Two Things to Carry in Arizona
Everyone who lives in Arizona should “carry” two things. Water and UIM/UM insurance coverage. With either of these, it is better to have them and never need them than need them and not have them. Water requires no explanation, but UIM/UM coverages do.What does UIM (underinsured motorist) coverage and UM (uninsured motorist) mean?
UIM, or underinsured motorist coverage, protects you or passengers in your vehicle for bodily injury you or your passengers sustain in an accident involving a driver who has insufficient insurance to cover the injuries of you or your passengers.UM, or uninsured motorist coverage, protects you or passengers in your vehicle for bodily injury you or your passengers sustain in an accident involving a driver who has no liability coverage. See A.R.S. § 20-259.01.Can your rates be increased as a result of a UIM or UM claim?
Many people believe that insurers will increase their rates if they file a UIM or UM claim. Insurers are not permitted to increase the “premium of an insured as a result of an accident not caused or significantly contributed to by the actions of the insured.” See A.R.S. § 20-263(A).Why are these coverages so important?
Even though Arizona law requires that all motorists carry liability insurance, not all motorists do. Similarly, motorists may come from other states or countries where mandatory liability coverage is not required. Further, the required liability coverage in Arizona is only $15,000 per claim/$30,000 per accident. Our experience is that, more often than not, these minimal coverages are insufficient to fully provide compensation to those who sustain injuries in motor vehicle accidents.What should you do?
Insurance companies do not make it a priority to inform their insureds of these coverages and so these coverages are often overlooked. Don’t make that mistake. Review your existing motor vehicle insurance policy. If you do not have both UIM and UM motorist coverage, we strongly suggest you get them. These coverages protect YOU. Carry UIM and UM on all vehicles. And carry water in those vehicles in the hot summer months!

Our attorneys have handled many significant cases and practiced before numerous tribunals including the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States District Courts, The United States Court of Claims, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals, and Superior Courts throughout the State. Click on the links below to learn more about a few of the cases we’ve handled.

Lake v. City of Phoenix: Determining that computer generated “metadata” is a public record subject to disclosure under Arizona public records laws.

Pijanowski v. Yuma County: Class action suit affirming the rights of more than 650 law enforcement officers to overtime pay.

Sherrill v. City of Peoria: Clarifying citizen rights of initiative under the Arizona Constitution.

Strube v. Ariz. Dept. of Economic Security: Clarifying employee rights to unemployment benefits during plant shutdowns.

Monthly AZ POST meeting for June, 2013.

Three members represented by the FOP attorney as final action cases. Over the past few months, we worked out mutually agreeable Consent Agreements with POST for each of these cases. However, as you know, AZPOST does not have to adopt the Consent Agreements and can reject and increase the penalties.

Fortunately, all three of the Consent Agreements were adopted as written. The only revision POST made on one of them was to actually reduce one of the suspensions from 6 months to 4 months – this case involved an extreme DUI (BAC of 0.193 plus two different prescription sleeping pills) so it was a great result. Accordingly, all three members were happy and the results were better than expected.