As I drove home recently, I passed a car accident at the main entrance to Clemente Ranch in Chandler at the intersection of Dobson and Earl. It’s an intersection I drive by every day, sometimes multiple times.
There are three lanes of travel in both directions, a 45 mph speed limit nearly all drivers ignore, and a blind corner that hides northbound Dobson traffic from drivers coming and going to this neighborhood. This same neighborhood has roughly 1,600 homes, an elementary school, and a middle school.
Sadly, the accident was confirmed to be fatal when a northbound vehicle collided with another vehicle turning into Clemente Ranch. For anyone that lives in the area, this was a predictably sad outcome despite frequent prior complaints from a variety of concerned residents.
In the wake of this accident, local social media sites lit-up with neighbors confirming they’ve called to complain about the dangers of this intersection for years. There were even traffic studies conducted by our city and still, nothing had changed. No action was taken, and now it has resulted in the loss of life.
Unfortunately, this same situation plays out in many communities across Arizona. It’s especially prevalent in the East Valley where wide-open streets and relatively high-speed limits result in car accidents that can lead to serious injury or even death. As I mentioned above, there’s only so much a regular citizen can do to compel action. However, when accidents with injuries occur there is recourse, but only if steps are taken urgently to preserve the claim.
It’s important to know that claims against a public entity (like a town, city, state) must be presented within six months of an accident occurring and must follow very specific steps. If the steps aren’t followed or the time lapses before the claim is presented, you will lose your ability to make a claim.
If you’ve been involved in an accident with injuries where a public entity has failed to take appropriate, proactive steps to ensure your safety — Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the accident injury attorneys of SG Law today.