12 News reported that multiple townhomes were struck in a car crash near 43rd and Glendale Avenues in Phoenix. According to Phoenix police, one person was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. No further details about how the crash happened have been reported, and no determination of fault has been made.
When a vehicle leaves the roadway and strikes a residence, two separate claims usually arise: a bodily injury claim for anyone hurt, and a property damage claim for the structure and its contents. In Arizona, an injured person generally has two years from the date of injury to file suit under A.R.S. § 12-542, and the driver's liability insurance is the first place a claim is presented. Damage to the building is typically handled by the homeowner's or landlord's property carrier, which then pursues the at-fault driver's insurer for reimbursement; renters look to a renters policy for personal belongings and, in many policies, loss-of-use costs while the unit is uninhabitable. Fault is not all-or-nothing. A.R.S. § 12-2505 applies pure comparative fault, so compensation is reduced by a claimant's own percentage of responsibility rather than barred. If a government entity or employee is a potential defendant, A.R.S. § 12-821.01 requires a notice of claim within 180 days.
Who Pays When a Driver Hits a Building
The driver's liability coverage is the primary source of payment for both injuries and structural damage, but Arizona's minimum limits are low and a single crash into multiple units can exhaust them quickly. When that happens, other sources matter:
- Your own underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage. If you were hurt inside or outside a home and the driver has too little insurance or none, UM/UIM coverage on your auto policy can still apply. You do not have to be in a car to use it in many situations, so read the policy rather than assuming.
- Health insurance and MedPay. These pay medical bills now. The claim against the driver reimburses them later. Do not delay treatment waiting for a liability decision.
- Homeowner's, landlord's, or renters property coverage. Property insurers usually pay first and then seek recovery from the driver's carrier. That process does not cover your injury claim, which stays separate.
- Employer liability. If the driver was working at the time, the employer's commercial policy may apply.
A property insurer paying for repairs does not settle a bodily injury claim, and signing a property damage release should never resolve an injury claim. Read anything an adjuster sends before signing it.
Practical Steps in the First Weeks
Evidence at a crash scene involving a building disappears fast because repairs begin quickly. Steps that protect a claim:
- Request the Phoenix police report once it is available, and note the report number.
- Photograph everything before any cleanup or repair: the vehicle's resting position, tire marks, damaged walls, broken furniture, and the interior of each affected room.
- Keep damaged belongings rather than throwing them away, or photograph them in detail first.
- Save every receipt for a hotel, temporary rental, food, or replacement items if a unit is not habitable.
- Get medical attention even if symptoms seem minor. Internal injuries and concussions are routinely missed in the first hours, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster points to.
- Write down the names and numbers of neighbors who saw or heard the crash. You can collect contact information without naming anyone publicly.
Deadlines You Cannot Miss
The two-year limit in A.R.S. § 12-542 is the one most people know, but it is not the only one. If any public entity or public employee could share responsibility, A.R.S. § 12-821.01 requires a written notice of claim served within 180 days of when the claim accrues, and the claim against that entity must be filed within one year. Missing the 180-day notice ends that portion of the case regardless of how strong it is. Insurance policies carry their own shorter deadlines for reporting a loss and for making an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim, so notify every carrier promptly in writing. If someone dies as a result of a crash, Arizona wrongful death claims are governed by A.R.S. § 12-611 through A.R.S. § 12-613, and claims that belonged to the person who died survive under A.R.S. § 14-3110.
If you or a family member was hurt in this incident, our Phoenix car accident attorneys can explain how the overlapping insurance policies apply to your situation.