Tucson Car Accident Attorneys
Car accidents remain one of the leading causes of serious injury and wrongful death in the United States each year, and the sad truth is that far too many of these accidents could easily have been prevented. At Russo Law Firm, we believe that victims of car accidents in Tucson should not have to pay for the actions of a reckless or negligent driver. Fortunately, through the protections afforded by personal injury law, victims may not have to. In fact, you may be owed financial compensation by the driver who was at fault, which in turn ensures that you won’t be paying for medical bills and other expenses out of your own pocket.
Auto accidents are known for being far more expensive for the victim than anticipated. Even seemingly minor accidents can result in serious injuries, and you may be forced to deal with mounting medical bills, possible physical therapy, potential long-term care, and may not have earned enough wages during your injury to pay these bills. A Tucson auto accident lawyer at Russo Law Firm will investigate your injury claim at no charge to you and guide you through the legal process.
The firm of Russo Law Firm combines a business law and litigation practice with a personal injury practice, with a focus on putting the client first. Russell Russo started his law practice here in Tucson in 1956 – more than six decades ago! He has been solving clients’ problems now for nearly 60 years, and since then has added his son, Steve, as an attorney. Their skilled legal team continues to thrive and battle tenaciously on behalf of injured people in the Tucson area. The people that they represent aren’t just clients – they are friends and neighbors – and Russo Law Firm will work hard to help you to get the compensation that you deserve.
Our Tucson car accident attorneys understand that car accidents can have a devastating impact on your life, so call us today at (520) 529-1515 or complete our online form. We have the experience and track record to get the compensation that you deserve, and our clients get the results that they need!
Why Do I Need an Auto Accident Attorney?
After a serious injury due to an auto accident, you may be in a state of frustration and confusion. You may wonder how long you will be going to the physician or will need physical therapy. You may need to seek out answers regarding the responsible party for your damages. You may even question if you need an attorney to handle your accident or whether you can just settle with an insurance company.
If you have been hurt in a crash in Tucson, you may be entitled to compensation that may cover some of the costs that tend to pile up after a serious accident. Having a legal team as your advocate is your best chance at obtaining the compensation that you deserve. Insurance companies are known for looking out for their best interests. Who is looking out for your interests? That’s why so many others in this area have turned to Russo Law Firm for help with their car accident claims. We are here to fight for you.
Why Choose Our Tucson Auto Injury Attorneys?
If you need an auto accident attorney in Tucson, you will need one that puts the client first and fights for you and your family so that you can get the compensation that you need. Our highly skilled legal team at Russo Law Firm is your best advocate when it comes to aggressive legal representation. Our Tucson auto injury attorneys are dedicated, and we have extensive experience helping the people of Tucson. We know the struggles that families face daily, and we want you to have peace of mind and the justice that you deserve.
Our compassionate legal team understands the stress and strain that often result from the negligence and wrongful conduct of others. As your advocates, Russo Law Firm is ready to fight to protect you and your family’s best interests. Contact us at (520) 529-1515 to schedule your consultation with our team today.
Our Car Accident Practice Areas
The causes of car accidents can vary widely, sometimes involving a range of different factors contributing to the crash. Fortunately, at Russo Law Firm, we have the resources and knowledge needed to help victims of auto accidents deal with claims involving the following:
Truck Accidents
Truck accidents are often much more severe, especially on impact than other types of car accidents, due to their weight and size, and the possibility of serious injury or even death is typically much higher than average. Truck accident victims are often left in a difficult situation, trying to recover from a severe injury while coping with medical bills and lost income. Truck accidents can happen in numerous scenarios, but often they are the result of truck driver error, employer liability, or mechanical defect.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists face serious risks to their health and safety when sharing the road with cars, light trucks, and 18-wheelers. Most car accident victims have the added protection of certain safety features such as airbags and seat belts, but the relative exposure of motorcycle riders and their passengers means that the potential for catastrophic injuries, or even death, in the event of an accident is greatly increased. The more common causes of motorcycle accidents in which other parties are at fault are driver error, roadway defects, vehicular malfunction, and drunk driving.
Bicycle Accidents
Since bicycles offer little to no protection to the rider, they are often seriously injured when collisions occur with other vehicles. Some of the dangers of bicycle accidents include serious road rash, broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, neck injuries, and spinal cord injuries. Three of the most common types of bicycle accidents are caused when: 1) a vehicle attempts to overtake a cyclist, 2) a vehicle turns in front of a cyclist, or 3) a vehicle pulls out in front of a cyclist.
