How Speeding Affects Liability In Arizona Car Accidents

There are many reasons why drivers speed. Impatience, running late for an appointment, disregard for the law, and congested traffic are all common motivations for drivers to speed. No matter the reason, speeding is reckless, dangerous, and against the law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2018, 9,378 people died in speeding-related accidents.

When you are speeding and you cause an accident, you can forget about making it on time to your destination. You or others in your car and anyone else in other cars you hit could have sustained serious injuries or even died as a result of the accident. Additionally, you may be facing an expensive fine, have your insurance premiums increase, and have to manage damages to your car. How will your accident situation be assessed and liability be assigned?

How Is Liability Determined After A Car Accident Case In Arizona?

The state of Arizona runs an “at-fault” system. After an accident, the blame will be put on all parties who are deemed to have had a part in causing the accident. This means that if one party has 100% of the responsibility for causing the accident they are will be the party who must pay for damages to others. 

However, in many accidents, multiple parties play some role in causing the incident. As such, each party will be given a percentage of the fault. For instance, perhaps you were speeding and hit another car. But the other car ran a stop sign. Both you and the other driver were careless in your driving. If you are deemed 25% responsible for the accident then your final settlement amount will be lessened by 25%. A $100,000 settlement will now be $75,000. This system is called pure comparative negligence.

In many states, if you were 50% or more at-fault, you will be unable to obtain compensation. In Arizona, things are done differently. All parties involved in an accident can obtain compensation. Everyone has the ability to recover costs associated with damages they endured no matter how high the percentage of fault is. So when you are 80% at fault for causing an accident in Arizona, you can still obtain 20% of the settlement amount calculated for damages.

How Can You Obtain The Most Compensation After An Arizona Car Accident?

Hiring a Phoenix automobile accident attorney gives you your best chance of obtaining the highest amount of compensation after your accident. The Arizona serious injury attorneys at ELG focus solely on personal injury accidents. 

When you were speeding and in an accident, it is important to have the most skillful legal representation you can get taking on the insurance companies. The insurance adjusters are going to try to pay you as little as possible, and the team at ELG will protect your best interests and negotiate on your behalf so you get as much as possible.

Call ELG today at (623) 877-3600 to schedule your free consultation at either of our locations in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona.