Personal Injury

Personal Injury Lawyers in Phoenix, AZ Can Advocate for Your Rights

Suffering an injury is always an unfortunate ordeal. Such situations are made even more disheartening, however, because many cases are caused by the negligence and avoidable actions of another party. Accidents can stem from the reckless actions of an individual or blatant misconduct on the part of a company. Regardless of your unique situation, reaching out to a personal injury lawyer in Phoenix, AZ can help you recover compensation to provide financial support while you’re going through the often turbulent times following an accident.
Moore Injury Law has a team of legal professionals ready to help you get the financial compensation you deserve. Helmed by Lewis B Moore III — who has more than 30 years of experience in personal injury law — our legal firm has the knowledge and capability to support you in your case. And since we offer a free consultation to any injury victim seeking justice, it costs you absolutely nothing to gain a better understanding of your rights and the best way to move forward.
Contact us today to learn more.

Do I Have a Valid Personal Injury Case?

No law firm can tell you whether you have a valid claim by simply writing a blog. Personal injury cases are very complex, and you’ll need to discuss your claim directly with a legal professional to better understand your rights. There are a few factors, however, that you should consider. It all comes down to whether another party was responsible for the damages you suffered. To determine this, Arizona courts will evaluate the following:
● Duty: Did another party have a duty of care? In personal injury claims, this doesn’t even need to be an express duty. While a doctor certainly has a duty of care to a patient, drivers on the road also have a duty of care to drive responsibly and not put others in danger.
● Breach of duty: Did a party with a duty of care breach that duty? Accident victims are often injured directly because of a breach of duty. For instance, a store owner has a duty to maintain a safe property. If they fail to do so and a customer is hurt, they may face premises liability.
● Causation: Even if a breach of duty occurs, it doesn’t necessarily mean a negligent party will be held liable in a case. It must be proven that this breach was the cause of an injury. For instance, it’s possible that nothing will occur if a doctor negligently fails to notate a patient’s allergies. If it causes a medication injury, though, they’re likely liable for medical malpractice.
● Damages: In Arizona, it must be shown that personal injury victims sustained damages. Falling down in a store because the owner negligently didn’t clean up a spill means nothing if the victim wasn’t injured in any way. Courts must be able to compensate a victim for the actual damages they suffered, but these can be financial, physical, emotional, and more.
A personal injury lawyer in Phoenix, AZ can help you better understand if these requirements have been met. The worst thing a person can do is try to make such a determination on their own. For instance, many people assume they suffered no damages if their health insurance company covered their treatment. This simply isn’t the case. In fact, a person can suffer damages even if they experienced no physical injuries at all.
The complexities of such cases make it clear why having personal injury attorneys in Arizona on your side is ideal. Seek out a free consultation before making any decisions or talking to the insurance company.

What Are the Different Types of Personal Injury Cases?

Personal injury cases entail a wide variety of potential accidents or intentional acts. In fact, there are some you may not even realize entitle you to compensation. If you’ve been injured in any of the following incidents — even if the injuries are financial, emotional, or otherwise non-physical in nature — it would be wise to speak with a Phoenix personal injury attorney to better understand your rights.
● Automobile accidents: Vehicular accidents — including those involving big trucks — are a major contributor to personal injury. There are over 55,000 injuries in such accidents every year in Arizona. In some instances, accidents caused by highway defects are due to government negligence.
● Medical malpractice: Medical errors are a significant cause of injuries and deaths in America. Not every medical mistake rises to the level of negligence, but when one does, it’s important to hold those responsible accountable.
● Aviation accidents: Although exceedingly rare, aviation accidents can lead to significant injuries when they occur. Victims are often lucky if they’re able to come away from such an incident with a personal injury case rather than a funeral.
● Nursing home abuse: Rates of nursing home abuse increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of nursing home workers actually admit to engaging in some form of abuse. This cannot go unpunished.
● Catastrophic injuries: Most injury victims are able to recover in time and return to some semblance of normalcy. Unfortunately, catastrophic injuries — such as paralysis, brain damage, and disfigurement — can have a lifelong effect.
● Dram shop liability: Bars and retailers that sell alcohol have a responsibility to the community. If you or a loved one was injured in an accident that involved alcohol, the “dram shop” that sold the liquor may hold some liability.
● Construction accidents: Construction workers face some of the most serious risks of any profession. Unfortunately, you don’t even need to be employed on such sites to be injured. Passersby frequently suffer accidents by simply being in proximity to these sites.
● Dog bites: Dog owners have a responsibility to protect others and control their pets. If they fail in this responsibility, a personal injury attorney in Phoenix can help hold them accountable.
● Premises liability: Accidents that occur on public or private property may be due to the negligence of the property owner. Such harms can often be severe — resulting in spinal cord injuries and other damage — and lead to extreme medical expenses.
● Pedestrian accidents: It’s rare that an individual collides with a motor vehicle and walks away unscathed. Traumatic brain injuries, organ damage, internal bleeding, and catastrophic injuries are not uncommon.
● Product liability: Product manufacturers, distributors, and even retailers have a duty of care to consumers. They fail in this duty when they make dangerous products available to the public. Some juries have awarded injured victims billions in product liability cases.
● Wrongful death: It’s an unfortunate fact, but negligence leads to injuries resulting in death all the time. You need a legal professional that handles personal injury cases if you’ve lost a loved one due to negligence.
Sadly, these incidents barely scratch the surface. Negligent individuals, government agencies, companies, and other entities can cause a variety of accidents and serious injuries. When this happens, you can bet that their insurance company will fight to prevent you from receiving fair compensation for your injuries. This is why contacting Phoenix personal injury lawyers prior to speaking with an insurance adjuster is so important.