Pedestrian Accidents
Many are familiar with the term ‘pedestrians have the right of way’. There is a reason for this, as there is elevated damage and injury potential that an unprotected pedestrian faces in the event of a collision. Drivers who fail to exercise reasonable care on the road by not stopping at crosswalks, driving over the posted speed limit, or using their phone while driving are at an increased risk of striking unsuspecting pedestrians. Although it is certainly possible for pedestrians to cause an accident through negligent behavior like jaywalking, drivers must take extra care to accommodate pedestrians who do not have necessary safeguards, like airbags and seat belts, that protect drivers. The danger that pedestrians are put in when facing oncoming traffic is so great, that being hit by a car at over 30 mph is likely to cause life-threatening injuries or fatality.
Rollover Accidents
These types of crashes can cause substantial injuries to you, other vehicle occupants, and the driver of the other vehicle. If occupants were not wearing seatbelts, these crashes can cause devastating injury or be fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rollover crashes are dangerous incidents that have a higher fatality rate than other types of crashes. Rollovers, more so than other types of crashes, reflect the interaction of the driver, road, vehicle, and environmental factors. NHTSA data also shows that nearly 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes.
Auto Defects
In regards to defective automobile parts, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s guidelines on recalls state:
“There is a need for dramatic improvement in motor vehicle safety Getting unsafe vehicles off the road is integral to improving safety and saving lives.
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (originally enacted in 1966 and now recodified as 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301) gives the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the authority to issue vehicle safety standards and to require manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects or do not meet Federal safety standards. Since then, more than 390 million cars, trucks, buses, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, and mopeds, as well as 46 million tires, 66 million pieces of motor vehicle equipment, and 42 million child safety seats have been recalled to correct safety defects.
Manufacturers voluntarily initiate many of these recalls, while others are either influenced by NHTSA investigations or ordered by NHTSA via the courts. If a safety defect is discovered, the manufacturer must notify NHTSA, as well as vehicle or equipment owners, dealers, and distributors. The manufacturer is then required to remedy the problem at no charge to the owner. NHTSA is responsible for monitoring the manufacturer’s corrective action to ensure successful completion of the recall campaign.”
Speeding Accidents
According to the NHTSA, speeding endangers everyone on the road, and it killed 9,557 people in 2015. The speed limits are issued to provide protection to all roadway drivers. However, even driving the speed limit can sometimes cause safety concerns, as drivers are needing to be more cautious with night driving, bad road conditions, bad weather, or road construction. For more than two decades, speeding has been involved in about one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. Speeding is aggressive driving behavior and may be triggered by traffic congestion, running late, or simply disregard for others and the law.
Reckless Driving Accidents
Reckless driving is risky driving and jeopardizes the driver, passengers and everyone in the driver’s path. Any risky behavior such as drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, drugged driving, speeding, or the lack of seat belt use can all be considered reckless in nature and can increase the likelihood of an auto crash. According to the NHTSA, drunk driving crashes claim more than 10,000 lives per year. Further NHTSA reported that distracted driving claimed 3,477 lives in 2015 alone. The report also showed that many Americans use seat belts, at a national use rate of 90.1%, but nearly 27.5 million people still don’t buckle up. Also, use of prescription and other drugs is more prominent among drivers on America’s roads. In addition, drowsy driving claimed 846 lives in 2014 according to the NHTSA.
Road Defects
It is important to note that road defects and road conditions frequently can cause unanticipated driving problems. Having to deal with road construction crews have become common when driving anywhere, but these crews are often repairing road defects. Further, any conditions like air temperature, humidity, wind speed, precipitation, fog, pavement temperature, pavement condition, and overall weather can significantly affect the current road conditions, putting drivers at more risk.
Drunk Driving Accidents
Alcohol reduces brain function, impairing thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination – all abilities that are essential to operating a vehicle safely. Further, driving after drinking is deadly. Nearly one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the U.S. involve drunk drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Although it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher in every state in the U.S., one person is killed in a drunk-driving crash every 51 minutes in the United States.
