Steps After a Car Accident in Arizona: What to Do in the First 5 Minutes, 24 Hours, and 30 Days

Most people are in shock for the first hour after a car accident. They forget things. They say things they shouldn’t. They miss the photos that would have proved liability. They tell the other driver “I’m fine” before they know whether they are. Two days later, when their neck stops working and the insurance adjuster calls, it’s too late to fix what they didn’t do.

This is the field guide to the next 30 days. Step by step. Based on what attorney Josh Wood and Wood Injury Law have seen handling thousands of Arizona personal injury cases. Follow it and you protect your case. Skip the steps and you give the at-fault driver’s insurance company exactly what they want.

Disclaimer up front: This is general information about Arizona personal injury law, not legal advice for your specific case. Free consultation: 623-632-0959.

Step 1 — The first 5 minutes: safety, then evidence

1. Check yourself, then your passengers. Pain doesn’t always show up immediately because adrenaline masks it. Move slowly. Don’t unfasten a seatbelt if your neck or back hurts.
2. Call 911 if anyone is injured or if vehicles are blocking traffic. Even if injuries look minor. Arizona law (A.R.S. § 28-666) requires reporting accidents involving injury, death, or property damage over $1,000 — which is nearly every modern auto collision.
3. Move to safety if possible. If your car can move and you’re on a highway like I-10, Loop 101, or Loop 202, get to the shoulder. Hazard lights on. Do NOT move if anyone is seriously hurt — wait for paramedics.
4. Do not say “I’m sorry” or admit fault. Apologies are admissions of liability under Arizona evidence rules. Even a polite “sorry about that” can be used against you by the other driver’s insurance adjuster weeks later.

Step 2 — At the scene: capture everything

1. Photograph the scene before the cars move. Wide shots showing the whole intersection. Close-ups of all vehicle damage. License plates. Skid marks. Traffic signals. Weather conditions. Road signs. Your photo timestamps prove when each shot was taken.
2. Get a police report. When officers respond, ask for the report number. In Maricopa County, Phoenix PD reports are typically available within 7-10 days from phoenix.gov/police. In Pima County, Tucson PD reports come through the same online portal. The report is the foundation of your case.
3. Exchange information with the other driver. Get: full name, phone, address, insurance company, policy number, driver’s license number, license plate. Take a photo of their insurance card AND their driver’s license. Don’t trust handwritten info — people lie under stress.
4. Get witness contact info. Anyone who saw the accident or stopped to help — name and phone number, fast. Witnesses leave the scene quickly and are nearly impossible to find later.
5. Do not discuss fault with the other driver. Don’t agree with their version of events. Don’t argue. Don’t accept blame. Don’t speculate. “Let’s let the insurance companies figure it out” is the right script.

Step 3 — Within 24 hours: see a doctor, no matter what

1. Go to the emergency room or urgent care, even if you “feel fine.” Soft-tissue injuries (whiplash, lumbar strain), mild concussions, and internal injuries often don’t fully manifest for 24-72 hours. The medical record from your first 24 hours is the single most important piece of documentation in any car accident case.
2. Tell every doctor every symptom, even minor ones. If your wrist tingles, if your neck feels stiff, if you have a headache — say so. Insurance adjusters will later argue that any symptom not documented at the first visit isn’t related to the accident.
3. Notify YOUR OWN insurance company. You have a contractual duty to report. Do this within 24 hours. Stick to facts: when, where, who was involved, the police report number. Do not speculate about fault or injuries.
4. Do NOT call or talk to the other driver’s insurance company yet. They will call you. Often the same day. They will be friendly and want a “quick recorded statement” to “move things along.” Politely decline: “I haven’t finished my medical workup. Please put any questions in writing.” (More on recorded statements in Step 5.)
5. Save everything. Discharge paperwork. Prescriptions. Receipts. Photographs of injuries. Doctor’s notes about work restrictions. Start a folder today.

Step 4 — Within 1 week: get the report, document, decide on a lawyer

1. Pull the official police report. Compare it to what you remember. Errors in police reports are common — wrong direction of travel, wrong speeds, wrong fault assignment. If something is materially wrong, file a supplement immediately.
2. Document everything you can’t do. If you can’t lift your child, can’t drive long distances, can’t sit at your desk for more than 20 minutes — write it down with the date. These “loss of enjoyment of life” notes drive pain and suffering damages later.
3. Track time off work. Every hour. Email yourself dates. Get a letter from HR confirming missed days. Lost wages are a recoverable damage but only if you can prove them.
4. Consider getting an attorney before the other driver’s insurance offers a settlement. Most Arizona personal injury attorneys, including Wood Injury Law, work on contingency: no fee unless we recover. A free consult costs you nothing and changes the adjuster’s calculus immediately. Adjusters route lawyer-represented files to a different desk with different settlement authority.

