Truck Blind-Spot Accidents in Arizona
Big trucks have blind spots so large the industry calls them no-zones — areas around the truck where the driver simply cannot see a nearby vehicle. Crashes in these zones during lane changes and merges can be severe, and fault is not always as simple as insurers claim.
The truck’s no-zones
A large truck has significant blind spots directly in front, directly behind, and along both sides — the right side being the worst. A vehicle traveling in one of these no-zones can be invisible to the driver, so a lane change or merge can turn into a sideswipe or worse.
The driver’s duty to check
Professional drivers are trained to account for their blind spots — checking mirrors, signaling early, and moving only when clear. A driver who changes lanes or merges into an occupied no-zone without confirming it is clear can be at fault for the resulting crash.
When fault is disputed
Insurers often argue the other vehicle lingered in a blind spot or sped up alongside. Because both the truck and the other driver have responsibilities, these cases can involve shared fault — and video, positioning data, and witness accounts are what sort it out.
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Frequently asked questions
What are a truck’s no-zones?
They are the large blind spots around a truck — in front, behind, and on both sides, with the right side the largest. If you cannot see the driver in the truck's mirrors, the driver likely cannot see you.
Am I at fault if I was in the truck’s blind spot?
Not necessarily. Drivers must account for their blind spots before changing lanes, but insurers may argue you lingered there. In a pure comparative-fault state, partial fault reduces rather than bars recovery, and evidence keeps your share low.
Arizona law — what people ask
How long do I have to file an injury claim in Arizona?
Generally two years. But if a public entity is involved you must serve a formal notice of claim within 180 days and file suit within one year — and Arizona runs a much shorter one-year clock on dog-bite strict-liability claims specifically.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona applies pure comparative negligence, so fault reduces your recovery rather than ending the claim, and there is no percentage at which it cuts off. Arizona also treats fault questions as belonging to the jury rather than being resolved beforehand.
Does Arizona cap what I can recover?
No — and this sets Arizona apart from most states. Its constitution prohibits laws limiting damages for injury or death, and that applies to medical-malpractice claims too, where most states impose a cap. If you have read that pain and suffering is capped, that is not Arizona law.
What if more than one party was responsible?
Arizona generally applies several liability, so each responsible party answers for its own share rather than the whole judgment. That makes identifying every responsible party early a practical question about what is actually collectible.
The driver who hit me had no insurance. What now?
Your own uninsured or underinsured coverage is the usual route. Arizona also requires insurers to offer that coverage in writing — so if you were told your policy carries none, the underwriting file is worth checking before that answer is accepted.
Will the jury hear that my health insurance paid my bills?
Usually not — Arizona generally follows the collateral source rule. Medical-negligence cases are the statutory exception, where that evidence has been made admissible, which changes how medical damages are presented in those claims specifically.
Injury law in Arizona
Arizona injury law has some features that set it apart from its neighbors.
- Filing deadline: Arizona generally gives you two years from the injury to file, but only 180 days to serve a notice of claim on a public entity.
- Fault: Arizona follows pure comparative negligence — being partly, or even mostly, at fault reduces your recovery but does not bar it.
- Damage caps: Arizona is unusual: its constitution prohibits caps on injury or death damages, so a statutory cap does not limit what you can recover.
- Multiple defendants: Arizona generally applies several (not joint) liability, so each responsible party is accountable for its own share.
Related truck accident topics
California injury law
This is general information about Arizona injury law, not legal advice. Every case is different.
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