Insurance Claims
The NHTSA studies vehicle safety and driving behavior to reduce vehicle crashes. Also, according to a report from Insurance Information Institute, the more the accidents, the larger the claims in the U.S., and this drives the costs for insurance higher. The report further shows that auto insurance losses and expenses have exceeded premium for every year since 2007. Losses and expenses exceeded premiums by $7.5 billion in 2015, up from $3.3 billion a year earlier. Furthermore, the report shows that insurers have seen losses grow much faster than expenses. Losses grew 37.1 percent since 2006, while expenses grew 13.9 percent.
As the victim of an auto accident caused by someone else, you shouldn’t have to deal with the repercussions and aftermath on your own. With the help of a winning legal team, you don’t have to.
Car Accident FAQs
How can I tell who is to blame for the crash?
In car wreck cases, the courts look to determine liability, or legal responsibility, for the crash. The liable party or parties can then be forced to pay damages to the plaintiff. It can be immensely difficult for an average person to determine who should be held accountable for a car accident. When you’re a victim of a crash, you might not possess every necessary detail. Additionally, individuals are seldom aware of all the laws that can be used to protect them in the event of a crash. The good news is that the courts do not expect you to be able to investigate the accident on your own. An experienced car accident attorney will be able to determine whether another driver, a vehicle manufacturer or another party can share the legal blame.
A crash occurred because I lost control of my car. Am I legally responsible for the accident?
It depends. A wide variety of causes can make you lose control of your vehicle, and you cannot be held responsible for all of them. For example, you might have been performing an emergency maneuver made necessary by another driver’s error. Road conditions might have caused your car to spin out. Perhaps your vehicle itself malfunctioned. It can be hard to determine the precise cause of a crash, but an experienced attorney can help you determine whether another party shares some blame for the accident. A construction company that created dangerous road conditions should shoulder at least some liability for an accident they caused. Car manufacturers can also be taken to court for making unsafe vehicles.
Is it financially worth it to pursue a car accident case?
Many people assume that a car accident case will take up their valuable time and will cost them money up-front to pursue. However, people hurt in a crash may be owed money following the wreck. Far too many victims are missing out on the compensation they deserve and need, and they end up paying medical bills and other expenses out of their own pocket. Crashes often leave victims with high medical bills and wages lost from work, not to mention pain and suffering. Courts can award damages to cover the costs of your accident-related injuries. An experienced car accident attorney can help you determine who may be at fault for the accident and what type of action you can take. Without legal counsel, you risk losing out on substantial monetary compensation.
Auto Accident Statistics In Arizona
Drivers in Arizona need exercise caution when driving on our state’s roads and highways. The Director of Arizona Department of Transportation, John Halikowski stated, “Making travel safer begins before drivers turn the ignition.” Director Halikowski also reported that “None of us should accept this selfish behavior and it’s everyone’s business to stop impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.” According to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, traffic fatalities on Arizona’s local roads and state highways rose higher for the second straight year. Driver behavior continues to be a primary factor in these motor vehicle crashes. The report also shows that speeding and reckless driving, impairment, and lack of seat belt use remain the leading fatality factors.
Other statistics from the 2016 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report are listed below:
- 574 fatal crashes occurred on other roadways, such as county roads or city streets, and 291 fatal crashes occurred on the state highway system.
- 525 fatalities occurred in urban areas and 437 deaths occurred in rural areas.
- Of all alcohol-related crashes, 78.8 percent occurred in urban areas and 21.2 percent in rural areas.
- Among fatal crashes related to alcohol, 67 percent occurred in urban areas and 33 percent occurred in rural areas.
- One person was killed in a motor vehicle crash every 9.11 hours.
- Seven in 10 crashes occurred during daylight hours.
- More crashes occurred in March than any other month with 11,391.
- Friday was the peak day of the week for all crashes during 2016 with 22,133, while the highest number of fatal crashes – 150 – occurred on Saturdays.
Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer in Tucson
If you have suffered injuries in a car accident in which someone else was at fault, our lawyers at Russo Law Firm believe that you deserve compensation for the undue harm and suffering you have gone through. Speak with us today at (520) 529-1515 about your situation and what we can possibly do to help you take action.
Remember, the law limits the time that you need to file a claim. Seeking the compensation after dealing with these serious injuries, illnesses, or losses is often critical to allowing victims and their family recover as best as possible. Let the experienced team at Russo Law Firm put you first – and help you fight for justice.
