How do I know if I have a personal injury case in Utah?​

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Generally speaking, if you’ve been injured in an accident that was caused by someone else, you likely have some sort of personal injury case. That said, every personal injury claim is unique and no two cases should be treated the same. Indeed, there are a large number of factors that you should consider before ever filing a claim. Some common considerations include:

 

• What are your injuries?

• Is it likely that my injuries will get worse?

• Is there insurance coverage? 

• Will I have to file a lawsuit?

• Who will I have to sue (what if it's family, friends, or an employer)?

• How long will the legal process take?

• How much stress will a lawsuit put me through while I'm trying to heal? 

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There are also other considerations and costs involved in personal injury cases, such as court costs, expert fees, and other expenses. The best way to evaluate any potential personal injury lawsuit is to discuss the accident and your injuries with an experienced personal injury lawyer. That’s why the accident attorneys at Campbell, Williams, Ference, Nelson & Hall offer free, no cost, and no obligation consultations to Utah personal injury victims in all types of personal injury and accident cases. We want to help you evaluate your case thoroughly at the outset in order to take the best possible approach for you according to your individual circumstances. Whether you've been involved in a catastrophic semi-truck accident, or you need a dog attack lawyer as a result of dog bites from a family member's pet, or even if your injuries don't fit into the typical types of personal injury cases, the Utah personal injury attorneys at Campbell, Williams, Ference, Nelson & Hall are experienced navigating the nuances that come with evaluating and pursuing all types of personal injury claims for all types of clients.​ 

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Is there a time limit for my personal injury lawsuit?​

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In Utah, different types of injuries give rise to different types of personal injury claims. For example, a car accident or motorcycle collision can lead to different claims from slip and fall accidents or defective products. These differences can, in turn, alter the evaluation and pursuit of your individual personal injury claims. These differences are, perhaps, most noticeable in the timelines and deadlines set for individuals to pursue their claims in the State of Utah. These deadlines, also called statutes of limitations (or, in some cases, statutes of repose), vary widely depending on the type of personal injury claims being pursued, but should always be considered when evaluating and negotiating personal injury claims because they can act to bar injury victims from obtaining any recovery at all. Talking to the right personal injury accident attorney familiar with Utah's various personal injury statutes of limitations can protect against missing these critical deadlines and help you pursue your personal injury claim and seek compensation in an efficient and timely manner.

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How much is my personal injury claim worth?​

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One of the first questions frequently asked by prospective personal injury clients is: “How much is my personal injury claim worth?”  While this is a very good question, it’s also extremely difficult to answer.  The individual circumstances surrounding an accident and the specific injuries can, and often do, impact the type and amount of compensation a personal injury accident victim is entitled to receive. For example, punitive damages (or damages meant to punish previous conduct and discourage future wrongdoing) may be available in some cases, but not in others. Generally speaking, there are a number of factors that can affect compensation in a personal injury case, these include (but are not limited to):

 

• The facts of the case;

• The number at-fault parties and the proportion of fault attributable to everyone involved;

• The nature and severity of your injuries;

• Your medical bills (both past and future);

• The duration or permanency of your injuries (including potential scarring or disfigurement);

• Your previous employment and ability to work in the future;

• Your age;

• Whether you have dependents or others that provide for you;

• The amount of applicable insurance coverage;

• The laws applicable to your claims;

• Who you are suing;

• You and/or your attorneys’ ability to present and negotiate your claims effectively; and

• Various other factors that can vary depending on the specifics of your personal injury case.

 

As you can see, there are a lot of different factors that work together to impact personal injury outcomes in Utah. Working with experienced personal injury attorneys is one way to help improve the outcome and increase your personal injury recovery.

