What a complete claim includes
Medical expenses to date and reasonably expected future treatment. Lost wages and, where applicable, reduced earning capacity. Property damage, including a rental during repairs and the diminished value of a repaired vehicle. Non-economic damages for pain and the effect on daily life. Early offers often arrive before several of these are known.
What a release means
Accepting a settlement generally means signing a release that closes the claim. If an injury turns out to be more serious than it seemed at the time, the release is still the release. That is the reason the timing of an offer matters as much as the amount.
When a second look is worth it
An offer that arrives within days. Ongoing treatment. Any dispute about fault — Arizona's pure comparative negligence rule reduces a claim by a percentage of fault and does not eliminate it, and that percentage is negotiable with evidence. An at-fault driver with minimal coverage, where your own UM/UIM policy may apply.
Where to go from here
Our Phoenix car accident lawyer page describes how we work Phoenix cases, and there's a full guide on how to choose a car accident lawyer in Phoenix. A free consultation is available any hour — in English or Spanish. (602) 217-0000.