Arizona Accident Lawyer Blog

In 2009 alone, there are more than 5.5 million reported motor vehicle crashes had occurred in the United States alone (NHTSA). About 28% of the crashes or 1.52 million have resulted to injury and less than 1% or 30,797 incidents have resulted to death.

A vehicle collided with a Senior Living bus with senior citizens on board the vehicle last week in Glendale, Arizona. The accident took place at the intersection of 80th Avenue and Glendale. The incident happened before 9 in the morning of that day and lead to 7 people injured. However, only three were brought to the hospital as 4 of the injured senior citizen refused hospitalization.

Although there injuries were not fatal, the police are still trying to determine the Glendale bus accident causes.

Although, sometimes luckily some injuries are not too serious, it is important to let a doctor or a medical expert conduct a full examination for any hidden injuries from the incident. Even though not all crashes lead to fatal injuries, it is still a great idea to fully assess oneself. There might be some injuries that does not hurt that much, but may have a great effect someday and could lead to impairment.

We all know that crashes could happen anytime of the day to anyone. Most of the time, they are inevitable and is considered as an accident. We can lessen the chances of being involved in a car accident by changing our driving habits and keep our eyes on the road.

If you are a victim of a bus accident in Arizona, then you should contact our Glendale bus crash attorneys for legal advice at (602) 457-6222, or (480) 389-2463 to ensure your safety and have your legal motions with regard to the case.

Every 50 minutes, a life is lost due to a drunk driving accident in the U.S. (NHTSA, 2009). In Arizona, the Department of Public Safety and police departments reported that 7,756 car crashes every year involve a pedestrian or a drunk driver with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .01 or more (AZfamily, 3/15/11).

While a BAC of .01 may seem insignificant, individuals can react at different levels to alcohol, so even at this low level, some users can actually become significantly impaired.

As the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day approaches tomorrow, the Scottsdale Police Department has placed safety as a top priority during the event. Police officers will be out on DUI inspections at a checkpoint at Palm Lane and Scottsdale Road, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. The police will be paying special attention to drivers going southbound on Scottsdale Road, heading from Old Town bars and nightlife.

For every impaired driving fatality, Arizonans pay approximately $3.3 million in monetary and quality of life losses. If alcohol-related crashes in Arizona were reduced by even 10%, it would save $50 million annually in insurance costs.

If only to spare the financial implications of a drunk driving accident, please drink responsibly during your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. AAA Arizona is again offering their free “Tipsy Tow” service starting at 6pm Thursday night through 6am on Friday. You don’t even have to be an AAA member—just call 1-800-AAA-HELP and say you need a “Tipsy Tow” and an AAA truck will provide a free one-way ride home within a 10 mile radius of the starting location.

Continue reading "Scottsdale Drunk Driver Checkpoint Planned for St. Patrick's Day" »

A family vacation means fun in the sun, photo opportunities, and embarrassing moments. Most families don’t think of the dangers they face while on vacation, even though they are the same dangers they face at home, like car accidents or trip and fall injuries, only sometimes even more amplified.

On Sunday, a tour bus heading from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon drifted off the road and rolled several times (Arizona Republic via AZ Central 10/17/10). Two of the eleven passengers were killed, and several more were seriously injured. Information regarding the identities of the riders or the cause of the accident is not yet available. No other vehicles were involved.

Tour bus drivers face the same challenges as large truck drivers. Frequently traveling across the country and through the night leads to fatigue. Truck drivers are required to log a certain amount of hours of sleep every day, and are not allowed to drive over 10 consecutive hours without 8 consecutive hours of rest. How much do you know about driver fatigue? Try some of the true or false questions below, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
1. Coffee overcomes the effects of drowsiness while driving. (T or F)
2. I can tell when I'm going to go to sleep. (T or F)
3. Rolling down my window or singing along with the radio will keep me awake. (T or F)
4. I'm a safe driver so it doesn't matter if I'm sleepy. (T or F)
5. You can stockpile sleep on the weekends. (T or F)
6. Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night. (T or F)
7. Being sleepy makes you misperceive things. (T or F)
8. Young people need less sleep. (T or F)
9. Wandering, disconnected thoughts are a warning sign of driver fatigue. (T or F)
10. Little green men in the middle of the road may mean the driver is too tired to drive. (T or F)
11. On a long trip, the driver should never take a break but try to arrive at the destination as quickly as possible. (T or F)
12. A microsleep lasts four or five seconds. (T or F)
For answers, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/research-technology/topics/fatiguequiz.html

