Lake Havasu City Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were injured in an accident, it may have been caused by the negligence of another. You may be eligible for compensation for damages.

The licensed attorneys at Phillips Law Group are available for a free consultation to discuss what happened and whether you may have a claim. For more than 27 years, our firm has been representing Arizona injury victims. Our successful track record has resulted in an excess of $1 billion million for more than 155,000 injured victims. This includes dozens of multi-million-dollar recoveries, such as a $7.65 million recovery for a motorcycle crash victim.

Our founder Jeffrey Phillips is an award-winning attorney who has obtained verdicts in several Arizona counties. He is a member of the National Trial Lawyers Association -Top 100, an invitation-only grouping of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region.

The initial consultation with one of our qualified attorneys is free and there is no obligation to take legal action. We charge no fees while we represent you; we only get paid if we achieve a successful recovery for you.

Call a Lake Havasu City personal injury lawyer today at 1-800-706-3000 .

Do I Have Grounds for a Personal Injury Claim?

This is a difficult question to answer without knowing the specifics of your injury and how it happened. In a free consultation, there are many factors our attorneys may need to consider so we can determine if you can file an injury claim against someone else:

  • Damages suffered
  • When the injury happened
  • How severe your injury may be
  • How long your injury may affect you
  • Evidence you collected at the scene
  • Insurance coverage that may be available

Our Lake Havasu City personal injury attorneys must also determine if the four elements of negligence were present in your accident:

A duty of care existed ”“ The at-fault party must have had a legal obligation to take reasonable action to prevent you or others from suffering harm. The definition of reasonable action depends on the situation (property owners must take reasonable steps to prevent slip and fall accidents on their property, drivers must obey traffic laws, etc.).

  • Breach of duty of care ”“ The at-fault party did not uphold his or her reasonable duty of care for the situation. This can mean that the at-fault party engaged in reckless or careless activity, such as speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol.
  • Causation/link between the breach and your injuries ”“ Establishing a direct link between your injuries and the responsible party’s failure to uphold a duty of care. This means that your injuries would likely not have occurred if the at-fault party had taken reasonable steps to prevent harm to others.
  • Damages were suffered ”“ Your injury must have resulted in financial and/or emotional damages.

There is limited time to take legal action, so it is important to contact our lawyers as soon as possible to discuss your situation and whether you may have legal options.

You can reach us by phone at 1-800-706-3000 . Call anytime, 24/7 or complete an online form and someone will contact you shortly.

Damages in a Personal Injury Case

The value of a personal injury case is based on the damages the victim sustained in the accident. These damages could be physical, financial, or the overall emotional toll of an injury on the victim.

Usually, damages are divided into three main categories:

Economic/Special Damages

A large portion of economic damages are often the medical bills for treating your injuries. This includes the costs of treatment already received, along with the cost of any ongoing or future medical care. Examples of medical expenses may include:

  • Hospital bills
  • Prescription medications
  • Medical equipment like a wheelchair or crutches
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Cost of ambulance transportation
  • Medical testing
  • Appointments with doctors

Other economic damages may include lost wages or loss of earning capacity if you suffer a permanent injury that hurts your ability to continue working in the same role as you did before the injury.

If your loved one died from his or her injuries, you may be eligible for compensation for the funeral and burial expenses. Injury victims may also be eligible to seek compensation for damage to property.

Non-Economic/General Damages

These are the damages to your physical and emotional health. For example, you may be able to seek compensation for the physical pain you suffer from your injuries. Emotional issues from your injuries may include depression, lost sleep, anxiety or post-traumatic stress.

Other non-economic damages may include loss of companionship (the effects of the injury on your relationship with your spouse), lost enjoyment of life (loss of ability to enjoy hobbies or leisure activities) and loss of financial support if your loved one died from his or her injuries.

Punitive Damages

These are awarded in rare cases of extreme or intentional negligence. They are not associated with specific losses suffered by the victim. Juries award punitive damages to punish those responsible and also to deter others from engaging in similar conduct in the future.

What if I am Partially at Fault for My Injuries?

There are cases where victims are partially to blame for their injuries. They may have failed to act with care and ended up in a dangerous situation.

