Local Auto Accident Attorney
in Phoenix, AZ

Auto accidents often cause serious injuries and leave people facing extensive medical costs. The aftermath of an accident can be highly distressing, not just for the victim, but for the victim's family as well. The local auto accident attorney from The Law Office Of D. M. Godley Esq. PLLC is prepared to overcome the challenges injured individuals may face. Available 24/7, we can help you file an injury claim against the at-fault driver's insurance carrier and answer any questions you may have about the legal process in Phoenix, AZ.

It is important you contact a local auto accident attorney as soon as possible after you're in an auto accident in the Phoenix, AZ area. Godley Law AZ will ensure your claim and interests are protected. If you wait to contact a lawyer, you may face issues in pursuing our claim such as:

  • Being able to find the other driver,
  • Not gathering driver's insurance information,
  • Missing the opportunity to contact key eyewitnesses; and
  • The possible destruction of scene evidence.

A delay in contacting a lawyer could negatively impact your ability to collect fair compensation.

Also, you have only two (2) years from the date of the auto accident to submit a claim for damages or file a lawsuit.

What to do when you have been in an auto accident:

  • Do your best to remain calm. It is okay to speak with the driver of the other vehicle; this is likely the best time and place to get the truth from them.
  • Always call the police, no matter what.
  • Do not move the vehicles until after the police arrive, unless moving the vehicles is necessary to ensure your safety.

What to do when the police arrive

  • Be pleasant, cooperative and truthful.
  • Describe what happened as you observed it.
  • Be careful about how you estimate distances and speeds.
  • Do not admit fault. You may have not been in the best position to have seen everything that occurred, and you may not be aware of things that occurred which contributed to the accident.
  • Do not say you are not hurt. Some injuries and symptoms of pain may not show up for days. It is often both truthful and prudent to simply say that you are shaken up.
  • Provide your auto insurance information as well as make sure to obtain the other driver's information, preferably by reading it from his or her driver's license.
  • Get the other driver's name, address, telephone number, driver's license number, and license plate number. Record the make and model of the driver's car, motorcycle, van or truck or the number of the school bus.
  • If you have a camera (cell phone camera), take photographs of the scene as well as the damage to the vehicles.
  • If a stranger appears at the scene and offers you a ride to a chiropractor or other doctor, or if you are called later by a stranger who learns of the collision, get the person's name and telephone number. Report him or her to the police and the Arizona Department of Insurance Fraud Investigation Unit. Under AZ law, no one is allowed to solicit victims at the site of the accident.
  • Promptly notify your own automobile insurance company, BUT speak with an attorney before agreeing to provide any type of statement in a recorded telephone conversation. What you say may be misconstrued and later used against you, even by your own insurance company.
These tips can help you protect your rights if you have been involved in an auto accident.