Continue reading "Arizona Tour Bus Crash Kills 2" »

Multitasking may be one of the best advantages to having opposable thumbs. However, while driving, those thumbs should remain on the wheel and not on a Qwerty keyboard. In Arizona, there is no ban on texting while driving except in the city of Phoenix. As Arizona car accident attorneys, we hope all drivers keep 100% of their attention on the road in front of them and around them.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted a study on the effectiveness of texting bans (USA Today via AZ Central 9/28/10). Thirty states and the District of Columbia have a ban on texting while driving. The Insurance Institute found that the bans have not decreased the number of accidents at all; in fact, they found rates had risen in three states. Instead of refraining from texting, drivers now may be focusing more on hiding the fact to evade the police, which lowers their eyes from the road even more, and for longer periods of time.

There are many distractions drivers must juggle while on the road, many of which can not be avoided. One action that can be controlled is cell phone use. While texting bans may not be as effective as many originally thought, the practice is still very dangerous. The No Phone Zone project says 16 people every day are killed due to distracted drivers and encourages drivers to declare their cars “no phone zones” to prevent distracted driving. To take the pledge, visit www.nophonezone.com.

Continue reading "Laws Banning Texting While Driving May Increase Accident Rates" »

As has been reported by the AP, a bus coming from Mexico to LA was involved in a horrific crash in Sacaton, AZ. Families of those who were tragically killed and those who suffered serious injuries undoubtedly are overwhelmed with concerns and issues most could not begin to imagine. At Breyer Law Offices, our hearts go out to the families of all involved. We know that no words can begin to express the sorrow that is being felt. We also know that, before long, there will be people associated with the bus company that may look to take advantage of families during this terrible time, trying to cut off their rights to recover. In fact, it is likely that there were lawyers and paid experts at the site of the crash for the bus company within hours, maybe even before the police had finished their investigation.

What is a family to do when faced with such a concerted effort to “change history” for the purpose of minimizing legal liability? We strongly encourage anybody who knows someone involved to reject any phone calls or contact with any representative of the busing company. As soon as there is someone in the family who can take the lead emotionally, we strongly encourage anybody involved to contact a certified specialist in personal injury and wrongful death litigation, so that the bus company – and any person responsible for this regrettable tragedy – is held responsible.

A video report posted on azcentral.com has new details regarding the fatal phoenix bus crash that killed 6 people yesterday. According to the report, the company that owned the bus which was traveling from Zacatecas, Mexico to Los Angeles was not licensed to transport passengers.

The Phoenix bus accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices have seen first hand how stressful legal issues are for clients and their families. They also understand the tragic consequences a personal injury or wrongful death can have. The Breyer Law Offices will continue to monitor the investigation regarding these tragic deaths and provide information to it's readers as it becomes available.

The city of Peoria is unique in that it is a part of two Arizona counties: Yavapai and Maricopa. Considering that Peoria’s population was estimated to be 157,960 in July 2008, it is no surprise that the booming city is the ninth largest in Arizona. As a chief suburb of Phoenix and located largely in Maricopa County, Peoria is the fourth biggest city in relation to land area. Perhaps Peoria owes its continuous population growth to being referred to as one of the “Top 100 Places to Live” according to Money Magazine in 2008.

