after parking a car, most people travel by foot across a street, along a sidewalk, or through a parking lot during most days. This means that pedestrian safety should be at the forefront of discussions on how to keep Arizona residents safe yet far too often, safety is only considered after a car accident takes place. With slightly over 4 million people calling Maricopa County home, the potential for pedestrian collisions is extreme. Most of these accidents involve a person walking as well as a vehicle, like a car, but in some cases, even a bicycle or a motorcycle might be involved. The legal implications of a pedestrian crash in the Phoenix area can be very complicated as both the pedestrian and the others involved had legal responsibilities prior to the impact and that violations of those responsibilities by one or more parties can be the cause of a collision. While some accidents may seem clear, it is often difficult to determine whether a victim can bring a claim for his or her injuries without speaking to a skilled attorney. Personal injury lawyers in Phoenix may be able to help you sort through the details if you have been involved in an accident or if your loved one was injured or killed in a traffic crash.

Statistics continue to show that some times of the day are safety to drive on Arizona roads and streets than others. Certain dangerous activities behind the wheel seem to go hand-in-hand with certain times of the day. For example, the number of drunk driving accidents that happen in the overnight hours in Phoenix is greater than the number of those collisions that happen in the afternoons. If you take to the freeways with regularity in Phoenix, you know that rush hours can be brutal. The congestion can seem to come from nowhere and turn your drive into stop-and-go with little or no warning. Rush hours also bring motorists who are in a hurry to either get to work or get home which can lead to speeding, a factor in an estimated 50 percent of all car accidents across the country.

Are drunk driving accidents a threat to your personal safety? If you act responsibly and refrain from drinking and driving, you may think that you do not need to concern yourself with impaired and drunk driving statistics because you will never be a victim of such a crash. That thinking is incredibly dangerous though as thousands of innocent victims are harmed in Arizona annually by the actions of another driver, like a drunk driver, and those innocent victims did nothing to bring about the harm. The Arizona Department of Transportation reports that more than 250 people lose their lives each year in drunk driving related accidents. That averages out to one death every 18 hours spread over the year. Some of these unfortunate victims are in the same car as an impaired driver while others may be in a separate vehicle; yet some may be pedestrians, bicyclists, or even motorcyclists. When a crash claims the life of someone, that victim’s family members are the ones left behind to pick up the pieces and attempt to move beyond the crash and onward with their lives.

Tires tend to be an overlooked portion of a car or a truck, just parts of the vehicle that motorists assume is safe but that do not get checked often for issues. However unlike many other features of a car – like a stereo or air conditioning – the tires are vital to the overall safety of a vehicle and even a small fluctuation in one tire can present a serious problem. Tire blowouts can lead to car accidents that can be very frightening and far too often can turn deadly. Experts categories these incidents into two large categories: those caused or influenced by an action of the driver and those caused by the tire itself. In the first incident, failing to maintain proper tire pressure or failing to replace worn tires with regularity can weaken the integrity of a tire and can make it more prone to blowing. In the latter, defects in design or manufacture can leave a tire with a weakened point that may be unable to withstand normal use, leading to a blowout. It can be difficult to know which type of collision you were involved in if a tire blowout happened to you and often it requires an expert to recreate the conditions to fully understand what led to the crash.

Across the country, more than 1,000 people are injured and more than 300 killed every year in accidents at railroad crossings, according to the United States Department of Transportation. While the typical image of a train accident might look like a rural setting involving a set of tracks and an errant car, the reality of these incidents is far different. Collisions happen in urban, suburban, and rural settings and may involve one train, multiple trains, or even a combination of a train and another type of vehicle, like a car, truck, or bus. Tragedy occurs when these accidents involve injuries or death and this harm may never be fixed. While the damage done by a train accident in areas like Phoenix cannot be undone, the victims of those incidents may be able to obtain financial compensation that would enable them to move forward from a crash and beyond the incident that affected them. From medical expenses to pain and suffering, the totality of the harm caused by a train crash can be extreme and can leave a victim in need of help. If you have been hurt, you may wish to speak with a personal injury lawyer to learn about your options and rights under Arizona law, including whether you have a valid claim for your injuries.

Immediately following a car accident in Phoenix, it may be difficult to obtain a complete grasp on all the relevant details that went into the collision and led to the crash. It may take experts weeks to sort through the facts and to determine what led to an accident and whether mistakes or negligence played a role. In the cases where an action outside of one possessed by a driver – like a poorly manufactured tire, a defective design of a car, or a hazardous roadway – it may take even longer. But victims of these collision often suffer injuries and they need immediate help. They may be forced to seek medical treatment at a hospital or with a physician without knowing if they are entitled to relief or whether anyone will be forced to compensate them for their suffering. Fortunately, though an investigation may take some time, victims often can obtain immediate answers about their civil rights in Arizona by speaking with a personal injury attorney who handles car accidents in the area.

Across the Phoenix area, many schools are starting back into session this week and kids are returning to the classroom. Yet some remain out and with their summer breaks comes kids who have additional free time and may be seen in and around the Valley. As a result, all drivers should be aware of kids and teenagers when they are navigate the roads as these groups are more likely to be present now than at some other times of the year. Many young people choose to walk or ride a bicycle around the Phoenix area for a means of transportation and as a result, pedestrian accidents and bicycle collisions involving children are a potential that no driver can afford to ignore. The facts continue to bear the conclusion that when a large, heavy car and a small, unprotected child collide, the child is injured more than 90 percent of the time and far too often loses his or her life.

A blown tire. A collision with a curb. An unexpectedly sharp corner. These are just some of the factors that can lead to or cause a rollover car accident in Phoenix. In some instances, it can be difficult to determine what caused a car to roll and it may be up to professional accident reconstruction experts to try and sort through the facts of the crash. But regardless of what led to the impact or the roll, in the vast majority of collisions, negligence or recklessness played a role. Whether it was a driver operating too fast for conditions, a company that designed and manufactured a defective tire, or even poor road design, these crashes can generally be traced to a mistake or a failure to act on the part of one or more people. When such an incident takes place, the laws of Arizona step in to right the wrongs done to the innocent as much as possible. As it is impossible to reverse time and prevent an accident from taking place, the laws instead enable a victim or that victim’s surviving family members to bring a civil claim for their damages against any and all of those people who are responsible. This can lead to a financial recovery on behalf of victims for damages like medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Speaking to a personal injury attorney with experience representing car accident victims in Phoenix can help you realize what options may be available to you if you have been hurt in a crash.