Broken leg, arm or wrist after an accident in Tempe: care first, then the claim
Get care right away for any suspected fracture. A suspected hip, pelvis or upper leg break is a reason to dial 911 from anywhere in Tempe. HonorHealth Tempe has an emergency department at 1500 S. Mill Ave. For the claim, Arizona's lawsuit deadline is generally 2 years. A claim against a city or public body is due in 180 days.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (24)
Where do I go for a broken bone in Tempe?
Anywhere you can be seen fast, including HonorHealth Tempe's emergency department on Mill Avenue. A suspected fracture needs care right away. For a suspected hip, pelvis or upper leg break, call 911.
HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center, 1500 S. Mill Ave., has an emergency department at 480-784-5500, but it is not on the state's trauma list. For multiple fractures or a crush injury, paramedics may take you to Banner Desert in Mesa, the nearest listed Level I trauma center.
What can go wrong after a fracture?
- An open fracture is a break where the bone comes through the skin.
- Compartment syndrome is pain far beyond what you would expect. A cast or bandage wrapped too tightly is one cause.
- A fracture that reaches into a joint can raise the risk of arthritis more than 20-fold.
Tell the nurse if pain gets worse after a cast goes on. Those notes also matter later, because they show how long and how hard the recovery was.
Which Tempe crashes lead to serious injuries?
Tempe's crash plan counts fatal or serious injury crashes by who was involved, for fiscal years 2020 to 2024. It does not count fractures. It still shows where the worst injuries cluster.
| Who was involved | Fatal or serious crashes | All crashes of that kind |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicles only | 158 | 16,271 |
| Motorcycles | 112 | 481 |
| Pedestrians | 88 | 465 |
| Bicycles | 44 | 538 |
A rider is far more likely to be badly hurt than a driver. If you were on a scooter, know the July 2026 rules: sidewalk speed is capped at 10 mph, and riders under 18 must wear a helmet.
Who pays for a broken leg in Tempe?
It depends on how it happened. After a crash on a Tempe street, the at-fault driver's insurance is the usual target, and a regular Arizona policy can be as low as $25,000 per person. After a fall at a store or apartment, the property owner's insurance may pay.
- Both the hospital and the ambulance can place a lien on what you recover.
- If Medicare paid for your break, it takes that money back from a liability settlement.
- Arizona lets you claim the full amount charged for reasonable medical care, without a cut for insurer write-offs.
- Jurors weigh past and future pain, disability, disfigurement and anxiety.
How long will a broken-bone case take?
Longer than the bone takes to heal. A national study of state courts found jury trials took 27 months on average. Most cases settle sooner, but try not to settle before your doctor knows if the break healed straight.
Your own fault does not end the claim. It reduces it by your share. And if Tempe or another public body was to blame, the notice is due in 180 days, not 2 years.
Questions
What if I broke a bone because a Tempe sidewalk was broken?
Then the claim is against the city. File the Notice of Claim Form with the City Clerk's Office within 180 days.
Should I get a cast before talking to an insurer?
Care comes first. You can call the insurer later.
Do children get more time to sue?
Yes. Years a child spends under age 18 do not count against the 2-year deadline.
Broken bones in Tempe? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (24)
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it's important to get medical care right away if you think you have a fracture”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “There is a suspected broken bone in the hip, pelvis, or upper leg.”
- HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center, checked 2026-11-08. “The emergency entrance is on the West side of Mill Avenue.”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- 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. “Whether the bone breaks through the skin; if it does, it's called an open (or compound) fracture.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Pain that is much higher than expected with the injury”
- City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Motorcycle-involved 481 2.7% 112 27.9%”
- City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “claims must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 180 days after the cause of action accrues”
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner Desert Medical Center 1400 South Dobson Rd., Meza, AZ 85202 06/10/24 06/10/27”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “articular fractures can increase the risk more than 20-fold”
- City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Motor Vehicles Only 16,271 91.6% 158 39.3%”
- City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Pedestrian-involved 465 2.6% 88 21.9%”
- City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Bicyclist-involved 538 3.0% 44 10.9%”
- City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “When riding on a sidewalk, riders cannot exceed 10 mph and must slow down to 5 mph to pass pedestrians.”
- City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Riders under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet if operating a bike, e-bike, or scooter.”
- A.R.S. § 28-4009(A)(2)(b), checked 2026-11-08. “(i) $25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident. (ii) Subject to the limit for one person, $50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident. (iii) $15,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.”
- 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”
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, checked 2026-11-09. “claims where the beneficiary must repay Medicare”
- 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”
- Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “The pain, discomfort, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and anxiety already experienced, and reasonably probable to be experienced in the future.”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “the processing of a case required an additional half year for a jury trial (27 months), compared to a bench trial (21 months)”
- 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. § 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”