 

Considering each of the above factors, personal injury claimants in Utah may be entitled to financial compensation for:

 

• Medical bills related to past and future medical treatment (including costs of ongoing physical, occupational therapy, and/or other rehabilitative services);

• Medical supplies, medications, and medical devices;

• Lost ability to perform household services and other household expenses;

• Costs related to in-home care services, home modifications, and attendant care;

• Lost past and future wages, earnings, etc.;

• Loss of consortium (which is meant to compensate personal injury victims for the impact their injuries have, or will have, on marriage and family relationships, companionship, and support);

• Pain and suffering;

• Loss of enjoyment of life;

• Disfigurement, dismemberment, and other forms of impairment;

• Emotional distress and mental anguish;

• Funeral expenses and burial costs; and

• Punitive damages (as discussed above, these are meant to punish previous conduct and/or discourage future wrongdoing)

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As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when evaluating the potential value of personal injury lawsuits in Utah, that’s one of the reasons the personal injury lawyers at Campbell, Williams, Ference, Nelson & Hall offer free consultations to our potential personal injury clients. If you are suffering because of injuries caused by someone else, you may be able to hold the responsible parties accountable and seek compensation for some of the injuries discussed above.  For a free review of your case, contact a Utah personal injury lawyer at Campbell, Williams, Ference, Nelson & Hall by calling (801) 466-4266 or filling out our online form today.​

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What can I do to help my personal injury case?​

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Most accidents that give rise to personal injury claims often happen before the injured person ever contacts their personal injury attorney. Despite this, the steps injured victims often take in the minutes, days, and weeks immediately following an injury—before ever hiring an accident lawyer—often have a significant impact on the outcome, and eventual compensation, they receive in their personal injury lawsuit. Because of this, our Utah injury attorneys recommend following several steps to help personal injury accident victims develop their potential personal injury claims into strong and successful personal injury cases. Some common recommendations include:

 

• Document the accident and preserve evidence – Every accident is different and it’s important to document everything that occurred. It’s entirely possible that your personal injury claim won’t be presented in a Utah court until years after the incident. For that reason, photographs and videos of the scene and cause of the injury (whether a car, semi-truck, motorcycle, bicycle, animal, wet surface, defective product, or any number of other causes) can greatly increase your ability to present your case when filing an insurance claim or presenting the case at trial. Written journals, diaries, or even contemporaneous police reports can also be extremely helpful. Other helpful information may include the names and contact information of other parties involved in the accident, insurance information of all other parties involved in the accident, and the names and contact information (and, if possible, written statements) of any witnesses who witnessed the accident.

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• Seek appropriate medical attention – Your health is important and you should seek the medical attention you need after an accident. Do this as soon and as frequently as necessary. Delaying treatment or trying to push through the pain can have serious consequences in your subsequent personal injury case.

 

• Act promptly – As set forth above, there are specific time constraints for all types of personal injury claims in Utah known as statutes of limitations (and sometimes statutes of response). These time limitations can vary depending on the type of personal injury claim you have and apply regardless of whether you are pursuing your case as a personal injury insurance claim, through private arbitration, in mediation, or as a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. Beyond statutes of limitations, time is also critical because witnesses can forget what they saw and other evidence might disappear. Put simply, passage of time can work to either weaken or bar your personal injury case entirely. It is, therefore, extremely important to act promptly when pursuing all types of personal injury cases in the State of Utah.

 

• Be mindful of who you talk to regarding your accident and injuries – This likely goes without saying, but giving statements or otherwise discussing an accident with representatives of the at-fault party can negatively impact the outcome of your personal injury case.

 

• Contemplate hiring an attorney – If you are considering hiring a personal injury attorney to help you pursue your personal injury claim, it is wise to do this as soon as possible.  Beyond helping you navigate the legal issues involved with pursuing your claim, personal injury claim attorneys can also take over communicating with the insurance company and its attorneys so the stress associated with pursuing your injury claim can be taken off of your shoulders and you can focus on healing after the accident.

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Contact our Utah personal injury lawyers

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If you are suffering because of injuries caused by someone else, you may be able to hold the responsible parties accountable and seek compensation to be made whole. For a free review of your case, with no obligation to hire our firm, contact a Utah personal injury lawyer at Campbell, Williams, Ference, Nelson & Hall by calling (801) 466-4266 or filling out our online form today.​

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We accept personal injury cases all over the State of Utah, from Logan (Cache County) to St. George (Washington County), and everything in between (including cities up and down the Wasatch Front—throughout Weber County, Davis County, Salt Lake County, Utah County, and all others). Contact us today to set up an in-person, virtual, or telephone meeting with one of our personal injury lawyers who may be able to help you pursue compensation in your personal injury claim.