Broken bone injury in Scottsdale: how the claim depends on where you were hurt
Who pays for a broken bone in Scottsdale depends on where it happened. On a city street, Scottsdale Police take the report. On a sidewalk, the property owner next to it must usually maintain it. If the fall or crash happened on city property, you must file a claim within 180 days. Get care right away, because Arizona generally gives you 2 years to sue.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (35)
What should I do right after breaking a bone in Scottsdale?
If you think a bone is broken, see a medical provider right away. Call 911 if a hip, pelvis or upper leg may be broken. HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn, at 7400 E. Osborn, is the state-designated Level I trauma center in the city.
A provider confirms a fracture through a physical exam and imaging. Ask for copies of your records. HonorHealth takes requests by form, and copy fees may apply. Take photos of the place where you were hurt before anyone cleans or fixes it.
Which warning signs after a fracture need urgent care?
- Pain that is far worse than the injury seems to explain.
- A cast or wrap that feels tight against the limb.
- Bone that breaks through the skin, called an open fracture.
Fractures that reach into a joint can raise the risk of arthritis more than 20-fold. How long a cast stays on depends on the type of fracture and the bone. Keep every follow-up visit. Gaps are the first thing an insurer will look for.
Who is responsible for a broken bone in Scottsdale?
| Where you were hurt | What to know |
|---|---|
| City sidewalk or multi-use path | The adjacent owner, including an occupant, must maintain it unless the city's duty is in writing |
| Old Town covered sidewalk | The city says these are private property |
| Crash on a city street | Scottsdale Police handle the report |
| City property or a city worker | Notice of claim within 180 days |
| On the job | Employers must report inpatient hospitalizations to ADOSH within 24 hours |
To report a broken sidewalk or a pothole, use Scottsdale EZ, the city's report-a-problem application. A report creates a record that the problem existed. Potholes get a work order within 48 hours.
What if a bike or walking crash broke my bone in Scottsdale?
These crashes are not rare. Scottsdale counted 150 collisions involving bicyclists and 141 involving pedestrians at its major intersections and segments in 2023 and 2024. The most common bike crash was an angle collision with a non-incapacitating injury.
On shared paths, bikes yield to pedestrians and equestrians. If a driver hit you, get the police report, which is sold online through CARFAX CRASHDOCS.
How long do I have to bring a claim for a broken bone in Scottsdale?
Against a private person or company, generally 2 years. Against the city or another public body, the claim notice is due in 180 days and must state a specific settlement amount. If the claim is denied, a lawsuit must follow within one year.
Your own fault reduces an award but does not bar it. Hospitals and ambulances can place a lien on your recovery.
Questions
Does Arizona cap what I can recover for a broken leg?
No. There is no cap on injury damages in Arizona, because the state constitution bars one.
What if a child broke a bone?
For private claims, time under 18 does not count toward the deadline. Public claims still have a notice rule.
Do I need a lawyer for a small fracture claim?
Not always, but the court you land in depends on the amount. Justice courts hear civil lawsuits up to $10,000, and larger cases go to superior court.
Can I sue my employer if I broke a bone at work?
Workers' compensation is generally the only remedy against your employer, but you may sue an outside party.
Broken bones in Scottsdale? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (35)
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “If the report you are requesting was the result of a collision that occurred on a town, city or county road, contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction.”
- Scottsdale Revised Code, Chapter 47, checked 2026-11-08. “the owner of property adjacent to the right-of-way shall maintain the following”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it's important to get medical care right away if you think you have a fracture”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “There is a suspected broken bone in the hip, pelvis, or upper leg.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “A cast or bandage that is too tight”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Pain that is much higher than expected with the injury”
- Scottsdale Revised Code, Chapter 47, checked 2026-11-08. “The city's obligation to maintain the right-of-way, or any portion of the right-of-way, specified in (f) above, shall be in writing.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- Lopez v. Safeway Stores, Inc., 212 Ariz. 198 (App. 2006), checked 2026-11-09. “entitled to claim and recover the full amount of her reasonable medical expenses for which she was charged”
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “7400 E. Osborn, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 10/27/24 10/27/27”
- HonorHealth, Request Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Copy fees may apply.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Whether the bone breaks through the skin; if it does, it's called an open (or compound) fracture.”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “articular fractures can increase the risk more than 20-fold”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “How long you need to wear it will depend on the type of fracture and which bone is affected.”
- Scottsdale Revised Code, Chapter 47, checked 2026-11-08. “the owner of property adjacent to the right-of-way includes the occupant of the property”
- City of Scottsdale, Electric Bikes, Scooters, checked 2026-11-08. “the covered sidewalks in Old Town Scottsdale as they are private property”
- ADOSH, How to Report a Workplace Fatality, checked 2026-11-08. “All work-related fatalities within 8 hours following the incident.”
- City of Scottsdale, Electric Bikes, Scooters, checked 2026-11-08. “Scottsdale EZ, the city’s one-stop report-a-problem application”
- City of Scottsdale, Pavement Preservation Program, checked 2026-11-08. “A repair work order will be created within 48 hours of your request.”
- City of Scottsdale, 2024 Traffic Volume and Collision Report, checked 2026-11-08. “involved bicyclists and 141 involved pedestrians”
- City of Scottsdale, 2024 Traffic Volume and Collision Data, checked 2026-11-08. “The predominant bicycle crash type in 2023 and 2024 was an angle type collision resulting in a non-incapacitating injury”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “Bikes yield to pedestrians and equestrians.”
- Scottsdale Police, Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “The Scottsdale Police Department has partnered with CARFAX CRASHDOCS.org to provide our collision reports online for convenience and secure access.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
- A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
- A.R.S. § 33-931, checked 2026-11-09. “is entitled to a lien for the care and treatment or transportation of an injured person”
- Ariz. Const. art. 18, § 6, checked 2026-11-09. “the amount recovered shall not be subject to any statutory limitation”
- A.R.S. 12-502, checked 2026-11-09. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-08. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
- Maricopa County Justice Courts, checked 2026-11-08. “small claims up to $5,000, and civil lawsuits for amounts up to $10,000”
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Arbitration, checked 2026-11-08. “Compulsory Arbitration is a mandatory program for disputes valued under $50,000.”
- A.R.S. § 23-1022(A), checked 2026-11-08. “The right to recover compensation pursuant to this chapter for injuries sustained by an employee or for the death of an employee is the exclusive remedy against the employer or any co-employee acting in the scope of his employment [...] the injured employee may either claim compensation or maintain an action at law for damages against the person or entity alleged to have engaged in the wilful misconduct.”
- A.R.S. § 23-1023(A), checked 2026-11-08. “by the negligence or wrong of another person not in the same employ, the injured employee, or in event of death the injured employee's dependents, may pursue the injured person's remedy against the other person.”