It is very unlikely that your car accident claim in Phoenix will end up in court, but that could happen. The reality is that most vehicle accident claims are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers in this state. This means that what typically occurs is you make a claim with your insurance carrier that will then, in turn, file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. There will usually be some back and forth until a settlement agreement is reached for injuries and property damage expenses. This can take a few weeks or a few months.
However, there are times when the other party’s insurance carrier refuses to offer a fair settlement. When this happens, you may have to file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver in their insurance carrier. Even though this does enter the case into the civil court system, that does not necessarily mean you will have to go to court. There will usually be continued investigations while the case is ongoing, and the claim will only go to a jury trial if both sides fail to reach an agreement after examining the evidence that comes in during the discovery process. If the case goes to a jury trial, it could take years before your claim is ultimately resolved.