Phoenix Intersection Accident Lawyer

Why intersection crash victims call Hirsch Talcott

Intersection cases are argument cases. Two drivers, two versions of the light, and an insurance adjuster happy to call it unprovable. Our job is to make it provable — fast, before the evidence that decides these cases disappears. Hirsch Talcott has recovered more than $100 million for Arizona injury clients across 10,000+ cases.

• No fee unless we win. 25% of the recovery if the case settles before a lawsuit is filed, 30% if litigation is required — where 33% to 40% is the Phoenix norm.
• A Certified Specialist on your case. Jack Hirsch is a State Bar of Arizona Certified Specialist in Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation, practicing since 1988.
• We move on evidence immediately. Camera canvasses, signal-timing records, and witness statements are worth the most in the first days after the crash.
• Open 24/7. Phone, text, or in person at 1212 E Osborn Rd in central Phoenix.

Who is at fault in an intersection accident?

Usually the driver who did not have the right of way — and Arizona statute defines who that is. Under A.R.S. § 28-645, a red light means stop and stay stopped; entering the intersection against it is negligence in itself. Under A.R.S. § 28-772, a driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic that is close enough to be an immediate hazard.

Fault is rarely all-or-nothing, and it does not have to be. Arizona applies pure comparative negligence under A.R.S. § 12-2505: if you were speeding through a green light when someone turned across your path, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault — but never barred. Insurers overstate that percentage routinely. It is an opening argument, not a verdict.

Phoenix adds its own factor: the city's arterials are wide, multi-lane, and fast. A crossing or turning driver at 45th Avenue and Thomas is exposed for far longer than at a narrow suburban intersection, so impacts arrive at highway-adjacent speeds. That is why intersection crashes here injure people badly out of proportion to how routine they sound.

Hurt in a T-bone accident?

A T-bone accident — a side-impact or angle crash, where one vehicle strikes the side of another — is the signature intersection collision. The struck occupants have inches of door between them and the impact, so the injury profile runs to head trauma, shoulder and pelvic fractures, and spinal injury even at moderate speeds. ADOT's 2024 Crash Facts recorded 18,182 angle crashes in Arizona in 2024, with 96 fatal.

Liability in a T-bone case turns on one question: who had the right of way at the moment of entry. The answer is almost never settled by the drivers' statements alone — see the evidence section below. If you were struck in the side, our guide on recovering compensation after a side-impact collision covers the claim mechanics in more depth.

Left-turn accident claims in Phoenix

Left-turn crashes are the deadliest common collision in Arizona relative to how often they happen. ADOT's 2024 Crash Facts counts 16,866 left-turn crashes in 2024 with 127 deaths — a worse fatality share than any other frequent collision type. The geometry explains it: a left-turning vehicle exposes its passenger cabin to oncoming traffic at full closing speed.

Under § 28-772, the turning driver usually carries the fault, because the duty to yield sits on them. Usually — not always. The oncoming driver's speed, a red-light run, or an obstructed signal can shift part or all of the fault back, and § 12-2505 apportions it. If a turning driver hit you, or you were turning and the insurer has already blamed you, start with what happens when a driver making a left turn hits you — then call us before you give any recorded statement.

How do you prove who ran the light?

You break the he-said, she-said with evidence that does not depend on either driver's memory. This is the core of intersection litigation, and it is time-sensitive:

• Independent witnesses. Drivers behind each vehicle, pedestrians, transit riders. The police report lists some; a canvass finds more.
• Signal-timing data. Phoenix signals run on documented timing plans. Paired with a known point of impact, the timing sheet can make one driver's version physically impossible.
• Camera canvass. Traffic cameras, transit cameras, and the doorbell and storefront cameras facing the intersection. Most private systems overwrite within days — this is the single most perishable evidence in the case.
• Vehicle event data recorders. Both vehicles' EDRs capture pre-impact speed, braking, and throttle. A driver who claims they were stopped at a red reads differently at 41 mph with no brake application.
• Physical evidence. Impact location within the intersection, crush profiles, and debris fields let a reconstructionist work the sequence backward.