However, this does not prohibit you from pursuing compensation for your injuries. Under Arizona law, victims’ damages awards are reduced in proportion to their percentage of fault for the accident. That means an award of $20,000 is reduced by $5,000 if the victim is 25 percent at fault.

Our experienced Lake Havasu City personal injury attorneys understand how insurance companies like to use this law to reduce compensation awards. We are committed to conducting a detailed investigation to counter insurance companies who attempt to assign more fault to a victim than they should.

If you were partially at fault, call our attorneys to learn more about how this may affect your claim. 1-800-706-3000 You may still be eligible for compensation.

What is the Deadline for Filing My Claim?

The short answer is two years from the date of the accident. However, there are many exceptions to this deadline, depending on the situation.

If you are a minor or are filing a claim on a minor’s behalf, the deadline is two years from his or her 18th birthday. If your claim is against a government entity, you must provide notice of your intent to file a claim within just 180 days of the accident. Usually, lawsuits against the government must be filed within one year of the accident. There are also exceptions for victims who have been declared mentally incapacitated.

If you miss the deadline for your claim, it may be dismissed in court. This means you could lose your opportunity to pursue compensation.

Unsure of your deadline? There is limited time to file, so call today.

What to do if the Insurance Company Calls

Insurance companies like to contact victims soon after an accident to attempt to quickly settle the claim for much less than it may be worth. They are in business to make a profit and they do that by finding ways to avoid paying fair compensation for claims, even valid ones.

If they call you, you should know you are not required to answer their questions. You can refer them to your attorney to help protect the value of your claim. You are also not required to give a recorded statement.

If you do speak to the insurance company, stick to basic facts about the accident and avoid speculation or opinions about what happened.

Insurance adjusters are trained to trick victims into saying things that may diminish the value of their claim or damage their credibility. They may ask the same type of question in different ways or act friendly in an attempt to get you to let your guard down and say something that could be used to devalue your claim.

Our experienced attorneys know how to defend the value of a claim from insurance companies looking to pay out less compensation than your claim may be worth.

How an Attorney May be Able to Assist You

There are many benefits to hiring a licensed attorney after an accident. For example, your lawyer can deal with the insurance company on your behalf, along with the rest of the legal process, allowing you to focus on your health and recovery.

We have a team of investigators, paralegals and support staff, and we can also consult with industry experts, as needed, to help strengthen your case and help us prove negligence occurred.

Our experienced Lake Havasu City personal injury attorneys have detailed knowledge of the law and how to build a robust argument for an injury case.

You should also know those who hire attorneys to represent them often recover more compensation than those who do not.

At Phillips Law Group, our goal is recovering maximum compensation for your injuries to help you and your family begin to move forward.

Schedule your free legal consultation with a licensed attorney today. Phillips Law Group: 1-800-706-3000

Steps to Take to Protect Your Claim

While your attorney can manage the legal process on your behalf, there are steps you can take right after the accident to help preserve your claim.

One of the most important things you can do is seek medical treatment right away, not only for your health but also to help connect your injury to the accident. If there is a significant gap between the accident and your treatment it may provide the insurance company with an opportunity to claim your injury was caused by something other than the accident.

Victims should also file an accident or police report to create an official record of the accident, which may help validate a claim. The police may also cite the at-fault party, which can help prove negligence occurred.

Before you leave the scene of the accident, you should try to collect evidence if it is safe to do so. For example, take pictures of your injuries, the scene, property damage and anything else that you think may be relevant. Interview witnesses and collect their contact information for future references.

Make sure to follow medical treatment plans proposed by your doctor. If you stop treatment, it could lower the value of your claim.

Call a Lake Havasu City Personal Injury Attorney Today

You may be eligible for financial compensation for your damages, and our experienced attorneys are prepared to manage the legal process on your behalf. In more than 27 years of representing injury victims we have recovered more than $1 billion on behalf of our clients.

Founder Jeffrey Phillips has provided lead counsel in more than 40 jury trials and recovered verdicts in Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Gila and Maricopa counties.

We understand this may be a difficult time for you and your family, and we are prepared to manage the legal process on your behalf.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form or call us at 1-800-706-3000 to begin working with a Lake Havasu City personal injury lawyer.