As Phoenix car accident attorneys, it is our job to prevent people with power from taking advantage of innocent victims. We happen to see a lot of abuse when the government uses its own laws to defend itself from legal responsibility. Many talk about personal accountability and personal responsibility, and there has been a push to ensure that people in our country accept blame when they do wrong. Many people who cannot work due to an injury caused by someone else’s negligent actions too often are accused that they are trying to place the blame on someone else instead of accepting responsibility for their situation.
When government employees are involved in causing serious injuries, it raises a red flag. According to a recent study, a City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department vehicle and a Chevy Malibu collided when, according to witnesses, the city vehicle ran a red light causing a six-car accident. The occupants of the Malibu included a woman eight months pregnant, who along with her boyfriend were transported to the hospital. She later gave birth to the baby, who possibly has brain damage as a result of the accident. If the driver of the Phoenix Parks and Recreation vehicle was indeed at fault, unless the car accident victim immediately hires a lawyer and takes the correct action to protect her rights and her baby’s rights, she could miss her chance to receive compensation.
Even if we assume that the witnesses were correct about the city vehicle running a red light and even if the City of Phoenix admitted fault in this case, there is still a way in which those responsible can escape liability. If a person seriously injured by a negligent government employee does not take the correct steps, they are in danger of losing their ability to file a lawsuit. In order to file a personal injury claim, the injured party must file a proper “notice of claim” within 180 days to the correct person or else they lose all rights.
It is unfortunate that government entities can avoid responsibility in such cases, and that is why we report on accidents that involve city vehicles in Phoenix, Mesa, Tucson, or any other city in Arizona. We know that when someone is seriously injured in an accident that they have more to think about than hiring a personal injury lawyer. Injured parties should be allowed to recover, and to have enough time to find an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer to help them.
That is why we urge anyone who has been involved in a serious motor vehicle accident with any government employee in Arizona to immediately speak to a knowledgeable and skilled Arizona auto accident lawyer to ensure that their rights to file a claim are not lost.
