Injured in Arizona, Now What?
What Compensation Might I Be Entitled to Receive Following My Personal Injury?
Special damages are those that are easily quantifiable—that is, easy to determine because there are receipts or other evidence of the cost. Medical expenses and lost wages fall into this category. Medical expenses can include hospital, ambulance, and ER costs, physician expenses, prescription drug expenses, expenses for rehabilitative therapies, surgical costs, and even travel expenses (gas, motel, meals) if you have to travel a significant distance to see a specialist.
Lost wages are equally easy to determine—whatever wages, bonuses, etc., you would have made had you been able to work, you are entitled to have reimbursed. If your injuries are so severe that you may not work for years—or ever—then you will also be entitled to future lost wages. General damages are those that are much less easy to quantify, like pain, suffering, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, stress, anxiety, and more. This can include actual physical pain that keeps you from working or doing tasks you once did on a daily basis, as well as emotional pain and trauma.
What if the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
Although Arizona is one of many states that require all drivers to carry insurance, not all drivers do. It is common that the driver at fault is uninsured or underinsured, meaning that their policy limits are too low to cover the damage. The underinsured driver’s insurance will come into play first, then, your coverage. Typically, underinsured motorist coverage will only cover the motorist’s bodily injuries, meaning that it will only cover your medical bills. For these reasons, we recommend that you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy.
How Long Will It Take My Personal Injury Claim to Settle?
While every Arizona personal injury claim is different, generally speaking, you can expect to receive your settlement check within 1 week after you have signed the settlement release and draft from the insurance carrier. You may receive your money in a lump sum settlement or as annuity payments, either monthly or annually.