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According to the Department of Justice, hundreds of people have lost their lives in pursuit-related crashes involving state and local law enforcement. If you or a loved one sustained injuries from a police chase, we can help you file a claim for compensation.
You deserve to concentrate on your health after an accident rather than navigating the complicated laws that govern public entities like law enforcement. If a Phoenix police chase led to your injury, our police chase accident attorneys in Phoenix can assist you.
Our attorneys fight for the rights of accident victims and help them recover the money they deserve. We offer a free case evaluation, and we come to you when and where it is convenient. To help you identify your legal rights, Zanes Law can provide you with a free consultation.
Injury Lawyer for Accidents Caused by a Police Chase Near Me
For reasons unknown, Phoenix seems to be a hotbed for police chases, and they can be dangerous to anyone in the path of the chase. A police chase typically involves a suspect fleeing at a high rate of speed and may be a potential threat to public safety.
Since evading arrest is a serious criminal offense in Arizona, if the perpetrator causes injury to others in the process, they can be held financially liable for those injuries. Our car accident lawyers will investigate your injuries, gather evidence against the responsible parties, and pursue them aggressively for the compensation you deserve.
Your Police Chase Car Accident Settlement
We know that many expenses often follow a car accident, particularly one involving serious bodily injury. We help you recover compensation to pay for the losses you have endured as a result of your accident.
Our attorneys also go after any non-economic losses you have suffered, such as pain and suffering. Your settlement or award may include the following forms of compensation and more:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
When you get in touch with our offices and ask to speak with a Phoenix police chase accident lawyer, you can strive for financial stability and healthy recovery.
Can Police Chase You in Arizona?
Before starting a pursuit, police must take into account a number of factors that won’t counteract their role to protect and serve the public. Some pursuits may result in capturing dangerous offenders, but they may also cause harm to the neighborhood or end fatally.
Of course, under Arizona law, anyone who is stopped by the police is required to cooperate. However, being stopped by the police and resisting arrest is not always enough to justify a vehicle pursuit.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, the following are common grounds for pulling over drivers:
- Traffic infractions: Traffic infractions include things like speeding without using your turn signals, failing to stop at a red light or stop sign, and making an illegal turn.
- Identifying a suspect: Police may identify a suspect based on their personal characteristics, a stolen car, mismatched or expired license plates, or other factors.
- You may have witnessed a crime: Police may stop you if they see you at the site of a crime in order to find out more details.
- Concern for your safety: The police may stop and look you over if you seem to be in trouble, hurt, or in need of assistance.
There are various reasons outside of the above scenarios that may cause law enforcement to stop someone just as there are many reasons why people run from police. In any case, it is the responsibility of officers to pursue in a safe manner.
If a police chase resulted in an accident that left you hurt, a personal injury lawyer can look into the incident further to see whether the officer was negligent.
Liability for Damage and Injuries During a Police Pursuit in Phoenix
While police officers receive extensive training on how to pursue suspects safely, the ones running from the police lack this training. They are often so desperate that the safety of themselves and those around them ranks at the bottom of their priority list.
No victim of a police pursuit will necessarily receive fair compensation upon request, even if the Arizona DPS pursuit policy has changed. Although the modifications are meant to make police more accountable, some victims find themselves having to file lawsuits in order to get just compensation for their losses.
Police may advise you to file a personal injury lawsuit against the citizen if they believe the suspect who is running away is to blame for the mishap. If so, your chances of getting compensated may be precarious.
Police pursuit wrecks may lead to a difficult legal battle, as the police are given a lot of freedom to do their jobs. Your case can be handled by a skilled police chase accident attorney in Phoenix who will strive to ensure that you incur no further losses as a result of your injury.
Common Injuries From a Police High-Speed Chase
Police chases often involve high speeds and dangerous driving maneuvers. They put everyone in their path at risk of bodily injury and property damage.
It can be difficult to discern which direction a speeding police car is coming from. Regardless of whether you are in the line of traffic or an innocent bystander, any impact made by police poses a serious risk. Victims may sustain short or long-term injuries that consist of:
- Head injuries
- Spinal cord trauma
- Loss of limbs
- Severe burns
- Wrongful death
Urgent and ongoing medical care can be expensive but are necessary in order to recover from such accidents. The positive news is that you may qualify for a full settlement to cover the accident-related expenses.
4 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injuries can be both painful and overwhelming. Due to the trauma from the police chase accident, it could be hard for you to make logical decisions about your claim. A Phoenix police chase accident attorney from Zanes Law will submit personal injury claims on your behalf.
There pressence will be beneficial to your case in the following ways:
1. We Are Experts on Liability Laws in Arizona
When it comes to injuries from accidents, each state has a varied set of liability regulations. Liability situations become considerably more complicated when a twist like a police chase is included.
This is why you need a lawyer on your side who has experience litigating police chase accident cases in Arizona and is knowledgeable about local regulations. We help those harmed by keeping up with any changes to the law, and we’ll use our contacts to help win your case.
2. We Can Get You a Faster Settlement
Our personal injury lawyers can hold all parties involved and their insurance company accountable if they hit you while evading the police and help you recover damages.
Your injury lawyer will take care of everything from start to finish including obtaining the just recompense that you deserve for your injuries. We take it upon ourselves to complete any tasks relating to your case quickly, allowing you to concentrate on regaining control of your life.
3. We Handle Disputes With Insurance Providers and Negligent Parties
Under Arizona law, a driver who causes property damage or bodily harm to another person via their carelessness may be held financially accountable. Any case where a driver is eluding the authorities is viewed as negligent.
- We will pursue the negligent motorist who hit you, making sure they are responsible for paying for your financial and non-financial losses.
- We frequently have to interact with at least one insurance carrier, in the course of obtaining reimbursement for our clients. Working with insurance companies can be challenging because they have often attempt to reduce what they payout but we are skilled at ensuring that appropriately reimburse clients.
4. We Provide Legal Coverage in Court
If the insurance company or the responsible party does not agree to compensate you fairly, we will not hesitate to take your case before a jury. We have skilled, aggressive trial lawyers who will make a compelling case on your behalf.
The Statute of Limitations in Arizona
The statute of limitations establishes the maximum amount of time that must pass before a lawsuit can be filed.
A two-year statute of limitations is set under Arizona Revised Statute § 12-542 for claims involving bodily harm and property damage. The victim will lose the right to sue the negligent party for damages if they do not resolve their claim or file a lawsuit within the allotted time frame.
Be aware that if you intend to file a claim against a law enforcement officer or the Phoenix Police Department, they are considered a government employee and entity, and the statute of limitations is reduced. You only have 180 days to file a Notice of Claim that you intend to pursue legal action. Following that, you only have one year to file a claim against them.
Furthermore, the Notice of Claim must contain sufficient facts and a specific amount of damages to support the claim of liability. This can be a challenging task, especially for someone who is recovering from their injuries. If you don’t want to risk your opportunity to pursue compensation, you need to speak to a lawyer ASAP.
Legal Help After Being Injured During a Police Chase in Phoenix
When law enforcement pursues a target, they run the risk of endangering the safety of the general public and innocent bystanders. You can get assistance from a lawyer in defending and preserving your rights from one of our police chase accident attorneys in Phoenix.
Working with the attorneys at Zanes Law can help you avoid the added stress of developing a legal case while healing from the losses caused by law enforcement. Contact our office for a free initial consultation to assess the value of your claim.