With such a large number of inhabitants, Peoria’s roads can be susceptible to auto accidents involving trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, and other vehicles, due to traffic or negligent drivers. When drivers and passengers or pedestrians suffer injuries from a car accident caused by a negligent driver, skilled Peoria car accident lawyers can help these victims attain compensation from those responsible. At Breyer Law, our Peoria auto accident attorneys have the resources and knowledge to make sure that auto accident cases are resolved efficiently and thoroughly with the understanding that time is of the essence. Our broad experience in personal injury and wrongful death is a great advantage to those who have been injured in Peoria truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, car accidents, bike accidents, bus accidents and many other accidents caused by the negligence of others.

The husband and wife law team at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., we will exhaust every resource to protect the rights of you and your family so that restitution for hospital treatment, pain and suffering, medical bills, loss of work, or wrongful death is justly accounted for by negligent parties. Whether you endured an injury from a dog bite, slip and fall accident, work injury, or any other personal injury incident, we can help you. For a free and confidential evaluation of your Peoria personal injury or auto accident case, call Breyer Law Offices, P.C. at 602-978-6400 today.

Finding a skilled Phoenix, Arizona bus accident injury lawyer can be a challenge. There are so many people out there who are claiming to be “experienced” personal injury lawyers that somebody who has been injured in a bus accident often does not know where to turn. The reality is that anyone can claim that they can handle a personal injury case. Anyone who has gone to law school and passed the Arizona State Bar has the right to claim that they know how to handle personal injury cases. If they’ve handled a single personal injury case in their entire career they may claim to be “experienced.”

The reality is that someone who has been seriously injured in a bus accident of any type needs to contact the best bus accident lawyer that they can find in the State of Arizona. It is not enough to find a neighborhood lawyer. It is more important for someone who has had a life changing injury or who has lost a loved one to be able to get advice they can count on from a straight-shooter who has been there and tried the cases and fought for the people who have been seriously injured.

If you have any questions whatsoever about a serious bus accident please do not hesitate to give us a call.

A woman from Van Nuys, California was reported killed in a tragic head-on collision with a tour bus on State Highway 74 east of Wickenburg, Arizona. Although we do not know for sure from the limited report available, the woman may have driven her car into the path of the bus in an effort to avoid hitting an animal. Whatever actually happened, it certainly cannot undo the tragedy of this horrible wrongful death in Arizona. Also, we do not know, from the limited report available, whether or not the woman was in fact trying to avoid a vehicle and if so, what vehicle.

It has been surmised that the most likely scenario is that she attempted avoiding an animal on the road when she steered into the path of the bus. Even so, because of the limited information available, it is possible that she may have been attempting to avoid a vehicle instead, leading to this wrongful death on our Arizona Highways.

The probability that it was an animal raises questions that personal injury lawyers in Arizona have seen before. As experienced Arizona bus accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we see how livestock owners failing to properly fence animals to keep them from roaming onto roads can cause accidents such as this. We do not know whether negligence was the case in this incident, but the possibility that it did is enough to consult a lawyer who is knowledgeable about wrongful death claims in this case.

Continue reading "Woman Killed in Head-On Crash with Tour Bus" »

A Phoenix school bus accident recently made the news nationwide when a bus driver lost control. The driver was taking Western Valley Middle School students home after school. The resulting accident, according to a story, resulted in 13 collisions on 67th Avenue. The driver went unconscious after the first of these.

Accident lawyers in Phoenix who deal with road accidents know how important it is to ensure the victims of this bus crash know their rights. Phoenix, Arizona personal injury lawyers such as ourselves know that far too many of the people involved in this accident will miss the deadline for filing a claim.

There is normally a 180 day deadline to file a Notice of Claim when involved in bus accident in Arizona. Failure to file a proper notice of claim to the right defendant within six months nullifies a person’s ability to pursue a claim for damages.

After this bus accident, 26 of the 45 students in the bus were sent to hospital. As the driver of the bus is an employee of an Arizona school district, and thus protected by a law that requires all injured parties to file a Notice of Claim within six months. The normal statute of limitations in bus accidents is two years, allowing an injured party the opportunity to recover from their injuries before searching for the best Arizona personal injury lawyer they can find. The short window to file for a claim in this accident will almost certainly leave some of those with injuries out in the cold.

