If you were injured as a passenger in a car accident, you may have the right to recover compensation even though you were not driving either vehicle. Whether the crash was caused by the driver of the vehicle you were the passenger of, another motorist, or multiple parties, you should not have to bear the financial burden of someone else’s negligence.

Stone Rose Law is an Arizona personal injury law firm that represents injured passengers across the state. 

Call (480) 631-3025 today or use our online contact form for a free consultation with an experienced passenger injuries lawyer and learn how we can help protect your rights.

Why Choose Stone Rose Law for Your Passenger Injury Claim?

Passenger injury claims can become complicated when multiple drivers, insurance companies, and questions about fault are involved. Our attorneys know how to investigate serious car accidents, work to identify all liable parties, and build the strongest possible claim for our clients.

When you hire Stone Rose Law, we will:

  • Investigate how the accident happened
  • Gather evidence supporting your personal injury claim
  • Identify every available source of insurance coverage
  • Handle negotiations with insurance companies
  • Calculate the full value of your damages
  • Prepare your case for trial if a settlement cannot be reached

Our goal is to pursue the compensation available under Arizona law while you focus on your recovery.

Can a Passenger in a Car Accident File a Personal Injury Claim in Arizona?

Yes. A passenger injured in a car accident generally has the same right to pursue compensation as any other accident victim.

Because passengers rarely contribute to causing a crash, they are often in a strong position when pursuing injury claims. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to file a claim against one driver, multiple drivers, or another negligent party responsible for the accident.

Every case depends on the specific facts, but Arizona’s negligence laws allow injured passengers to seek compensation when another person’s carelessness caused their injuries.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Passenger’s Injuries?

Several parties may be legally responsible for a passenger’s injuries.

How a Passenger Injury Claim Works

The Driver of Your Vehicle

If the driver of the vehicle you were riding in caused the accident through negligence, you may file a claim against that driver’s insurance company.

Examples include:

  • Distracted driving
  • Speeding
  • Driving under the influence
  • Running a red light
  • Failing to yield
  • Following too closely

Although it may feel uncomfortable to pursue a claim involving a friend or family member, these claims are typically handled through insurance rather than directly against the individual.

Another Driver

If another vehicle caused the crash, you may pursue a personal injury claim against that driver and their insurance company.

This is common in rear-end collisions, intersection accidents, when another driver turns left in front of the vehicle you were the passenger in, and many other types of motor vehicle accidents.

Multiple Drivers

Some car accidents involve negligence by more than one driver.

Arizona allocates fault among everyone whose negligence contributed to a crash. If multiple parties contributed to causing the accident, each may be responsible for a percentage of your damages.

An experienced passenger injury attorney can investigate the evidence to determine how fault should be allocated among all responsible parties.

Other Negligent Parties

In some cases, another party may also share liability, including:

  • A commercial trucking company
  • A rideshare company such as Uber or Lyft
  • A vehicle manufacturer if a defective part contributed to the crash
  • An Arizona city, county, or state agency responsible for dangerous roadway conditions

Identifying every potentially liable party is an important part of understanding how much insurance coverage may be available to you.

What Insurance Pays for a Passenger’s Injuries in Arizona?

Arizona is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash, and that driver’s insurance company, are responsible for the harm that resulted.

Arizona does not require personal injury protection coverage. Drivers must carry liability insurance with minimum limits of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.

Those minimums matter more for passengers than for almost anyone else. When several people in a vehicle are hurt in the same crash, they may have to share a single $50,000 per accident limit, and serious injuries can exhaust that coverage quickly.

Several sources of coverage may apply to a passenger injury claim:

  • The at-fault driver’s liability policy, which is usually the first source of compensation
  • The host driver’s liability policy, if the driver of the vehicle you were riding in was partly or entirely responsible
  • Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, which can apply even though you were not driving your own vehicle
  • Medical payments coverage, which pays medical expenses regardless of who caused the accident
  • Your health insurance, which may cover treatment now and allow you to seek reimbursement out of your settlement later

Under A.R.S. § 20-259.01, Arizona insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in writing, so many drivers carry it without realizing it. Reviewing your own policy is often one of the first things we do.

Sorting out which policies apply, and in what order, is one of the most valuable things a passenger injury attorney does early in a case.

Does Comparative Fault Affect Passengers?

