Find a drunk driving accident lawyer in Scottsdale: who pays and when a bar is liable
If a drunk driver hit you in Scottsdale, you can claim against the driver's insurer and sometimes the bar that served the driver. A drunk-driving injury suit generally must be filed within 2 years. Misdemeanor DUI cases are prosecuted by the City Attorney, and Victim Services answers questions at 480-312-4226.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (37)
How many drunk driving crashes happen in Scottsdale?
ADOT's count for 2024 shows 226 alcohol-related crashes in Scottsdale, with 6 people killed and 128 hurt. That year's report lists 15 people killed in all crashes in the city, so alcohol was tied to 6 of the 15 deaths.
Nightlife is part of the local picture. The city created a Transportation Safety Zone in the Downtown entertainment district, east of Buckboard Trail, from Sixth Avenue to Camelback Road. The zone is in force every day from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. We could not find public numbers that tie particular crashes to particular bars, so that link has to be built case by case.
Can you sue a bar in Old Town Scottsdale for serving a drunk driver?
Sometimes. Arizona allows it when a licensee sold alcohol to a buyer who was obviously intoxicated, or to someone under the legal age without asking for ID. Obvious means significantly uncoordinated action or physical trouble that a reasonable person would have seen. Arizona otherwise protects sellers, so this is the main path against one.
Two limits catch families off guard. A companion who drank with the driver and knew the driver was impaired generally cannot sue the bar. And a private host who served an adult is generally not liable. If a court splits blame among the driver and the bar, each pays only its own share.
Proof fades fast at a bar. Receipts, card slips, staff schedules and door video may be kept only briefly, so a written request to save them should go out within days. The state, not the city, issues liquor licenses, and Scottsdale's part is to make a recommendation. The state liquor agency handles complaints and over-service investigations. It is at 800 W. Washington, 5th floor, in Phoenix.
Who pays for a drunk driving injury in Scottsdale?
| Source | Rule | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's liability insurance | Must carry at least $25,000 per person | Often not enough for serious injuries |
| Your uninsured or underinsured coverage | Covers all persons insured under the policy | Only if you bought it |
| The bar or its insurer | Sale to an obviously intoxicated buyer | You must prove the sale |
| Restitution in the criminal case | Full economic loss | Money losses, not pain and suffering |
| Arizona crime victim compensation | No conviction needed | Pays last, after other sources; claims are processed at the county level |
| The driver's own money | DUI injury debts survive bankruptcy | Depends on what the driver has |
Punitive damages are possible but hard. Arizona needs clear and convincing evidence of an evil mind. There is no state cap on injury damages.
What happens with the DUI case in Scottsdale court?
- Get the DR number from the officer. Scottsdale Police takes crashes on city streets. On Loop 101, Arizona DPS takes the crash.
- Tell Scottsdale Victim Services you want to be kept informed. The division serves misdemeanor crime victims.
- Ask for your free copy of the police report and body camera recording. Requests from victims get priority.
- Follow the case at Scottsdale City Court, 3700 N. 75th St. A felony charge would go through the Maricopa County Attorney instead.
- Give the prosecutor your bills so a judge can order the defendant to repay your financial loss as part of the sentence.
Your injury claim runs on its own track, apart from the criminal case. A not-guilty verdict does not end your claim, and a guilty plea does not pay your bills. Your 2-year deadline keeps running either way.
Where do I get the report if the crash was on Loop 101 in Scottsdale?
From DPS, not the city. Wait at least 14 days, then check with DPS at (602) 223-2230 or (602) 223-2236. The cost is $9.00 by mail for the first nine pages. Crashes at Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright or Scottsdale Road were the city's two highest intersection totals in 2023 and 2024, so check which agency wrote yours before you pay anyone.
What should you ask a drunk driving accident lawyer in Scottsdale?
- Can you ask the bar in writing to keep its video and receipts right now?
- Do the facts fit Arizona's obviously intoxicated test?
- How will you work with the prosecutor on restitution?
- Does my own policy add money on top of the driver's limit?
- If a public agency's road played a part, who files by the 180-day deadline?
Questions
How long do I have to sue a drunk driver in Scottsdale?
Generally 2 years. The deadline can differ when the injured person is a child.
Can I sue a Scottsdale bar that overserved the driver?
Yes, if it sold to someone obviously intoxicated or to a minor without asking for ID.
Who prosecutes a DUI in Scottsdale?
The City Attorney's Prosecution Division handles misdemeanor DUI in the city.
Does the driver have to be convicted before I get help?