Continue reading "26 Injured in School Bus Accident in Phoenix" »

A new development was reported following an Arizona bus crash that killed Chinese tourists near Hoover Dam. The bodies of the six travelers involved are being sent back to China. In the same report, legal concerns were raised for families of victims seeking justice since it has been reported that the National Transportation Safety Board will not be issuing its findings in the case until 2010.

For a U.S. citizen, even someone a little familiar with the personal injury system, this delay may not signal anything significant. But families in China know little of American personal injury laws and legal claims. Thus they don’t know what they’re entitled to after a tragedy that was apparently preventable. This delay could ultimately cause them to miss important deadlines and bar them from bringing legal claims.

Learn your rights. Not every accident merits a lawsuit. Sometimes no good case can be established where one appears guaranteed. However, when this type of tragedy strikes everyone should contact an experienced Arizona wrongful death lawyer. Other jurisdictions may be a factor, but if the incident occurs in Arizona this is the most likely place to file.

Continue reading "Hoover Dam Bus Accident Victims' Bodies Return Home" »

A National Transportation Safety Board report suggests the driver was at fault in a bus crash that claimed the lives of Chinese tourists near Hoover Dam. Initial briefings revealed that the driver was distracted by the door and the sun’s glare may have blinded him before losing control. Early investigations found no mechanical problems with the door or bus.

No lawsuit can alleviate the incredible grief these families are suffering. For tourists embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to end up suffering such a terrible calamity is devastating.

However, while U.S. residents are familiar with the expertise an experienced Phoenix auto accident attorney can provide to help a family recover lost income, it’s unlikely that the families from China are aware of their options. This case will probably not warrant punitive damages – although serious investigation is required to rule out foul play – we strongly believe that some lawsuits greatly increase general public safety.

Continue reading "Chinese Tourists Killed, Injured in Hoover Dam Bus Crash" »

We cannot let the bus industry change the debate. Analyzing the website of one bus industry association, it is clear that they support bus safety in a way that suits their goals. But too many people suffer injuries in bus accidents in Arizona for bus safety to be about framing a question.

We commonly see preventable injuries because negligent bus drivers fall asleep at the wheel, were not physically able to drive, or drove carelessly. So the question of whether seatbelts should be installed in buses ought to be answered with a direct yes or no question.

However, the bus industry clearly wants to avoid a direct referendum. Why? Seatbelts are proven to save lives. Riders would be less likely to suffer serious injuries due to bus driver and busing company neglect if seatbelts are installed and it’s true that installing seatbelts will cost money, but isn’t that worth the lives it may save?

There’s not necessarily a clear answer. But what is clear is that installing seatbelts in buses is a good idea. There would be fewer Arizona personal injury claims related to busing negligence if we had seatbelts.

Undoubtedly top personal injury lawyers in Arizona would not have to help as many families who have been devastated from Phoenix bus accidents if seatbelts were installed.

Let the busing industry show that this isn’t true. No matter how we frame the debate, it deserves lucid discussion.

ARIZONA TRIAL LAWYER DISCUSSES HOW MONEY COMPENSATION HAS REAL VALUE IN ARIZONA COURTROOMS AND WHY INSURANCE COMPANIES REFUSE TO SETTLE CASES FOR FAIR AMOUNTS

This recent article is heartbreaking. It discusses the very serious bus accident that killed so many innocent people on their way home from a ski trip. This article raises issues that the best Arizona personal injury lawyers see on a regular basis. First, everybody is quick to attack the personal injury lawyers and their clients. However, the reality is that money does matter. Can money bring back a loved one? Of course, not. That is ridiculous. Money cannot undo the tragedy. But for a family that has lost a source of income, who's going to keep them in their house? Who's going to pay off the bills? Who's going to be able to keep them from taking a nosedive in terms of the educational possibilities and other opportunities they may have been afforded if it were not for the negligent conduct in the first place? That is why it so important to do everything possible to try to receive fair settlement or the best possible jury verdict even in wrongful death cases. Also, the top wrongful death lawyers in Arizona also understand that insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid paying a fair settlement value on these cases. To overcome this, it takes an attorney who has the experience and the wherewithal to take on all the challenges that will be raised by the insurance company to make sure that they ultimately are responsible for paying everything that they are required to pay under the law. The reality is that insurance companies in Arizona know that if they simply delay, delay, and delay some more, then the family of the person who has lost somebody in a terrible bus accident or other car accident will simply give up and walk away. That is why it so important to have a lawyer who not only understands the law, but understands client service and commitment to a family to make sure that they are comfortable with the process and are in the best position to wait for the settlement that they need after such a tragedy.

