Internal Organ Damage After Phoenix Car Accidents: Understanding Your Legal Rights

Internal organ injuries sustained in Phoenix motor vehicle crashes can have devastating, life-altering consequences for victims and their families. These severe trauma injuries often include damage to vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, and lungs, which may result from blunt force trauma, rapid deceleration, or penetrating injuries during collisions. The complexity of internal injuries presents unique challenges, as symptoms may not be immediately apparent and can worsen without prompt medical intervention. These injuries frequently require emergency surgery, extended hospitalization, and lengthy rehabilitation periods. The financial impact can be substantial, encompassing immediate medical costs, ongoing treatment, lost wages, and potential long-term care needs. When such injuries occur due to another driver's negligence, victims may be entitled to seek compensation through Arizona's personal injury legal system, making it crucial to understand both the medical and legal aspects of their situation.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Arizona operates under a pure comparative negligence system, allowing injury victims to seek compensation even if partially responsible for the accident, though damages are reduced by their percentage of fault. The state's minimum insurance requirements of $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury may prove insufficient for severe internal organ damage cases, making it essential to identify all potential sources of compensation. Victims have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under Arizona's statute of limitations (A.R.S. § 12-542). Compensatory damages may include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In cases involving egregious conduct, punitive damages might be available, though they are rare. It's important to note that Arizona's collateral source rule prevents evidence of insurance payments from reducing compensation awards. An experienced Phoenix injury attorney will handle all facets of the personal injury claim.

If you've suffered internal organ damage in an accident, click the links below to get help from an attorney who specializes in your type of accident or injury:

• Phoenix car crash attorney;
• Phoenix pedestrian accident attorney;
• Phoenix motorcycle collision lawyer;
• Phoenix truck crash lawyer;
• Phoenix brain injury lawyer;
• Phoenix fatal accident lawyer.

Return to the Phoenix accident injury information page

Related Resources

Local Courts

• Maricopa County Superior Court
• Phoenix Municipal Court
• Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One

Support Services

• Arizona Brain Injury Association
• Maricopa Integrated Health System Trauma Center
• Banner University Medical Center Phoenix Trauma Services
• Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association

Legal Resources and Regulations

• Arizona Revised Statutes Title 28 (Transportation)
• Arizona Department of Transportation
• Arizona State Bar Association Injury Lawyer Referral Service
• Arizona Supreme Court Self-Help Center