Arizona Accident Information Law Blog : Arizona Personal Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Solomon & Relihan Law Firm : Auto Accidents & Car Wrecks : AZ Accident Information Law Blog

 The report states that police will be giving out fines ranging from $10 all the way to $500 for drivers that are pulled over without auto insurance. The report states Wisconsin was one of two states that did not require drivers to have auto insurance, however, after this new law has passed, New Hampshire will be the only state to not require auto insurance.

According to the state of Arizona insurance department, automobile insurance is required as one of several ways to prove financial responsibility. Before a person can register a vehicle in the state of Arizona, this proof is required. The required coverage for auto insurance is $15,000 per person for bodily injury and a minimum of $10,000 per accident for property damage. There are other ways for drivers to prove financial responsibility including bonds, certificates of deposit or cash amounts of up to $40,000. In the 48 states that require auto insurance, driving without auto insurance is illegal and can result in criminal penalties and revocation of your driver’s license. Without car insurance of some sort, a driver could be held liable for any automobile accidents they are involved in and it will also prevent medical coverage for any injuries they may sustain in the accident as well.

For more information on auto insurance, visit Solomon & Relihan's Insurance Issues Information page.

 In cases where the customer is affected by the violations committed by the auto insurer, those cases can be constituted as bad faith and can be grounds for a lawsuit. If a company does not pay a claim and completely disregards a customer’s policy, this can be considered bad faith. In addition, overcharging a customer for coverage can also be considered bad faith and customers can file a lawsuit. Bad faith occurs when the policy does not dictate that a claim can be denied for whatever reason the insurer gave the customer.

It can also occur when a company acts recklessly and disregards the customer’s rights in either accepting or denying a claim. Although bad faith claims may sometimes be problematic, if a customer can present evidence that the insurer either acted recklessly or provided a reason for denying a claim that was not part of the policy the company drew up, it can be grounds for a bad faith claim against the insurer.

For more information on insurance bad faith issues, visit Solomon & Relihan's Insurance Information page.

The investigation on the Corvette resulted from 30 complaints from consumers of leaking fuel tanks. The report states that no injuries or accidents in the Corvette have been reported at this time; however, two minor incidents have been reported with the Ford Windstar. A recall of both vehicles could potentially occur if the NHSTA deems it necessary.

 It is no secret that the automotive industry has been plagued by recalls of all kinds. The most recent, and most significant, is the Toyota recall of several thousand cars of differing models for various reasons. As a result of Toyota’s delay in their recall, they were forced to pay fines of around $16.4 million. Since that time, automakers have been voluntarily recalling vehicles for various flaws and malfunctions in a timely manner seemingly in order to avoid a similar fate.

 It is very important that automakers follow all government enforced rules regarding recalls in order to prevent injury to consumers. Although incidents of accidents or injuries are minimal in the case of the Windstar, there could potentially be more serious incidents if no action is taken to remedy the situation in their vehicles. Although many accidents on roadways occur due to driver error, there are still cases when an auto accident can be caused by a malfunction in the vehicles involved.

If you are involved in an accident, a manufacturer malfunction may be one of the causes, but the malfunction may not be readily apparent.  For more information on manufacturer malfunctions and how to identify them, visit the Solomon & Relihan Auto Defects page.