Step one: medical care and documentation. Health comes first, and the medical record started in the first days becomes the foundation of the claim. Photos of the vehicles, the scene, and — in a truck crash — the truck's door (the USDOT number printed there connects to public federal registration and insurance filings) all help.
Step two: preservation. A written request to the carrier asks it to hold the driver's logs, onboard data, dashcam video, and dispatch records. Federal rules only require log retention for six months, and nearby camera footage is often overwritten within weeks, so this goes out early.
Step three: identifying every insurer. The driver, the carrier, the trailer's owner, and other companies may each have a policy. Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage — which Arizona insurers are required to offer — gets reviewed as a standard step, because it can apply when the truck's coverage falls short.
Step four: the claim itself. A demand supported by the medical record, the fault evidence, and the full injury picture is presented to the insurers involved. Negotiation follows; a lawsuit is filed if a fair resolution isn't offered.
The deadlines. Arizona generally allows two years from the crash to file most injury claims — but only 180 days to serve a notice of claim if a city, county, or state vehicle or a roadway condition is involved. If there's any chance a government entity plays a role, it's worth raising in the first conversation.
A free consultation is available any hour, in English or Spanish: (602) 217-0000.