What Are Damages in Personal Injury Cases?

Personal injury lawyers strive to get their clients the best outcome possible. In some people’s minds, this simply means securing compensation to cover all their financial losses. In reality, accident victims may be entitled to far more. Any accident caused by negligence can lead to two types of personal injury damages:
● Compensatory: Personal injury lawyers have the best chance of securing compensatory damages. These are damages linked to actual losses, and they can reimburse a person for several injury types. For instance, a court may award someone compensation for medical bills, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, future lost wages, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and even inconvenience.
● Punitive: There are times when an Arizona judge or jury may not think compensatory damages are enough. In such situations, they may award punitive damages in order to punish the negligent party. These are granted in addition to compensatory damages and are typically only allowable when the defendant’s actions are particularly harmful.
If a Phoenix personal injury lawyer can prove that punitive damages are appropriate, their client may receive a much larger award. Proving this in court, however, isn’t a necessity. Since compensatory damages cover a large array of injuries, it’s possible to get a substantial award or settlement even when punitive damages aren’t allowed. To understand what you might be entitled to, though, it’s important to speak with a personal injury lawyer.

Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney?

American law dictates that individuals do not have to have legal representation to seek compensation. In fact, it’s very possible that you could reach a settlement with an insurance company on your own that covers reasonable care, property damage, lost wages, and more. And if the insurer won’t agree to a settlement, you can even file your own personal injury lawsuit and potentially win a court award. Unfortunately, it’s rare that you’ll get everything you deserve without a personal injury lawyer on your side.
Statistics show that individuals represented by a law firm or attorney have higher rates of success. This is true for both insurance company settlements and litigation. When you’re representing yourself, an insurer will try everything they can to pay you as little as possible. The less they pay you, the more they profit. When they know you’ve secured legal representation, though, they’re far less likely to try to take advantage of you. Additionally, they’re more likely to offer a fair settlement to avoid a trial.
In instances where personal injury claims end up in court, it’s also beneficial to have an attorney on your side. Legal professionals understand how the law works, what must be proven in court, the proper documents to file, and more. The simple fact is that most injury victims simply don’t have the experience to represent themselves. At Moore Injury Law, you’ll have a Phoenix personal injury lawyer on your side with over three decades of experience. This puts you in a far better position to receive a fair settlement or court award.

What If I Was Responsible for My Injury?

It’s sad to think of how many personal injury victims miss out on a fair settlement or court award because they don’t have legal representation. This often happens because a victim sees no reason to contact a personal injury lawyer — often due to the belief that they contributed to their own injury. This is an unfortunate and inaccurate belief. Under Arizona law, injury victims can recover financial compensation even if they contributed to their own accident.
This is because Arizona is a comparative negligence state. This means that the court will compare all parties’ negligence and adjust an award appropriately. Under the law, you could be 99% at fault for your own injury and still recover compensation. In many states, victims are barred from personal injury awards if they’re at least 51% at fault for their accident, but this isn’t the case in Arizona.
Imagine a scenario where an individual is speeding down the highway and collides with a drunk driver who runs a red light. They end up facing medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. They file a personal injury claim against the drunk driver’s insurance, and the jury grants an award of $2 million. However, the jury also decides that the victim was 10% at fault for speeding behind the wheel. This means their award will be reduced by 10% — or $200,000 — but they’ll still receive the other 90% (i.e., $1.8 million).

How Can Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers Help?

