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Jul 23, 2026
IS IT WORTH HIRING A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY?
Sadly, far too many people are led to believe they can rely on insurance companies to take care of them if they are injured in a car crash. They trust the insurance company will do the “right” thing, that they are in “good hands.” Unfortunately, this is rarely true. Insurance companies are “businesses,” and their goal is to earn as much money as they can each year for their board and shareholders. Insurance companies accomplish this by paying as little as they can on injury claims, and this is when you need to hire a personal injury lawyer after a car crash in Arizona.
CAR CRASHES
When you are involved in a car crash, whether as a driver or passenger, your life is instantly turned upside down. The shock and fear from the unexpected crash quickly evolve into fear and uncertainty about car repairs, car rental, medical bills, and missed time from work, which is all complicated by the ongoing pain and limitations from your injuries.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year the lives of approximately 1.19 million people are cut short as a result of a road traffic crash and around 20 to 50 million more people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability as a result of their injury (read more here).
Most of the causes of a road accident and/or a car crash involve:
- DUI, drunk driving, or under other psychoactive substances
- Speeding
- Incorrect or Nonuse of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts, and child restraints
- Distracted driving
- Unsafe road infrastructure
- Inadequate post-crash care
Navigating your way through this maze is difficult enough especially when combined with additional stress about who you need to call, what information you can give out, what steps you should be taking next, and whether you have to give a recorded statement to the insurance company. Many questions cloud your mind. Hiring a qualified, personal injury lawyer immediately after a crash will alleviate these issues and allow you to focus on the most important thing– getting better.
WHAT DOES A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER DO?
As a prior insurance defense attorney, Mr. Bleaman knows the games and tricks used by the insurance companies to protect their interests and delay fairly compensating injury victims. Don’t become a victim twice. By consulting with and hiring a personal injury attorney, you can stop the phone calls and letters from insurance adjusters, medical providers, and bill collectors and focus on your treatment and getting healthy again so you can return to your normal life with your family and work. The earlier you consult with and retain an attorney, the sooner you can reduce the stress of the unknown.
In addition to peace of mind, hiring an attorney early will allow, when necessary, the attorney to gather, retain and investigate evidence on your behalf. Tracking down witnesses as well as relevant and persuasive videos and photographs requires prompt action or the evidence could be lost forever.
WHEN YOU SHOULD HIRE A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
The honest answer to the question in the title is this: the moment your crash involves real injuries or any dispute, it is worth at least a free consultation. Some situations call for a lawyer more clearly than others. Strongly consider hiring one when:
- You were seriously hurt, needed a hospital or ongoing treatment, or your injuries may be permanent.
- Fault is disputed, or the other driver blames you for the crash.
- More than one vehicle, a commercial truck, a rideshare, or a government vehicle was involved.
- The at-fault driver was uninsured or carried only the state minimum coverage.
- The insurer has denied your claim, delayed it, or made a quick offer that feels low.
- An adjuster is pressing you for a recorded statement or a signed medical authorization.
- Your treatment is ongoing, or you have missed significant time and income from work.
The common thread is that money and blame are on the line. Once an insurer sees a chance to pay less by pinning fault on you or downplaying your injuries, the value of having someone in your corner rises sharply. Because a first consultation is usually free, there is little downside to asking before you accept anything.
WHEN YOU MIGHT NOT NEED ONE
Not every fender-bender needs a lawyer, and a trustworthy firm will tell you so. If the crash caused only minor property damage, no one was hurt, fault is clear and undisputed, and the insurer promptly offers to cover the repair, you may be able to handle it yourself. The same is true for a very small claim where the cost and time of a case would outweigh what is realistically at stake. If any of that changes, though, if pain shows up days later or the insurer starts pushing back, that is the moment to reconsider and get advice before signing a release.
WHAT TO DO RIGHT AFTER A CRASH IN ARIZONA
The steps you take in the first hours and days shape everything that follows. If you are ever in a crash, try to do the following:
- Call the police so there is an official report, and get the report or its number.
- Get medical care promptly, even if you feel fine, because some injuries surface later and gaps in treatment are used to argue you were not really hurt.
- Photograph the vehicles, the scene, road conditions, and your visible injuries.
- Exchange insurance and contact information, and collect names and numbers for any witnesses.
- Notify your own insurer, but be careful about giving recorded statements to anyone before you understand your rights.
Keep everything in one place: the police report, medical bills, pharmacy receipts, repair estimates, and a short log of missed work and how the injuries affect your daily life. That record becomes the backbone of your claim, and it is far easier to build in real time than to reconstruct months later. It also helps to stay off social media about the crash, because a single photo or comment can be pulled out of context and used to argue your injuries are not as serious as you say.
BE CAREFUL WITH THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER
The other driver’s insurer is not neutral, no matter how friendly the adjuster sounds. A few tactics come up again and again. An adjuster may call within days, express concern, and offer a fast settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries. Once you accept and sign a release, you generally cannot reopen the claim, even if you need more treatment later.
You are also not required to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement, and doing so early can hand them quotes to use against you. The same goes for signing a blanket medical authorization that lets them comb through your entire history for something to blame. You can be polite, decline to be rushed, and route these requests through a lawyer.
Be wary, too, of any suggestion that you do not really need a lawyer, since that advice is coming from the party that benefits when you are unrepresented. Slowing the process down is often exactly what protects the value of your claim.
ARIZONA DEADLINES AND FAULT RULES YOU SHOULD KNOW
Two Arizona rules shape almost every injury claim. First, you generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit under A.R.S. § 12-542. Second, Arizona follows pure comparative negligence under A.R.S. § 12-2505, so even if you are found partly at fault, you can still recover, with your compensation reduced by your share of the blame.
One major exception runs much shorter. If a government entity or employee was involved, such as a city bus or a public works vehicle, you must file a written notice of claim within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, and any lawsuit must be filed within one year under A.R.S. § 12-821.
Because these deadlines are strict and the government version is easy to miss, confirming which one applies is one of the first things a lawyer will do. Waiting also carries a quieter cost, because witnesses move, memories fade, and camera footage is often overwritten within weeks, so acting early protects both your deadline and your evidence.
FIND A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
When consulting with and considering retaining an attorney, look for a law firm that will treat you like family and not just another case. Look for someone with the heart of a teacher who will educate you and explain each step in the process; someone with compassion who listens to you with care and helps you feel comfortable; and finally, someone who has the experience, if needed, to fight the insurance company.
While anyone can put up a billboard or television ad promising you money, look for an attorney with a proven track record, trial experience, and satisfied past clients.
Having a car accident attorney who has already had successful cases and specializes in the particular area of vehicle accidents will help you deal better with the process.
If you or someone you know has been injured by the negligence or wrongful acts of someone else, do not hesitate to call for help. The Bleaman Law Firm handles only personal injury and wrongful death claims and takes pride in treating every client like family. We are on the list of the best personal injury lawyers in the country.
Let our experienced attorneys and team help you focus on getting better while we take of the rest.
We have different Areas of Practice, depending on your particular case, such as Dog Bites, Nursing home negligence, Construction Accidents, Slip and Fall/Trip and Fall, Premises Liability, Wrongful Death. Click this link to see them in detail.
TALK TO BLEAMAN LAW FIRM, P.C.
If you were hurt in a crash and are not sure whether you need a lawyer, the Bleaman Law Firm, P.C. offers a free consultation where you work directly with the attorney. Marc Bleaman spent years defending insurance carriers before switching to represent injured people, so he knows how the other side builds and values a claim.
There is no fee unless the firm recovers for you. To talk through what happened and what your options are, contact our office today.
Arizona Personal Injury Resources:
