Tempe Personal Injury Lawyer

Tempe, AZ Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been injured in an accident in Tempe, our attorneys are here to help. We have represented injured Arizonans for over three decades at Yearin Law Office. Don Yearin, a lifelong Arizona resident admitted to practice in 1991, has handled the full range of personal injury matters against insurers, corporate defendants, and the manufacturers of defective products and equipment.

Our Tempe, AZ personal injury lawyer represents injured people and grieving families exclusively. We never work for insurance carriers or corporate interests. Contact us for a free consultation.

Why Choose Yearin Law Office for Personal Injury Cases in Tempe, AZ?

Over 30 Years of Arizona Trial Experience

Our founding attorney, Don Yearin, was born and raised in Arizona. He earned a B.S. in Real Estate and Business from Arizona State University in 1986, followed by a Juris Doctor at the University of Arizona College of Law in 1990. He has been admitted to both the State Bar of Arizona and the United States District Court for the District of Arizona since 1991. Complex personal injury claims often reach trial when insurers refuse to honor their policy obligations. Our Tempe law firm brings a three-decade record of trial experience and fighting for victims’ rights and interests.

Meaningful Results in Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury claims range from modest soft-tissue matters to catastrophic permanent-injury cases. Recoveries should match the harm. Our firm has obtained millions of dollars for Arizona clients across the spectrum of injury claims, including verdicts and settlements involving wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, amputation, and complex orthopedic trauma. The National Trial Lawyers has repeatedly named Don Yearin to its Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorneys list, and he holds the AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, along with additional career recognitions earned across three decades of Arizona trial practice.

Federal Regulatory Knowledge Applied to Every Case

Personal injury cases often involve specialized regulatory frameworks that generalist attorneys miss. Commercial motor vehicle claims turn on FMCSA rules governing driver hours of service, medical qualifications, ELD data, and maintenance. Product liability claims are informed by CPSC recall data and manufacturing standards. Premises claims depend on compliance with building codes. We know how to subpoena the records each type of case requires and how to press for preservation before critical evidence is lost to routine retention cycles.

Representation of Injured Victims Only

We represent injured people and bereaved families. We do not represent insurance carriers, trucking fleets, large corporate defendants, or nursing home operators. That structural choice avoids the divided loyalties that arise when firms rotate between plaintiff and defense work. Don Yearin maintains active membership in the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, the Maricopa County Bar Association, the Scottsdale Bar Association, and the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Don is an excellent attorney and very professional. I was in a car accident that left me immobile for a period of time and would require me to get a hip replacement in the future. I had a different attorney working on my case but we felt he wasn’t doing the best that he could. I later retained Don who gave my case more personal attention and time and was able to get me a significantly larger settlement.”

Anna Powers

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Tempe

Personal injury is a broad category of civil practice. The right strategy, evidence, and damages theory depend on what actually happened. The categories below cover the case types that appear most often in our Tempe caseload.

• Car accidents. The most common source of personal injury claims in Arizona. Rear-end, T-bone, head-on, and single-vehicle crashes all fall within our practice, as do crashes involving fleet vehicles and commercial operators.
• Truck accidents. Commercial vehicle crashes involve federal regulations, electronic logging device data, and carrier-side rapid response teams. Evidence preservation drives the early days of a case.
• Motorcycle accidents. Riders face structural disadvantages in every crash configuration. Insurer bias against motorcyclists makes early legal representation particularly important.
• Bicycle accidents. ASU campus traffic and the broader Tempe cycling community generate a steady stream of bicycle-vehicle collisions, including crosswalk strikes and door-zone crashes.
• Uber accidents. Rideshare claims involve layered insurance coverage that turns on the driver’s app status at the moment of the crash.
• Lyft accidents. A similar coverage structure to Uber, with parallel regulatory and insurance complexities.
• Scooter accidents. E-scooter activity around Mill Avenue and the ASU campus produces rider injuries, pedestrian strikes, and related premises claims.
• Brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries and post-concussion syndrome often follow crash impacts, falls, and assaults. Neurocognitive consequences can develop over months or years.
• Concussions. So-called mild TBI produces lasting cognitive and vestibular effects that insurers routinely understate in early valuations.
• Wrongful death. When an injury proves fatal, surviving family members may pursue damages under Arizona’s wrongful death laws.
• Pedestrian accidents. Crosswalk strikes, parking-lot incidents, and roadside collisions involving pedestrians produce disproportionate injury severity.
• Slip and fall claims. Premises liability cases turn on notice, foreseeability, and whether the property owner met the applicable standard of care.
• Dog bites and animal attacks. Arizona’s strict-liability dog bite statute provides meaningful protection for victims, though defense tactics around provocation and trespass are common.
• Defective product claims. Manufacturing defects, design defects, and inadequate warnings form the three legal theories of product liability under Arizona law.

Arizona Legal Requirements for Personal Injury Accidents

Statute of limitations. A.R.S. § 12-542 sets a two-year deadline for most personal injury lawsuits in Arizona, measured from the date of the injury. Wrongful death actions follow the same two-year window, measured from the date of death. Claims against public entities must follow the notice-of-claim requirements of A.R.S. § 12-821.01, which can require formal notice within 180 days. Missing a deadline can extinguish an otherwise strong claim. Minors and incapacitated plaintiffs may qualify for tolling, and we screen for those situations at intake.

Pure comparative fault. A.R.S. § 12-2505 codifies Arizona’s pure comparative negligence rule. A plaintiff who is partially at fault for the underlying incident still recovers, with the recovery reduced by that percentage. On a $300,000 claim where a jury assigns the injured person 20 percent of the fault, the recovery is $240,000. Defense teams press hard to allocate fault onto injured plaintiffs, which is why a working understanding of Arizona fault rules matters from day one.

Strict liability statutes. Certain categories of injury claim operate under strict liability rather than ordinary negligence. Dog bite claims fall under A.R.S. § 11-1025, which imposes liability on owners regardless of prior conduct. Product liability claims follow a strict liability framework for manufacturing defects.

Damages rules. Arizona does not impose a general cap on compensatory damages in personal injury cases. Punitive damages require conduct reflecting an evil mind or conscious disregard for the safety of others.

Insurance requirements. Arizona mandates minimum liability coverage for motor vehicles and commercial liability minimums for businesses. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on a client’s own policy often becomes central to the recovery.

What Damages Are Recoverable in Tempe Personal Injury Cases?

Personal injury cases in Tempe support recovery for economic losses, non-economic losses, and, in qualifying cases, punitive damages.

Economic damages. The measurable, documented financial losses traceable to the incident. Medical bills to date. Future medical care, including surgery, rehabilitation, pain management, and home nursing care. Lost income during recovery. Diminished earning capacity when the injury forecloses the prior profession. Property damage. Out-of-pocket costs for mileage to medical appointments, assistive devices, and home modifications for permanent disability. A victim with a catastrophic injury typically needs a formal life care plan prepared by a credentialed specialist to project decades of cost. Understanding case value factors is part of valuing a claim correctly.

Non-economic damages. These address the human cost receipts cannot capture. Pain and suffering. Emotional distress, including post-traumatic symptoms that often follow a catastrophic event. Scarring and disfigurement. Loss of enjoyment of life. Loss of consortium for a spouse. For cases involving permanent disability, non-economic damages frequently exceed the economic component at trial. Claimants should be cautious about accepting insurers’ initial settlement offers, which routinely understate this category.

Punitive damages. Punitive damages may be assessed against defendants whose conduct demonstrates an evil mind or conscious disregard for the safety of others. Courts have approved punitive awards in drunk-driving cases, cases involving knowing violations of safety rules, and systemic corporate misconduct. Not every case qualifies, but when the facts support them, punitive damages are appropriate.

Wrongful death damages. When an injury causes a death, surviving spouses, children, and parents may seek damages for loss of companionship, loss of financial support, funeral and burial costs, and the pre-death pain and suffering of the decedent.

What Steps Should I Take After a Personal Injury Accident?

The decisions made in the first days after an injury can affect the rest of your claim. The ten steps below cover priorities in order.

1. Seek medical attention immediately. Injuries often present with delayed symptoms. Same-day evaluation establishes a clear medical connection between the incident and the injury.
2. Report the incident. Call 911 for motor vehicle crashes. Report slip-and-falls to store management in writing. Report dog bites to the animal control authority. Document every report.
3. Preserve the scene. Photograph everything relevant: vehicle positions, hazard conditions, visible injuries, weather, and lighting. Capture anything that may change or disappear within days.
4. Collect witness information. Names and phone numbers of independent witnesses frequently decide contested liability disputes. Memories fade and people relocate.
5. Decline to give a recorded statement. The other side’s adjuster will request one in the first week. You are not required to give one, and doing so rarely helps your claim.
6. Preserve physical evidence. The vehicle in a crash case. The shoes or footwear in a fall case. The product in a defective-product case. Do not discard anything that could prove fault or damages.
7. Follow the treatment plan. Gaps in care give insurers the basis to argue injuries were minor. Attend every follow-up appointment and complete the treatment your providers recommend.
8. Keep written records. Save medical bills, pharmacy records, mileage logs, and employer documentation of missed work. A daily symptom log is also useful.
9. Notify relevant insurers. Report the incident to your own insurer promptly, but avoid recorded statements and do not sign releases without consulting counsel.
10. Contact a personal injury attorney promptly. Insurance companies begin building the record against you from the earliest days. The sooner counsel is involved, the more can be done to level the field.

Personal Injury Statistics in Tempe

The ADOT crash data section publishes annual Arizona Crash Facts reports covering motor vehicle crashes, fatalities, and injury counts across the state. Maricopa County produces the highest crash volumes in Arizona, and Tempe contributes its share.

NHTSA data show that Arizona exceeds the national average in traffic fatalities per mile traveled. Vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, face disproportionate risk in urban corridors like those in and around Tempe.

CDC injury data tracks nationwide statistics for falls, motor vehicle crashes, burns, poisonings, and violence-related injuries. Falls remain the leading cause of non-fatal injury in the United States across all age groups, with a particularly concentrated impact on older adults. Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of injury-related fatalities.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety publishes fatality analysis reports confirming that larger vehicles inflict disproportionate damage on occupants of smaller vehicles. The underlying physics do not change with incremental improvements in safety technology.

Recovery from a serious personal injury rarely moves quickly. Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, multi-system trauma, amputations, and complex orthopedic injuries require months or years of workup before the true cost of care can be calculated. Adjusters who understand the timeline sometimes push for early settlements to close files before the full extent of harm becomes apparent. Arizona’s comparative negligence framework adds a further layer of strategic complexity to valuation.

Tempe Personal Injury Lawyer FAQs

What qualifies as a personal injury case?

Any situation where another party’s negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct causes physical, mental, or emotional harm to a person. Motor vehicle crashes, premises accidents, product defects, dog bites, medical errors, and nursing home abuse all fall within the scope of our personal injury practice.

How long do I have to file a claim?

Two years from the date of the injury under A.R.S. § 12-542 for most personal injury cases. Wrongful death claims follow the same two-year window from the date of death. Claims against government entities require notice of claim within 180 days.

Who can be sued in a personal injury case?

The person who caused the injury, plus any party whose negligence contributed. In a crash case, that may include the driver, the employer if the driver was working, and a repair shop that failed to fix a known defect. Identifying every viable defendant begins with clearly proving negligence.

What if I was partially at fault?

Arizona applies pure comparative negligence. A plaintiff whose fault percentage is less than, equal to, or greater than the defendant’s percentage of fault can still recover, reduced by the plaintiff’s share of responsibility.

How much is my personal injury case worth?

Your case’s value depends on injury severity, medical costs past and projected, lost earnings, permanent disability, liability strength, and available insurance coverage. No responsible lawyer will quote a figure before reviewing records in detail.

Will my case go to trial?

Most personal injury claims settle. The cases that do not settle usually go to trial because an insurer refuses to pay a reasonable amount. Our firm prepares every case for trial from the outset, which improves settlement leverage.

What does a personal injury attorney charge?

We work on contingency. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover for you. Consultations are free, and we advance case costs.

What evidence matters most?

Medical records, documentation of the incident, photographs, witness statements, employer records of lost wages, and qualified evaluations where warranted. Preserving evidence promptly is often the pivotal step in a case.

How long will my case take to resolve?

Simple claims with clear liability and modest injuries may be resolved within months. Complex matters involving catastrophic injuries, multiple defendants, or contested liability often take two to four years from the date of injury to final resolution.

What if I did not get treatment right away?

Delayed treatment complicates a case but rarely ends it. The gap gives insurers a reason to argue, and documenting the reason for the delay becomes important. Call as soon as you can.

Can I sue the insurance company directly?

Arizona claims generally proceed against the at-fault parties rather than the insurer. A separate bad-faith claim against an insurer may arise if the insurer refuses to pay a covered claim in good faith.

What if my family member was killed?

A wrongful death action may be brought by the surviving spouse, children, parents, or the personal representative of the estate. Recoverable damages include loss of companionship, loss of financial support, funeral expenses, and pre-death pain and suffering.

What if the at-fault party has no insurance?

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy may provide recovery. Your own homeowner’s or renter’s policy may also apply in some premises and dog-bite situations. We evaluate every available coverage source at intake.

Do I need to file a lawsuit, or can the case settle?

Many claims settle without ever being filed, through pre-suit negotiation. Filing becomes necessary when an insurer refuses to pay reasonable value or when statute of limitations pressure requires formal action. The decision depends on the specific facts.

How soon should I hire a lawyer?

As soon as practical after the incident. The earlier counsel is involved, the more can be done to preserve evidence, coordinate medical documentation, and position the claim effectively before the other side shapes the record.

Most Dangerous Locations for Personal Injury Accidents in Tempe

Personal injury incidents in Tempe cluster across familiar corridors and high-traffic zones. Awareness of the hotspots helps residents anticipate risk and helps us build claims for those who have already been hurt.

• Interstate 10 through Tempe. The Maricopa Freeway carries substantial commercial and commuter traffic and produces frequent and often severe injury crashes.
• US-60 (Superstition Freeway). East-west traffic between Mesa, Tempe, and Phoenix flows along US-60 around the clock, generating steady crash volume at peak hours.
• Loop 101 (Price Freeway). The Price segment of the Loop 101 borders Tempe on the east and serves as a major corridor for commercial traffic and commuter flow.
• Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway). The Red Mountain stretch along the north edge of Tempe sees heavy traffic near the Rio Salado interchange and the connections to SR 143.
• Rural Road. A heavily traveled north-south corridor serving ASU and the broader Tempe retail and residential communities, with notable bicycle and pedestrian crash volume.
• Mill Avenue and Apache Boulevard. The nightlife and campus corridor produces pedestrian strikes, e-scooter incidents, and premises claims in adjacent commercial areas.
• Broadway Road. East-west commercial traffic generates a notable share of urban vehicle crashes and intersection incidents.
• McClintock Drive and Priest Drive. Both corridors feed industrial and warehouse districts and contribute to vehicle and pedestrian crashes at signalized intersections.
• Tempe Marketplace and major retail centers. Slip-and-fall, parking-lot collision, and premises liability incidents concentrate at high-traffic commercial destinations.

What Are Important Local Resources for Tempe Personal Injury Victims?

The following resources may assist Tempe injury victims and their families after a serious incident. Inclusion here is not an endorsement by our firm, and none of the organizations listed are affiliated with Yearin Law Office.

• Banner Desert Medical Center in neighboring Mesa is a Level I trauma facility serving the East Valley.
• Chandler Regional Medical Center serves the greater East Valley with advanced trauma, neurology, and orthopedic services.
• Barrow Neurological Institute is a national center for brain and spinal cord injury care.
• The Tempe Police Department investigates incidents within city limits and issues reports that claimants and insurers rely on.
• The Arizona Department of Public Safety investigates crashes on interstate and state highways serving Tempe.
• The Maricopa County Superior Court handles civil injury claims filed in the county.
• The Arizona Department of Insurance accepts complaints about insurance carriers handling claims in bad faith.
• The Arizona Attorney General consumer protection division handles complaints involving unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Contact Yearin Law Office

If you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident in Tempe, do not hesitate to seek the representation that you deserve. Consultations are free, and there is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us through our website or call our office to schedule a free case review. Our Tempe personal injury lawyer responds promptly and will give you our honest view of your claim.