Step 5 — Within 2 weeks: protect against the adjuster traps

1. Do not give the other driver’s insurance a recorded statement. Anything you say is locked in as evidence. The adjuster’s job is to find one sentence that minimizes your claim. Sentences like “I felt fine at the scene” or “I might have been distracted for a second” become the linchpin of their fault argument. Send this in writing: “I will not be providing a recorded statement. Please direct all communications to my counsel.”
2. Do not sign any release, waiver, or settlement document. Especially if there’s a check attached. Cashing an early settlement check usually releases ALL future claims, even injuries that haven’t been diagnosed yet.
3. Do not post about the accident on social media. Adjusters and defense attorneys actively monitor Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Photos of you smiling at a barbecue 10 days after the accident become Exhibit A: “Claimant doesn’t appear to be in pain.” Even private posts can be subpoenaed.
4. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan. If physical therapy is prescribed, go to physical therapy. Gaps in treatment are used by adjusters to argue your injury wasn’t serious. “If she really had neck pain, she wouldn’t have skipped 3 appointments.”

Step 6 — Within 30 days: document, treat, never settle early

1. Keep a daily symptom journal. Pain level (1-10), sleep quality, activities you couldn’t do, mood. One paragraph per day. Six weeks of this is gold for pain and suffering damages.
2. Save every receipt. Prescription co-pays. Mileage to doctor appointments (Arizona allows $0.67/mile in 2026). Medical equipment (cervical collar, ice packs, brace). Childcare while at appointments. These are economic damages.
3. Get diagnostic imaging before settling anything. MRI for soft-tissue injuries shouldn’t wait. Adjusters love when claimants settle before imaging because settlement values jump 3-10x when imaging confirms a herniated disc or torn rotator cuff.
4. If you haven’t hired an attorney yet, the 30-day mark is when the choice gets harder. The other driver’s insurer may have started fault discussions, made a lowball offer, or stopped responding entirely. Each scenario benefits from an attorney’s involvement.

The long view: statute of limitations, comparative fault, what your case is worth

Statute of limitations: Arizona gives you 2 years from the date of accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (A.R.S. § 12-542). Shorter if a government entity is involved — you must file a Notice of Claim within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01). Missing these deadlines kills your case permanently. Don’t wait.

Comparative fault: Arizona is a pure comparative negligence state (A.R.S. § 12-2505). Even if you were partly at fault, you can still recover damages — your award is just reduced by your share of fault. 30% your fault, 70% the other driver’s? You collect 70% of damages. Compare that to states like Texas where being 51% at fault means you collect zero.

What your case is worth depends on:

• Medical expenses (past, present, future)
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• The at-fault driver’s insurance policy limits
• Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM)

Arizona has no statutory cap on damages for personal injury cases. The honest answer to “what is my case worth” requires a free consultation and a review of your medical records, the police report, and the insurance policies involved.

FAQ — Steps After a Car Accident in Arizona

Do I have to call the police if no one is injured?
Under Arizona law (A.R.S. § 28-666), you must report any accident that results in injury, death, or property damage estimated at over $1,000. Modern vehicles take more than $1,000 in damage from a parking-lot bump, so realistically every collision in Arizona requires a report. Call the police and let them decide whether to respond.

Should I move my car after a collision?
If anyone is seriously injured, don’t move anything until paramedics and police arrive. If injuries appear minor and your car is drivable, move to the shoulder to avoid blocking traffic. Photograph the original positions of both vehicles before you move anything.

What if the other driver doesn’t have insurance?
Arizona has one of the higher uninsured driver rates in the country. If the at-fault driver has no insurance or fled the scene, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage steps in to pay your damages. Most Arizona auto policies carry UM coverage automatically unless rejected in writing. Pull your declarations page to confirm.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a car accident in Arizona?
Two years from the date of accident for most personal injury claims, under A.R.S. § 12-542. Shorter deadlines apply if a government entity is involved (180-day Notice of Claim under A.R.S. § 12-821.01). Missing these deadlines bars your claim permanently.

Do I have to talk to the other driver’s insurance company?
No. You have no contractual obligation to the other driver’s insurance company. You should report the accident to YOUR OWN insurance company within 24 hours (per your policy), but you can decline to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement. Send a polite written refusal and direct them to communicate through your attorney if you have one.

How long does a car accident case take to settle?
Range: 3-6 months for clear-liability, moderate-injury cases that settle pre-suit. 12-18 months for cases that require filing suit. 24-36 months for trials. Less than 5% of Arizona car accident cases actually go to trial; most settle through negotiation or mediation.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in Arizona?
Almost all Arizona personal injury attorneys work on contingency: no fee unless we recover. Standard contingency is 33.3% of recovery if the case settles before suit is filed, 40% if suit is filed. Case costs (filing fees, expert witnesses, deposition transcripts) are advanced by the firm and recovered from the settlement. Free consultations are standard.

Related reading: Arizona car accident attorney | Uninsured motorist coverage in AZ | About Josh Wood