Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Phoenix?
The local steps are quoted from Phoenix agency pages and the Arizona rules from state law, each with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
Phoenix is in Maricopa County, and a crash claim you file yourself goes to one of the county's 26 justice court precincts, where the small claims division hears claims of $5,000 or less and the complaint costs $58 to file. A claim up to $10,000 goes to the justice court's regular civil side, and anything bigger to the Maricopa County Superior Court. Before any of that, the insurer will want the Phoenix crash report, and if your car was towed the storage bill is growing while you decide. Nobody who is paid to take your case can tell you honestly whether you need one, so this page shows you the three things that actually decide it: what your own paperwork says, what Arizona does about fault, and how much time is left.
Before you call anyone, get the report
Every insurer and every lawyer will ask for the crash report first. It is the document that says who the officer believed caused it. In Phoenix you get it here.
Where your report comes from
Phoenix crash reports are ordered from the Phoenix Police Public Records portal at phxpublicsafety.phoenix.gov. Traffic Crash is one of the ten request types on the portal.
“You can now submit Public Record requests using our online portal”
How long you wait for it
Phoenix police say a preliminary report on a serious or fatal traffic collision may be ready about 30 days after the crash, and a case that is not criminal can take several months.
“A preliminary report may be available approximately 30 days after the traffic collision occurs.”
Whose name is on it
The Phoenix Police Department handles crashes on city streets inside Phoenix. Call 911 for an emergency, or call Crime Stop at 602-262-6151 to get an officer sent out.
The bill that grows while you decide
Towing and storage in Phoenix
Phoenix uses contract tow companies assigned by police precinct zone, so a car towed from a crash goes to that zone's tow yard. Call the tow company to find out which lot has your car.
“Contact the tow company to determine which lot they have stored your vehicle.”
Storage is charged by the day, and an impound lot can sell a car that nobody claims. That clock runs whether or not anyone has admitted fault, so deal with the car first and argue about blame after.
Where a Phoenix case is filed, and when you don't need a lawyer at all
The court that would hear it
Phoenix is in Maricopa County, and a crash claim you file yourself goes to one of the county's 26 justice court precincts, where the small claims division hears claims of $5,000 or less and the complaint costs $58 to file. A claim up to $10,000 goes to the justice court's regular civil side, and anything bigger to the Maricopa County Superior Court.
“Any individual, partnership, association or corporation may file a small claims suit for a situation where the amount in dispute is $5,000 or less.”
A small claim you file yourself costs a filing fee and an afternoon. A claim worth more than the small claims limit, or one where you are hurt, is the kind people bring a lawyer into. Neither choice is ours to make for you.
How fault changes what you get
If you were partly at fault
Arizona uses pure comparative fault. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover money even if you were mostly at fault, unless you caused the crash on purpose or through willful or wanton conduct.
“the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
How long you have
- 2 years
- to sue for injuriesA.R.S. 12-542
- 2 years
- to sue for car or property damageA.R.S. 12-542
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a deathA.R.S. 12-542(2)
- 180 days
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedA.R.S. 12-821.01
How injury lawyers charge in Arizona
Contingency fee rules
Arizona has no dollar or percentage cap on personal injury contingency fees. The fee has to be reasonable, and the contingency fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client.
“A contingent fee agreement shall be in a writing signed by the client and shall state the method by which the fee is to be determined, including the percentage or percentages that shall accrue to the lawyer in the event of settlement, trial or appeal”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
Other Arizona rules that can change what you get
- If a Phoenix vehicle or a road defect was involved
If a government vehicle, employee, or road is involved, you must file a claim with that government within 180 days of the crash or you lose the right to sue.
A.R.S. 12-821.01- If the insurer is the problem
To file a complaint against an insurance company in Arizona, use the online complaint form on the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) File a Complaint page.
Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, File a Complaint page
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
The state law behind these steps
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.