1. DPS Public Services Center
2222 W. Encanto Blvd. · Freeway crash reports
State troopers work crashes on interstates and state highways. Their collision reports are requested here, by mail, or on the DPS Public Services Portal.
Central Phoenix Maricopa County, Arizona
Car crash lawyer Phoenix
Hurt in a Phoenix car crash? Answer four questions for a free case review with our partner law firm. Further down, our atlas plate shows where your crash report is kept, the Level I trauma centers and the court that hears injury claims.
See the 7 places on the map Free case review
Step 1 of 5
- Free initial review
- No obligation to hire a lawyer
- Arizona statutes checked November 2026
How the review works
Three stops from question one to a case review
Answer four questions
Whether you were hurt, who caused the crash, when it happened and whether you have signed with a lawyer. Then a name, a phone number and, if you like, an email.
Pick up the call
The call comes between 8am and 8pm Arizona time, perhaps from a number you do not know. A specialist asks a few questions.
Meet our partner
The specialist then connects you to our partner law firm for the free case review.
Start here
Four things to sort out this week
I-10 · I-17 · SR 51 · Loop 202Freeway crash? The report is with DPS
State troopers investigate on interstates and state highways, so the report comes from DPS, not the city.
Report desks
City streetsPhoenix street? Ask Phoenix Police
City street crashes are Phoenix Police reports. Choose “Traffic Crash” on the department’s records portal.
Report desks- A.R.S. § 12-821.01
The deadline people miss
A notice of claim to a city, the county, the state or ADOT is due within 180 days.
Arizona deadlines Check a lawyer’s licence
The State Bar of Arizona member directory shows licence status and public discipline.
Member directory
Plate 1 · Central Phoenix
Seven places on the Phoenix grid
Two report offices, four Level I trauma centers and the Superior Court’s civil building. Each card gives the grid square, as in a paper street atlas.
1. DPS Public Services Center, grid B22. St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center, grid C23. Phoenix Police Public Records and Services Bureau, grid C44. Superior Court, East Court Building, grid C45. Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, grid D36. Phoenix Children’s Hospital, grid E27. Valleywise Health, grid E3© OpenStreetMap contributors
Two more Level I trauma centers sit north of this plate: HonorHealth John C. Lincoln, 250 E. Dunlap Ave., and HonorHealth Deer Valley, 19829 N. 27th Ave.
2. St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center
350 W. Thomas Rd. · Level I trauma center
On the Arizona Department of Health Services list of state-designated Level I trauma centers.
3. Phoenix Police Public Records and Services Bureau
100 W. Washington St. · City street crash reports
Traffic crash reports written by Phoenix officers. Ask at the counter, or choose “Traffic Crash” on the department’s records portal.
4. Superior Court, East Court Building
101 W. Jefferson St. · Civil cases over $10,000
The Maricopa County Superior Court lists its civil department in this building. Personal injury claims above $10,000 belong in Superior Court.
5. Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix
1111 E. McDowell Rd. · Level I trauma center
A state-designated Level I trauma center, north-east of downtown.
6. Phoenix Children’s Hospital
1919 E. Thomas Rd. · Level I pediatric trauma
The only Level I pediatric trauma center on the state list, with a trauma service built for injured children.
7. Valleywise Health
2601 E. Roosevelt St. · Level I trauma center
Also on the state’s Level I list, at the east edge of this plate.
Crash reports
Who has your Phoenix crash report?
The agency that worked the crash keeps the report, and the road decides the agency. After an injury crash, the investigating officer writes the report, not you.
| Where it happened | Who writes the report | How to ask for it |
|---|---|---|
| Interstates and state highways: I-10, I-17, SR 51, Loop 202 | Arizona Department of Public Safety (state troopers) | The DPS Public Services Portal (“Request a Report or Records”), by mail, or at 2222 W. Encanto Blvd. An emailed or portal copy is $9.00. |
| Phoenix city streets | Phoenix Police Department | The police records portal (“Traffic Crash”), or the bureau at 100 W. Washington St. A non-commercial request has no base fee; printed pages are $0.25 each. |
| Streets in another Valley city | That city’s police department | The records unit of the department that came to the scene. |
| Unincorporated Maricopa County | Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office | The Sheriff’s Office records unit. |
Arizona law bars the release of a crash report for commercial solicitation (A.R.S. § 28-667).
Notes from the grid
Choosing a car accident attorney in Phoenix, AZ
Most people start looking for a car crash lawyer in Phoenix while they are still sore, short on sleep and taking calls from an insurer. Spend ten minutes on the basics first. The State Bar of Arizona member directory shows whether a lawyer holds an Arizona licence and lists public discipline. Search every name on your shortlist.