Arizona follows a pure comparative negligence system under A.R.S. § 12-2505. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault rather than eliminated, so a passenger assigned some share of responsibility can still recover.

The exception is narrow. A claimant who intentionally or wantonly contributed to the harm loses that protection.

In most passenger injury cases, the passenger is not responsible for causing the accident. Instead, fault is usually assigned to one or more drivers.

If questions arise regarding comparative fault, they generally involve the drivers rather than the passenger. Even when multiple drivers share responsibility, an injured passenger may still pursue compensation from the parties whose negligence caused the crash.

What Compensation Can You Recover?

What Compensation Can an Injured Passenger Recover?

A successful personal injury claim may allow you to recover damages for both your financial losses and the impact the accident has had on your life.

Depending on your injuries, compensation may include:

  • Medical bills
  • Future medical care
  • Rehabilitation expenses
  • Physical therapy
  • Lost wages
  • Loss of future earning capacity
  • Property damage to personal belongings
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Permanent disability
  • Permanent scarring or disfigurement

How a Passenger Injuries Attorney Values Your Claim

Every injury claim is different, and the value of a case depends on the severity of the injuries and their long-term effects.

A passenger injuries attorney reviews your medical records, your treatment plan, your time away from work, and the projected cost of future care before placing a value on your claim.

What if Multiple Insurance Companies Are Involved?

Passenger injury claims frequently involve multiple insurance companies.

For example, the driver of your vehicle may blame another driver, while the other driver’s insurance company argues that your driver caused the accident. Each company may attempt to minimize its financial responsibility.

Stone Rose Law handles communication with insurance adjusters, gathers the documentation supporting your claim, and works to ensure insurance companies do not unfairly shift blame or undervalue your injuries.

Insurance companies do not always give a passenger’s claim the attention it deserves.

What Happens if the Driver Is a Friend or Family Member?

Many passengers hesitate to file claims because they know the driver personally.

In most situations, compensation comes from the applicable insurance policy rather than directly from your friend or family member’s personal assets.

Seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages does not necessarily mean pursuing money directly from someone you care about. Your attorney can explain how insurance coverage applies to your specific case.

What if the Driver Was Working?

If the driver who caused the accident was acting within the scope of employment, additional insurance coverage may be available through the employer.

These cases often involve:

Employer liability can significantly affect the amount of insurance coverage available in serious passenger injury cases.

What Should You Do After a Passenger Injury Accident?

The steps you take after an accident can have a significant impact on your personal injury claim.

If possible, you should:

  • Call 911 and report the accident
  • Seek immediate medical care
  • Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations
  • Photograph the accident scene and your injuries
  • Obtain witness contact information
  • Keep copies of medical records and bills
  • Avoid discussing fault or your injuries with insurance companies before speaking with an attorney

Prompt medical treatment also creates important documentation connecting your injuries to the accident.

How Long Do You Have to File a Passenger Injury Claim in Arizona?

Under A.R.S. § 12-542, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Arizona.

Missing the filing deadline may prevent you from recovering compensation, even if the accident clearly was not your fault.

Claims involving a government entity follow a much shorter timeline. If a city bus, a school bus, or a government vehicle was involved, or if a dangerous roadway condition contributed to the crash, a written notice of claim must be served under A.R.S. § 12-821.01 within 180 days after the claim accrues, which is usually the date of the crash. 

Any lawsuit must then be filed within one year of that same date under A.R.S. § 12-821.

Because these deadlines can pass quickly, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after the accident.

How Can a Passenger Injury Lawyer Help?

Passenger injury cases may appear straightforward, but disputes over liability, insurance coverage, and damages become more complicated than what is often expected.

A passenger injury lawyer can:

  • Investigate the accident
  • Preserve important evidence
  • Determine who is legally responsible
  • Calculate the full value of your claim
  • Negotiate with insurance companies
  • Protect your legal rights
  • File a lawsuit when necessary
  • Represent you throughout the litigation process

Working with an experienced Arizona personal injury lawyer allows you to focus on recovering while your attorney handles the legal aspects of your injury claim.

Contact Stone Rose Law Today

If you were injured as a passenger in a car accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Whether the accident involved one negligent driver or multiple liable parties, Stone Rose Law is prepared to fight for the compensation Arizona law makes available to you.

Call Stone Rose Law today at (480) 631-3025 or use our online contact form for a free consultation with an experienced Arizona passenger injuries lawyer.

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