How dangerous is the problem overall? Statewide context is on our Arizona car accident statistics page, built from ADOT's 2024 Crash Facts.

What is an intersection accident claim worth?

Value is built from the same components as any Arizona injury claim — with no statutory ceiling, because the Arizona Constitution prohibits caps on injury damages (Ariz. Const. art. 2, § 31):

• Medical bills, past and future — T-bone injuries often need surgery and long rehabilitation
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain, suffering, and loss of normal life
• Property damage and out-of-pocket costs
• Punitive damages in egregious cases, such as a deliberate red-light run at speed

For a first read on your own numbers, our personal injury settlement calculator walks through the framework insurers actually use. It is a starting point, not a valuation — fault allocation moves intersection numbers more than any other factor.

How long do you have to file?

Two years from the crash under A.R.S. § 12-542. One trap cuts that dramatically: if a public entity is part of the case — a malfunctioning city signal, an obstructed sign, a government vehicle — a notice of claim must be served within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. And the cameras that decide intersection cases overwrite in days, not years. Treat the real deadline as this week.

Intersection crash fault patterns at a glance

Scenario	Usual starting point on fault	What can shift it
Left turn across oncoming traffic	Turning driver (§ 28-772 duty to yield)	Oncoming speeding, red-light run, obstructed view
Red-light T-bone	The driver who entered on red (§ 28-645)	Disputed light color — resolved by cameras, timing data, EDR
Stop-sign crash	Driver required to stop and yield	Both-stopped disputes, missing or obscured signage
Signal malfunction	Shared or public-entity fault	180-day notice deadline under § 12-821.01

What does a Phoenix intersection accident lawyer cost?

Nothing up front, ever. Hirsch Talcott works on contingency: 25% of the recovery pre-litigation, 30% if a lawsuit is filed — among the lowest published rates in Phoenix. Costs are advanced by the firm, and if there is no recovery, you owe no fee. The consultation is free, and it will at minimum tell you what your fault exposure really looks like.

Where we handle intersection cases

Everywhere in the Valley. Our car accident practice covers Phoenix and the surrounding cities — including Scottsdale, Mesa, and Tempe — from our central Phoenix office at 1212 E Osborn Rd. Phone and video consultations mean you never need to drive to us while you are recovering.

Frequently asked questions

Who is at fault in a T-bone accident?

The driver who entered the intersection without the right of way — typically the one who ran the red light or stop sign, or turned left without yielding under A.R.S. § 28-772. Because both drivers usually claim the right of way, fault is established with witnesses, camera footage, signal-timing records, and vehicle event data rather than the drivers' word.

What if the other driver says their light was green?

Expect it — in most intersection cases both drivers claim green. The dispute is broken with independent evidence: witnesses who saw the signal, a camera canvass of the corner, the intersection's signal-timing plan, and both vehicles' event data recorders. This is exactly why intersection victims should not rely on the police report alone or accept an early fault decision from an insurer.

Can I still recover if I was partly at fault for the intersection crash?

Yes. Arizona's pure comparative negligence rule, A.R.S. § 12-2505, reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault but never eliminates it. A driver found 20% at fault for entering on a stale yellow still recovers 80% of their damages. Insurers inflate fault percentages precisely because of this rule — the number is negotiable and litigable.

How much is an intersection accident settlement in Arizona?

There is no fixed figure — value depends on injury severity, medical costs, lost income, the fault split, and available insurance. Side-impact crashes tend toward the serious end because the cabin absorbs the hit. Arizona places no cap on damages. Our personal injury calculator gives you the framework; a free consultation gives you a case-specific read.

Should I talk to the other driver's insurance company?

No — not before getting advice. In a disputed-light case your recorded statement is the adjuster's raw material for a fault argument, and a stray phrase about speed or attention can cost real money under comparative fault. Report the crash to your own insurer as your policy requires, and let a lawyer handle the at-fault carrier.

What should I do in the first week after an intersection crash?

Get medical care and follow through on it, photograph your vehicle before repair, save the police report number, and write down where each car ended up. Then act on the cameras: note every business and home facing the intersection, because most private systems overwrite footage within days. A lawyer can send preservation letters immediately — this is the step that most often decides these cases.