Then ask questions that show how your file would be handled. Who returns your calls each week? Has the lawyer filed injury cases in the Maricopa County Superior Court? How are medical bills and liens dealt with when a case settles? A car accident attorney in Phoenix, AZ should also know whether your crash produced a DPS report or a Phoenix Police report, because that decides where the first evidence sits. Ask for the fee terms in writing before you sign, and keep a copy.
Arizona deadlines after a Phoenix crash
Arizona allows two years after the cause of action accrues to sue for a personal injury, and the same two years for damage to your car or motorcycle (A.R.S. § 12-542). A wrongful death claim accrues at the death.
Claims against public bodies run on a shorter clock. If the City of Phoenix, Maricopa County, the state, ADOT or a transit agency may share the blame, a written notice of claim is due within 180 days. It must state the facts and a specific amount that would settle the claim, and a late notice is barred (§ 12-821.01). The claim counts as denied 60 days after filing unless it is denied sooner in writing. A lawsuit against the public body must start within one year (§ 12-821).
Shared fault under Arizona law
Arizona uses pure comparative negligence. Being partly to blame does not end your claim: the damages go down in proportion to your share of the fault, and there is no 50 percent cut-off (§ 12-2505). That reduction is not available to a claimant who intentionally, wilfully or wantonly caused or contributed to the injury.
Worked example. Losses of $40,000 with 25 percent of the fault on you reduce the recovery to $30,000.
What Arizona expects at the scene
After a crash that injures or kills someone, a driver must stop at once, or as close as possible and come straight back, and stay until the duties in § 28-663 are done (§ 28-661). Those duties are to give your name, address and vehicle registration number, show your driver licence on request, and give reasonable help to anyone hurt, including arranging a ride to medical care when it is clearly needed or asked for (§ 28-663).
Report an injury or death crash immediately, by the quickest means: inside Phoenix to the city police, or to the county sheriff or the nearest highway patrol office (§ 28-666). The investigating officer writes the crash report, completes it within 24 hours after the investigation ends and sends a copy to ADOT (§ 28-667).
Insurance limits and where a claim is heard
Arizona is an at-fault state with no no-fault injury protection system, so the driver who caused the crash, and that driver’s liability insurer, answer for the losses. Policies issued or renewed since 1 July 2020 must carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injury or death, plus $15,000 for property damage (§ 28-4009). Serious injuries can run past those limits.
Justice courts hear civil cases of $10,000 or less, and their small claims division takes claims up to $5,000, though not claims against the state or its political subdivisions (§§ 22-201, 22-503). Larger injury cases go to the Maricopa County Superior Court, whose civil department lists compulsory arbitration for disputes valued under $50,000.
When to call a car crash lawyer in Phoenix
A minor collision with no injuries often ends between two insurers. Call a lawyer when you are still in pain or still treating, when the other driver disputes fault, when a commercial truck, bus or rideshare car was involved, or when a city vehicle or road crew may share the blame and the 180-day notice is running.
Keep photos, dashcam clips, the report number and witness names in one place. The four questions at the top of this page are a quick first step.
FAQ
Phoenix crash questions
Is the Mile Grid case review free?
Yes. The initial review costs nothing, and asking for the review does not oblige you to hire an attorney.
Who has my Phoenix crash report?
It depends on the road. DPS troopers investigate crashes on interstates and state highways; request those reports on the DPS Public Services Portal or at 2222 W. Encanto Blvd. Crashes on Phoenix city streets are Phoenix Police reports, kept by the Public Records and Services Bureau at 100 W. Washington St. and on its online portal.
Can I still claim if I was partly at fault?
Usually, yes. Arizona’s pure comparative negligence rule reduces your damages by your share of the fault instead of barring the claim. If you do not know who caused it, choose “Not sure” on the form; the specialist can go over it on the call.
How long do I have after a crash in Arizona?
Two years to sue for an injury or for damage to your vehicle. If a city, the county, the state or ADOT may be responsible, a notice of claim is due within 180 days and a lawsuit within one year.
Do I write the crash report after an injury crash?
No. If anyone was hurt or killed, tell the police immediately by the quickest means. The investigating officer completes the crash report and sends a copy to ADOT.
What happens after I send the review form?
A specialist calls between 8am and 8pm Arizona time, possibly from a number you do not recognise. After a few questions about the crash, the specialist connects you to our partner law firm. An attorney decides about a case only after reviewing it.
Free case review