Far too many people do not consider the possible injuries that can be suffered when a bus is involved in an accident. Most people think of bus accidents in Arizona as only unsafe for the vehicles that are hit. The truth is, personal and injury bus accident claims are brought throughout the country and throughout Arizona every year.

According to a recent article in regards to bus safety, federal laws requiring seat belts and stronger windows on motor coaches – or even an Arizona law that might do the same thing were it not overridden by federal laws – could be a great step to preventing serious personal injuries in bus accidents. As safety activist Mr. Betts said, "There is no need for people to keep dying in these motor coach rollovers." And we agree. Wouldn't it be great if that was no longer the case and we could eliminate the likelihood injuries occurring to passengers in bus accidents?

As Arizona personal injury and bus accident lawyers, we know far too well the dangers associated with bus accidents. We applaud the efforts of those who are trying to reduce the amount of personal injury claims that arise out of bus accidents. We applaud them because they are not trying to strip accident victims of their right to compensation; instead, they are trying to prevent the injury which is far more important than anything else.

If you have any questions regarding injuries sustained in a bus accident or car accident, the skilled Tuscon personal injury attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. are here to help and give you honest, informative answers. With a very small percentage of lawyers being certified as specialists in injury and wrongful death law by the State Bar of Arizona, Breyer Law has the knowledge and experience to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 602-978-6400for a free consultation.

Bus Accident Lawyer Addresses School Bus Safety Concerns

A report indicated that a Tolleson school bus rear-ended a truck on I 10. The school bus was full of children when the bus accident in Arizona happened. Fortunately, it has been reported that nobody was hurt. However, we should not wait to see more children injured on school buses before we take action. Everybody agrees that we want to reduce the amount of injuries suffered by children. And everybody knows that school buses carry children. It is what they do. So why is it that we haven't done everything possible, such as the installation of seat belts and other safety mechanisms, to make sure that our children are safe and that children's injuries are prevented?

How many children have to suffer serious personal injury throughout the United States, including Arizona, before we will do what is possible to prevent it?

Skilled Arizona bus accident lawyers can help families after their children have been seriously injured in a bus accident. But all of us who help these children and families would like to never see another injury from a bus accident again. While maybe this is not possible, it certainly seems possible to greatly reduce the amount of children who are injured in school bus accidents. It is time that we took notice of the importance of our children and start taking steps to increase school bus safety.

I will not let the bus industry change the debate. According to the bus industry’s own association, they are trying to frame bus safety in a way that will fit their goals. Bus safety is not about “framing” of a question. The reality is that far too many people suffer very serious injuries in bus accidents in Arizona and throughout the country.

It is far too common to see injuries that were preventable because negligent bus drivers fall asleep at the wheel, were not physically able to drive, were negligent in their driving, or for a host of other reasons. Also, knowing that to be true, the question of whether seatbelts should be installed in buses is an obvious one that ought to be asked as a direct yes or no question. However, it is clear that the bus industry would like to avoid this from becoming a “seatbelts, yes or no”, question.

Why do they want to avoid a “yes or no” on the seatbelt question? Will seatbelts save lives? Are there people that will not have to suffer serious injuries because of bus driver negligence and busing company neglect if seatbelts are installed? Even if installing seatbelts will cost money to the operators of commercial buses and school buses across the company, isn’t that worth the lives it may save?

