Yes, you can still have a case in Arizona if you weren't wearing a seatbelt or a motorcycle helmet. The driver who caused the crash is still responsible for it. But the insurer may try to pay you less. They will argue that some of your injuries would have been smaller with a belt or helmet. Here is how that…Read More
If someone else caused the crash, their insurance company usually has to pay for a rental car while yours is being fixed. If your car is a total loss, they usually pay until they make you a fair offer for it. But they rarely offer this on their own, and they will not pay for longer than they have to.…Read More
Premises liability law in Arizona strongly favors the landowner over the injured party. The most common occurrence of these cases is in grocery stores. Simply slipping and falling and getting injured is not enough to establish that the store is responsible for compensating you. The store has several defenses to use against you to defeat your claim. The first is…Read More
Many clients ask what their injury is worth and will it be three times their medical bills. They have heard from their trusted non-lawyer friends and relatives that this is the gold standard formula. The short answer I give them is a no. While the amount of medical bills is still an element in the evaluation, it is hardly the…Read More
I Will Handle This Case Myself So I Won’t Have to Pay a Lawyer, Thus, Net More Money You might be able to avoid hiring a plumber or an electrician and save some money. Or you might have to eventually hire these professionals after you flood your house or cause a fire. When you represent yourself, the first thing the…Read More
The More Medical Bills I Have the More My Case is Worth! Most clients don’t necessarily put it that way. To a certain extent, it is true that you need necessary medical treatment and accompanying bills to increase the value of your case. At some point, the law of diminishing returns may kick in where bills too high cause the…Read More
A Jag for a Jag I’ve had numerous clients over the years who have had their super-expensive or rather large vehicles damaged as a result of another driver’s negligence. They want to obtain a similar Mercedes or passenger van as a rental replacement until their vehicle is repaired. The adverse insurance carrier usually will not pay the entire rental bill…Read More
The fact that the investigating police officer cited the other driver does not necessarily mean that you will prevail in a personal injury matter. Consider that in most cases, the officer did not actually witness the accident. Thus, much of his report will contain inadmissible hearsay (except for his observations and what the parties tell him). His conclusions and, thus…Read More
One of the most important automobile insurance coverages one can purchase is medical payments coverage. This coverage is often overlooked or deemed unimportant by insurance agents, which is a big mistake. Medical payments coverage is a type of health insurance in an auto policy that can usually be purchased in increments of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000, $10,000 or more. It is…Read More
Many people who are victimized in accidents caused by the negligence of others immediately conclude that the negligent party will pay for everything, no matter what. This conclusion is only partially correct. An injured person must work to keep their damages to a minimum. They must mitigate their damages. As an example, you rent a car while your vehicle is…Read More
