In Arizona, dust storms arise suddenly and can quickly cause blackout conditions on the highways. When this happens, the safest conduct for drivers is to completely exit the highway if possible. Find a parking lot or other safe location to wait out the storm. If this is not possible, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (“AZDOT”), drivers should: Look for a safe place to pull completely off the paved portion of the roadway, Turn

According to the national Arizona Department of Transportation (“AZDOT”), in 2013, there were approximately 107,348 total recorded vehicle related crashes, resulting in 34,047 injuries and 777 deaths in the State of Arizona. The breakdown of the types of vehicles involved in the 107,348 crashes is : Cars: 70.47% or 143,944 Pickup Trucks & Vans: 17.46% or 35,672 Motorcycles: 1.54% or 3,153 Commercial Trucks & Buses: 5.79% or 11,826 Other Vehicles: 4.73% or 9,644 Of the

If you’ve been injured in a car, truck, or other vehicle accident, you may be curious whether the driver who caused the accident received a ticket and how this could affect your case. Negligence is Not the Same as a Traffic Violation  In a civil case for damages resulting from a vehicle crash, as a basis for seeking compensation, the person injured ordinarily will claim that the other driver was negligent. Negligence is a legal

Whiplash is sometimes portrayed as a “made up” injury claimed by some people as a way to get money when they have been in an accident, but are not really injured. The fact is, whiplash is a violent, painful, often debilitating injury. Whiplash injuries commonly occur when a person’s head is violently forced in a direction during a motor vehicle collision.  In a rear collision, a person’s neck may hyperextend backwards, as the seat is

We’ve been told by television commercials repeatedly that insurance companies are our friends, and if we’re injured, they will be there to help us.  But when an accident happens, the promised help often isn’t there.  After an accident, there can be confusion about the obligations of insurance companies, particularly if the other driver at fault has the same insurance company as we have. The following is a short summary of the obligations of Arizona insurance

Many years ago, I was outside a courtroom waiting with our expert witness about to testify. As we talked, this expert, an accident reconstructionist who had studied and analyzed thousands of traffic crashes, shared his favorite tip to increase driving safety: don’t tailgate. The expert suggested that drivers should pretend their cars are equipped with long spears.  (No, not as a weapon for imaginary battles on the highway, but as a way to visualize the

Toyota has agreed to settle pending class-action claims due to the sudden, unintended acceleration of its vehicles.  Toyota will pay at least $1.1 billion, and possibly up to $1.4 billion, to resolve the pending class action. The settlement provides for the retrofitting of vehicles, as well as cash payments for those who sold certain model years at a loss or those whose models are not capable of being retrofit. If you’re not sure if you’re