KTAR News reported that southbound Interstate 17 in Phoenix was closed following a collision near Indian School Road. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, the crash shut down the freeway at that location. No further details about the collision were included in the report.
A freeway collision that shuts down travel lanes usually involves more than two vehicles, and Arizona law does not require an injured person to prove that one driver carries all of the blame. Under A.R.S. § 12-2505, Arizona applies pure comparative fault, meaning damages are reduced by the percentage of responsibility assigned to the injured person and nothing more; even a driver found mostly at fault may recover a reduced amount. Fault is allocated among everyone who contributed, including drivers who are never cited. That matters on a freeway, where chain reaction impacts, sudden slowdowns, and lane changes at speed make single cause explanations rare. The deadline to file suit against a private driver is two years under A.R.S. § 12-542, but claims involving a government entity or employee require a written notice of claim within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01. Preserving vehicle data, photographs, and witness contact information early is what makes an allocation argument possible later.
Fault Is Divided, Not Awarded to One Driver
Insurance adjusters often describe a freeway crash as though one vehicle caused everything. Arizona law works differently. Under A.R.S. § 12-2505, a jury assigns a percentage of fault to each person or entity whose conduct contributed, and each defendant pays only its own share. There is no bar on recovery for a partially at fault plaintiff, which is what "pure" comparative fault means.
The practical consequence is that the percentage is the fight. A ten point shift in allocation can be worth more than any argument about the severity of an injury. That is why the physical evidence matters: crush patterns, final rest positions, skid and gouge marks on the pavement, and the event data recorders in modern vehicles. Freeways reopen quickly and that evidence disappears with the tow trucks.
If a driver involved in a collision left the scene without stopping and exchanging information, A.R.S. § 28-661 sets out the duty to stop and remain at the scene of a crash involving death or personal injury. A violation is a criminal matter for law enforcement to pursue, but the same conduct can be relevant in a civil claim.
Deadlines That Can End a Claim Before It Starts
Most Arizona injury claims must be filed in court within two years of the date of injury under A.R.S. § 12-542. Settlement talks with an insurer do not pause that clock.
If any claim runs against a public entity or a public employee, the deadline is far shorter. A.R.S. § 12-821.01 requires a written notice of claim served within 180 days after the cause of action accrues, and it must state a specific amount for which the claim can be settled along with the facts supporting it. Missing that window generally bars the claim entirely, no matter how strong the underlying facts are. On a state highway, the possibility of a public entity claim is worth evaluating early rather than at the two year mark.
Where someone dies as a result of a collision, A.R.S. § 12-611 through A.R.S. § 12-613 govern who may bring a wrongful death action and what damages are recoverable, and A.R.S. § 14-3110 governs the separate survival claim belonging to the estate. These are distinct actions with distinct beneficiaries, and they are frequently confused.
Practical Steps in the First Days
Get evaluated by a physician even if you walked away. Adrenaline masks symptoms, and a gap between the collision date and the first medical visit is the single most common argument insurers use to discount an injury claim.
Request the crash report from the investigating agency once it is available, and read it. Reports contain errors in vehicle positions, lane numbers, and statements, and corrections are easier to make early. Write down your own account of what happened while it is fresh, including weather, traffic conditions, and where each vehicle was before impact.
Photograph your vehicle before it is repaired or salvaged, and tell your insurer in writing not to dispose of it. Save the names and phone numbers of anyone who stopped. Finally, give no recorded statement to the other driver's insurer before you understand the extent of your injuries; early statements are used to lock in a version of events and a description of symptoms that later evidence may contradict.
If you were hurt in this or another collision on a Phoenix freeway, our Phoenix car accident attorneys can explain your options.