Increasing their clients’ chance of securing fair compensation is one of the most helpful things a personal injury lawyer will do for the people they represent. Of course, they’re only able to do this because of the many resources at their disposal. It’s necessary to prove all aspects of a case in a courtroom, and an experienced legal team is simply more capable of doing this. Consider just a few of the many tools that attorneys have at their disposal:
● Expert witnesses: Over his three decades of experience, Lewis B. Moore III has worked with expert witnesses in a variety of industries. Such witnesses can help prove your case.
● Private investigators: Law enforcement officers aren’t always thorough when investigating an incident related to personal injury. They have many other responsibilities, so having a dedicated private investigator can help uncover essential information.
● Discovery knowledge: Discovery is an important part of litigation where opposing parties request evidence from each other. Do you know what documents to ask for as you pursue compensation? Most people don’t, but an attorney has this knowledge.
● Legal researchers: There are times when unique circumstances require in-depth research to secure maximum compensation. A personal injury lawyer will often have an entire team behind them to handle such research.
● Relationships: An experienced Phoenix personal injury attorney who has spent time in the area has established relationships with local authorities and legal professionals. These relationships can prove invaluable when trying to prove your case.
The benefits of having personal injury lawyers on your side cannot be quantified — at least until you have secured fair compensation. The legal professionals at Moore Injury Law have a proven track record of successfully representing accident victims. Mr. Moore got his start by defending insurance companies against claims for personal injuries. It’s this experience and his legal knowledge that makes our legal counsel uniquely qualified to represent those who have suffered injuries due to the negligence of others.

How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer

The benefits of legal representation cannot be overstated, but if you’re injured due to another party’s negligence, how do you choose an attorney? After all, there is no shortage of personal injury attorneys in Phoenix. With so many options, how can you know you’re making the right decision? When it comes time to seek out legal services, keep the following considerations in mind:
● Legal experience: People in any profession get better over time. This is a simple fact of life. Even the brightest personal injury lawyer who passed the bar yesterday usually can’t stack up to an attorney with years of experience.
● Relevant experience: Experience is one thing, but relevant experience is quite another. Sure, your real estate lawyer brother-in-law could file documentation for your personal injury claim, but they won’t typically understand the nuances of the law. Find an attorney with relevant experience.
● Time in the courtroom: Did you know that 95% of civil cases are settled before they ever go to trial? This means some attorneys can establish a very successful practice by only negotiating settlements with insurers. However, this won’t always result in fair compensation. You need an attorney who has represented clients in the courtroom and isn’t afraid of litigation.
● Local knowledge: While personal injury law may seem straightforward, relevant statutes can vary by state and even locality. For instance, an injury that happens north of Arizona’s border in Utah has a statute of limitations of four years. In Arizona, it’s only two years. You need an attorney with local knowledge.
● Costs and fees: Far too many people accept unfair personal injury settlements from insurers because they don’t think they can afford an attorney. Fortunately, many personal injury lawyers offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis. This is the case at Moore Injury Law, so you never have to pay just to secure representation.
● Online reviews: You probably check online reviews for everything from restaurants to car dealerships. Why wouldn’t you do the same when choosing someone to represent you following truck accidents, slip and fall injuries, or similar incidents? Online reviews provide an invaluable resource as to what you can expect from a law firm.
● Legal team: Many individual attorneys are quite adept at what they do, but they simply can’t compete with a full legal team. Whether you were involved in a minor car accident or suffered catastrophic injuries in one of Arizona’s all-too-common pedestrian accidents, having an entire legal team on your side is beneficial.
This may seem like a lot to consider, but remember what’s at stake. Receiving proper compensation could mean the difference between financial ruin and being able to cover medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and other damages. Choosing the right Phoenix personal injury attorney will dictate how your case plays out moving forward. Don’t take such an important decision lightly.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Phoenix, AZ Today

Suffering a personal injury can change your entire life. Even when the physical harm is only temporary, you can be left with both physical and mental scars that last for years. In particularly serious incidents, accident victims may never recover. Fortunately, it’s possible to receive fair compensation via a settlement offer or personal injury lawsuit. Don’t let the insurance company take advantage of you. Reach out today for professional legal help.
At Moore Injury Law, you’re not treated as just another client. It’s our goal to help ensure you get every cent of compensation you deserve. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis — meaning we don’t get paid unless we’re successful in your case. And since we offer a free consultation for new clients, you have nothing to lose by meeting with a personal injury lawyer in Phoenix. Contact us today by calling (602) 795-6605 and learn how we can help you hold negligent parties accountable and secure compensation.