Deciding what speed to go and how much warning to give to other traffic nearby when about to merge into another lane on US-60 isn’t always easy to judge. If a mistake is made by the driver of a vehicle near you and he or she merges into a lane without sufficient warning so that you aren’t able to react fast enough a merging accident is quite likely to be the outcome.
Traffic is often moving fast on the US-60 so if a merging accident takes place there is likely to be some serious injuries. If this has happened to you and you have been injured but you know the accident wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim against the driver who caused the accident but you will need a personal injury attorney to help you through the process.
US-60 in Arizona
US-60 in Arizona is 369 miles long and runs from east to west within the State of Arizona. Its whole length begins from a junction with I-10 close to Quartzsite to a point near Springerville, on the New Mexico State Line.
The road is given other names such as Grand Avenue which is the area from Wickenburg to Phoenix. The Superstition Freeway is the name given to the area from Tempe to Apache Junction.
What to Do If Hit While Merging On US-60
As is the case with all other states, Arizona has a law called the “statute of limitations,” which sets a deadline for bringing a personal injury case to court. In Arizona, there is a two year deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit.
The clock starts to tick from the time and date of the accident. There is also Arizona’s comparative negligence rule to consider too which applies if both parties are found to be partly to blame for the merging accident.
If you are claiming compensation but some of the fault is put down to you, your claim may be reduced by the percentage of the fault that is allocated to you.
Arizona car insurance laws use an at-fault rule which means you are entitled to settle a claim directly with the relevant insurer or if thought necessary go to court to prove who is at fault while filing for compensation at the same time.
Evidence to Gather If Hit While Merging On US-60
For most people who are seriously injured in a merging accident, it’s vital they get compensated for the financial hardship caused by the accident. The important parts of a favorable compensation claim is getting all the money for the cost of medical treatment from the day the accident took place right through to when full recovery is achieved and receive a sufficient amount to cover for any loss of earnings for the same period.
This is quite difficult to achieve as you will need good evidence to prove who caused the accident. You will need some of the following:
- reports from reliable witnesses to the accident;
- photographic evidence of damage to the vehicles at the cash site;
- a police report indicating who and what caused the accident;
- a detailed report of your injuries signed and signed by the physician who has been treating you;
- receipts showing what you have paid for treatment so far;
- evidence of lost earnings and any future lost earnings.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
Personal injury compensation claims can become drawn out affairs as the claimant fumbles with legal language and tries to find the relevant documents to support the claim. This is the reason why it’s so important to talk to a personal injury attorney before the claim’s process is initiated.
The attorney can help negotiate with an insurance adjuster, assess future medical costs, collect evidence and contact useful witnesses and crash experts.