No. Arizona crime victim compensation does not need a conviction, but it pays only after other sources.
Hit by a drunk driver in Scottsdale? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (37)
- Arizona Revised Statutes 4-311, checked 2026-11-09. “The licensee sold spirituous liquor either to a purchaser who was obviously intoxicated, or to a purchaser under the legal drinking age without requesting identification”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “The Prosecution Division is responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor and certain civil offenses that occur within the City of Scottsdale, including but not limited to domestic violence, assault, disorderly conduct, threats and intimidation, theft, city ordinance violations, DUI and other traffic violations”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “please contact Scottsdale Victim Services Division at 480-312-4226 and ask to speak with an advocate”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 13-603, checked 2026-11-09. “in the full amount of the economic loss as determined by the court”
- Scottsdale Police, Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “one copy of the police report and on-body camera recording is available free of charge pursuant to ARS § 39-127”
- 11 U.S.C. 523(a)(9), checked 2026-11-09. “for death or personal injury caused by the debtor's operation of a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft if such operation was unlawful because the debtor was intoxicated”
- ADOT, 2024 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Scottsdale | 4,219 | 15 | 1,421 | 2,783 | 15 | 2,113 | 226 | 6 | 128 |”
- ADOT, 2024 Crash Facts Table 2-5 (copy on phoenix.gov), checked 2026-11-08. “No. of Persons Alcohol Related”
- City of Scottsdale, Transportation Safety Zone, checked 2026-11-08. “The City Council created a Transportation Safety Zone in Scottsdale's Downtown entertainment district - east of Buckboard Trail, from Sixth Avenue to Camelback Road.”
- City of Scottsdale, Transportation Safety Zone Days and Times, checked 2026-11-08. “Shall be in effect Sunday thru Saturday between the hours of 5:00 PM and 4:00 AM.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 4-311, checked 2026-11-09. “significantly uncoordinated physical action or significant physical dysfunction that would have been obvious to a reasonable person”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 4-312, checked 2026-11-09. “except as provided in section 4-311, a person, firm, corporation or licensee is not liable in damages to any person who is injured”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 4-312, checked 2026-11-09. “who was present with the person who consumed the spirituous liquor at the time the spirituous liquor was consumed and who knew of the impaired condition”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 4-301, checked 2026-11-09. “A person other than a licensee or an employee of a licensee”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-2506, checked 2026-11-09. “the liability of each defendant for damages is several only and is not joint”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “The City’s role in reviewing your liquor license application is to make a recommendation to the State on whether or not the liquor license should be issued.”
- Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, checked 2026-11-09. “conducting routine inspections, responding to complaints, and investigating violations such as underage sales, over-service, unlicensed operations, and other unlawful activities”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “AZ DLLC located at 800 W. Washington, 5th floor in Phoenix”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 28-4009, checked 2026-11-09. “$25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 20-259.01, checked 2026-11-09. “uninsured motorist coverage that extends to and covers all persons insured under the policy”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “the compensation program is always the payer of last resort”
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, checked 2026-11-09. “claims are processed at the county level”
- Swift Transportation v. Carman (Ariz. 2022), checked 2026-11-09. “To establish an evil mind requires clear and convincing evidence”
- Arizona Constitution, article 2, section 31, checked 2026-11-09. “No law shall be enacted in this state limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the death or injury of any person”
- 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.”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “maintains records for collisions (accidents) that were investigated by DPS Troopers occurring on an Interstate or State Highway”
- City of Scottsdale, checked 2026-11-09. “The Victim Services Division of the Scottsdale City Attorney’s Office offers various services to misdemeanor crime victims”
- Scottsdale Police, Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “priority given to requests from victims and government entities”
- Scottsdale City Court, checked 2026-11-08. “3700 N. 75th St. Scottsdale, AZ 85251”
- Maricopa County Attorney's Office, checked 2026-11-09. “If you suffered a financial loss as a result of a crime, the defendant can be ordered to reimburse you as part of the sentence imposed by the Court.”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Please wait at least 14 days to check on report availability”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Paper report via U.S. Mail - $9.00 for the first nine pages; $0.10 for each additional page”
- City of Scottsdale, 2024 Traffic Volume and Collision Report, checked 2026-11-08. “101 FREEWAY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT 59,700* 106 53.0 2.43 1”
- City of Scottsdale, 2024 Traffic Volume and Collision Report, checked 2026-11-08. “SCOTTSDALE 101 FREEWAY 66,500* 73 36.5 1.50 2”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- 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”