Skip to content Tucson injury claims run on a different procedural track than Phoenix ones, and most published guidance does not mention it. Pima County replaced compulsory arbitration with a program that exists nowhere else in Arizona, and the election it forces on a claimant affects appeal rights. A personal injury lawyer in Tucson needs to know that before filing, not after.
Not Tucson City Court. The municipal court handles city code violations, misdemeanors, and traffic citations if the other driver was cited, that is resolved there, separately from your injury claim.
Civil injury suits above $10,000 are filed in Pima County Superior Court; smaller matters go to the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court, which handles civil suits up to $10,000 and small claims up to $3,500. Venue generally follows where the injury occurred.
This is unique to Pima County and it changes how a case is handled. In Maricopa County, a case where the amount in controversy does not exceed $50,000 goes to compulsory arbitration. Pima County does something different.
Under the Fast Trial and Alternative Resolution program FASTAR, governed by Rules 101 through 126 of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, civil actions seeking money damages of no more than $50,000, excluding attorney’s fees, interest and costs, must be referred to the program. Compulsory arbitration Rules 72 through 77 do not apply.
Four criteria determine eligibility: monetary damages only, an amount exceeding the local compulsory arbitration limit, an amount not exceeding $50,000, and no defendant requiring service abroad. The plaintiff files a FASTAR Certificate with the complaint, and the case is referred once the defendant answers.
Then comes the election, which belongs entirely to the plaintiff:
That asymmetry has been the controversial feature of the program and has been subject to rule revision, so the current appeal terms should be confirmed before electing. Either way it is a strategic decision made at the outset of a case rather than a formality, and it has no equivalent in a Phoenix filing.
Then your deadline may be 180 days, and serving the university will not satisfy it. The University of Arizona is governed by the Arizona Board of Regents, a public entity. Under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, a claim against a public entity generally must be served within 180 days of accrual on the person authorized to accept service, stating facts supporting liability plus a specific settlement amount with the facts behind that figure.
The Board handles service for its universities centrally rather than through the campus, so a notice delivered to a department in Tucson may not be effective and a defect in service or content can bar a claim while the two-year window remains open. Two further points: a claim not accepted within 60 days is deemed denied, and suit must then generally be filed within one year under A.R.S. § 12-821 rather than two.
The same 180-day framework reaches the City of Tucson, Pima County, a Tucson Police Department vehicle, the Sun Link streetcar, and Sun Tran buses along with claims based on roadway design, signal timing, or a hazardous condition on public property.
Public entity suits carry a further limitation: A.R.S. § 12-820.04 restricts punitive damages against public entities and employees acting within the scope of employment, and immunities apply that do not apply to private defendants changing both the timeline and the theory of the case.
You can still recover, reduced by your share. Arizona applies pure comparative negligence under A.R.S. § 12-2505, with no percentage cutoff a claimant found 70% responsible may still recover 30% of proven damages.
Adjusters assign that percentage early and state it as settled, but it is a negotiating position neither an adjuster’s opinion nor an officer’s narrative fixes how fault gets divided.
Every firm claims to be the right choice, so it is worth applying questions with verifiable answers:
Frequently the real ceiling. A.R.S. § 28-4009 sets Arizona’s minimum liability limits at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury which one surgery can exhaust.
The work becomes locating every layer: your own underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage, which becomes primary where a driver had none or left the scene; a commercial policy behind a truck or work vehicle; tiered coverage in an Uber or Lyft collision; or dram shop coverage in a DUI crash. Insurers must offer UM and UIM under A.R.S. § 20-259.01, but buying it is optional, so your declarations page is the first document to pull.
Arizona’s constitution also prohibits statutory caps on compensatory damages, so recovery is bounded by evidence and coverage rather than a legislative number.
Traffic volume on I-10, I-19, and the Speedway, Grant, Broadway, 22nd Street, Oracle, Campbell, Kolb and Craycroft arterials drives the car accident and rear-end caseload, alongside distracted driving claims.
People outside a vehicle absorb impact directly, which is why motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian claims skew toward catastrophic outcomes, the territory of brain injury and spinal cord injury claims. Note that Tucson and Pima County impose local bicycle helmet requirements for riders under 18 that do not exist statewide, which occasionally surfaces in fault arguments.
Jason A. Harris has practiced personal injury and workers’ compensation law in Arizona since 2006, representing thousands of injury clients. Clients speak with him directly. That dual practice matters when an injury happens on the clock, because the compensation and third-party claims run separately with different deadlines and lienholders.
Cases run on a contingency fee, no retainer, no hourly billing, and no attorney fee unless compensation is recovered. Case costs are advanced and reimbursed from any recovery, with terms in writing before you sign. Consultations are free.
Pima County Superior Court for claims above $10,000, which covers most cases involving significant treatment. Smaller matters go to the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court, with small claims up to $3,500. Tucson City Court does not hear civil injury suits.
FASTAR is Pima County’s Fast Trial and Alternative Resolution program, governed by Rules 101 through 126 of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure. Civil actions seeking money damages of no more than $50,000 must be referred to, and compulsory arbitration rules do not apply. The plaintiff elects either an expedited Fast Trial or an Alternative Resolution hearing, and that choice affects appeal rights.
Likely much shorter. The University is governed by the Arizona Board of Regents, a public entity, so a notice of claim is generally required within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, with suit filed within one year. The Board handles service centrally rather than through the campus, and a notice served on the wrong office can bar the claim.
Generally two years from the date of injury under A.R.S. § 12-542. Shorter periods apply in specific situations: 180 days to serve a notice of claim against a public entity, and one year for a strict liability dog bite claim. Negotiating with an insurer pauses none of them.
Yes. Arizona applies pure comparative negligence under A.R.S. § 12-2505, reducing an award by your percentage of fault with no cutoff barring recovery. That percentage is a negotiating position rather than a finding, and it responds to evidence.
The State Bar of Arizona maintains a public record of licensed attorneys including admission date and any public discipline. The Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization also certifies specialists in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death, and under ER 7.4 no Arizona lawyer may claim specialist status without that certification.
If a public entity or the University may share responsibility, the 180-day clock started the day it happened. If the claim is under $50,000, the FASTAR election is coming and it is not a formality.
Harris Injury Law, PLLC 1136 E Campbell Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85014 (480) 800-4878
Tucson Arizona personal injury lawyers serving Pima County. Request a free consultation or meet our attorneys. Every case depends on its own facts; no outcome can be promised or predicted.
This page provides general information about Arizona law and is not legal advice. Reading it creates no attorney-client relationship. Arizona statutes, court rules, and local programs change to confirm current FASTAR terms and deadlines. Consult a licensed Arizona attorney about your situation.
Reviewed by Jason A. Harris, Harris Injury Law, PLLC.
to assist you with your personal injury case.
Call or text now for a free consultation.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I was injured in a serious auto accident near downtown Tucson. Jason Harris and his team walked me through every step of my personal injury claim. They were compassionate, responsive, and helped me recover the compensation I needed for my medical bills and lost wages.”
-Former Client, Tucson, AZ
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“After my slip and fall accident, I didn’t know where to turn. Harris Injury Law not only helped me file my personal injury lawsuit but also made sure I understood my rights. I highly recommend their attorneys to anyone in Tucson dealing with personal injuries.”
-Tucson Resident
Located at 1136 E Campbell Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85014. Harris Injury Law, PLLC specializes in auto and truck accidents and workers’ compensation. Speak directly with your lawyer from the beginning. Same-day and emergency consultations are available. You never pay out of pocket. Call us at any time – 24/7.