Continue reading "Arizona Bus Accidents Could Be Prevented With Seat Belt Installation" »

From a pure grief standpoint, it must continue to get no easier for the families of the Chinese tourists killed in the Arizona bus crash near the Hoover Dam. It has now been reported that the bodies of the six Chinese tourists involved in the bus accident are being sent back to China at this time. Those wrongfully killed reportedly include Meng Qui Sun, 19; Yu Ching Chung, 15; Guo Ying Zhu, 45; Yong Shun Zhu, 39; Zhen Quan Sheng, 56; Xia Zhen Ge, 44; and Wen Ting Chen, 45.

In the same report however, legal concerns are certainly raised for the families of those people who would like to see justice done and would like to make sure that those who relied upon the income of those tourists is not lost forever. It has been reported that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will not be issuing a finding of the cause of the bus accident until 2010.

That means, for even a citizen of the United States that has some familiarity with the personal injury system and personal injury attorneys who can bring claims on behalf of these families, this kind of delay may not raise a red flag and they may lose all of their rights. However, for families from China that know nothing of American personal injury laws and the legal claims they have after such a horrific tragedy that was apparently completely preventable, this kind of delay could ultimately cause them to miss out on important deadlines that could forever bar them from bringing claims that they have the right to bring.

Continue reading "Arizona Bus Accident Victims' Bodies To Be Sent Back Home" »

Reports from the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the bus crash near the Hoover Dam that took the lives of innocent Chinese tourists suggests that the driver of the bus was at fault. According to initial briefing, there is an indication that something about the door distracted the driver and that there may have also been a “sun glare” that blinded the driver before he lost control of the bus.

However, initial investigation did not find anything wrong with the driver-side door or any other mechanical problems on the bus.

Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Nothing can replace this loss. There is no lawsuit, no money, no lawyer that can in any way alleviate the incredible grief that these families are undoubtedly suffering. To have tourists from China on a bus near the Hoover Dam enjoying a likely once-in-a-lifetime trip to suffer this tragedy is overwhelming.

However, while people who live in the United States are familiar with what a good and experienced Arizona bus accident attorney may be able to do to provide compensation to help the family recover from the lost wages and all other losses, it is likely that the families from China are not aware of what may be done.

Continue reading "Arizona Bus Crash Near Hoover Dam Kills And Injures Tourists" »

After any serious bus accident, a skilled personal injury lawyer can be very important to the people involved. However, when a school bus causes serious personal injury to the residents of the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, even greater concerns are raised than in any other bus collision.

The recent article about the crash involving the school bus from the Fowler Elementary School District carrying children from Western Valley Middle School brings this point home. At least 26 people have been reported to have been seriously injured as a result of the Arizona school bus accident. Unfortunately, it is likely that many of those people will never receive any compensation for the medical bills that they need paid to avoid bankruptcy, for the lost wages they incur while they try to heal, or for any other legally compensable claim that they are entitled to. That is because there is a 180 day notice of claim deadline. Many people are familiar with the statue of limitations in Arizona. The statute of limitations requires that lawsuits be filed within a certain, specified period of time or all of the rights of a personal injury plaintiff are lost. However, the notice of claim against a school district takes it to a much higher level. In less than six months from the date of a school bus accident, the victim needs to file a proper notice of claim with the school district. It needs to be served on the proper people. It needs to contain the proper content. Fortunately, the reports indicate that the students on board were not harmed. This, obviously, is more important than anything else. Having said that, for those who were on the road who have suffered serious injury, the importance of finding the best possible Arizona personal injury lawyers they can is vital.

Of course, deciding whether or not to bring a claim is a difficult choice that each family must make after they are injured in any kind of automobile accident. However, we strongly believe that the first step is to collect the information and get answers to their questions that exist so that a family involved in any kind of collision, this bus accident or any other, has the information they need to make the proper choice for themselves. If you, or anyone you know, was involved in this serious bus collision or you know somebody who was, we strongly encourage you to simply give us a call. This does not mean that you need to bring a lawsuit. You may not even have a legal claim. Without further investigation there is nobody that can assure you as to what claim exists. However, knowing that there are experienced Phoenix bus accident lawyers who know Arizona law who can help you answer the questions and allow you to make the best choice is what is most important.