Understanding Your Rights
Utah law allows injured parties, as well as eligible surviving individuals of those wrongfully killed, to take legal action against those responsible for their injuries and losses. The purpose of filing a personal injury claim is to recover monetary compensation for economic and non-economic losses, such as medical expenses, future care costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. While this compensation cannot negate the trauma you have endured, it can provide the financial relief you need to heal.
In most cases, to have a personal injury case, you will need to prove the following:
- Another person or party had a legal responsibility to avoid putting you at unreasonable risk of foreseeable injury or harm
- The other person or party failed to uphold this legal responsibility, usually by acting negligently, recklessly, wrongfully, or intentionally
- You were injured and suffered measurable damages, including both economic and/or non-economic damages
- The other person or party’s conduct was the cause of your injuries and, therefore, your resulting damages
Some personal injury claims can be brought on the basis of strict liability; others fall under the state’s no-fault system, meaning you do not need to prove that another person or party was at fault for the incident to recover compensation. In other cases, if you are found to be partly at fault for the accident, your recovery may be limited and, if you are found to be more at fault than the other party, you may not be able to recover compensation at all.
We strongly recommend that you work with an experienced personal injury attorney, like those at Steele Adams Hosman. Studies have shown that people who work with attorneys tend to receive higher settlements than those who try to handle their cases on their own. Our team is ready to pursue every possible avenue of compensation on your behalf. We strive to maximize our clients’ claims and are ready to aggressively represent their rights and best interests at trial.
Personal Injury Statutes of Limitations in Utah
Like other states, Utah has various statutes of limitations, or filing deadlines, on different types of personal injury lawsuits. The standard statute of limitations on most personal injury lawsuits—including those involving motor vehicle accidents—in Utah is four years from the date of injury. If the injury was not discovered immediately, the individual bringing the lawsuit (known as the “plaintiff”) may have four years from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably could have been discovered to file their suit.
Some cases are subject to stricter statutes of limitations. These include:
- Wrongful Death: In wrongful death cases, plaintiffs have two years from the date of death to file a lawsuit
- Medical Malpractice: Most medical malpractice lawsuits in Utah are subject to a two-year statute of limitations, but there are some exceptions
- Product Liability: In cases involving strict liability (as opposed to negligence), plaintiffs have two years from the date of injury to file a product liability lawsuit
- Government Claims: For cases brought against government entities, plaintiffs have just one year from the date of injury to file a lawsuit
Note that these are just some exceptions to the standard four-year statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits in Utah. Furthermore, these statutes of limitations only apply to lawsuits, not insurance claims. Often, insurance claims are subject to stricter filing deadlines, which are typically set by the insurance company or even the specific policy.
Types of Cases We Handle
At Steele Adams Hosman, our Ogden personal injury attorneys represent victims of all types of serious accidents and injuries, as well as the surviving family members of those wrongfully killed.
We handle a variety of personal injury cases, including but not limited to cases involving:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle wrecks
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Large truck collisions
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
- Slip and falls
- Premises liability
- Product liability
- Wrongful death
We are always available to answer your questions and address any concerns you may have. We believe in building meaningful attorney-client relationships built on a foundation of communication, collaboration, and trust. When you choose Steele Adams Hosman, you can count on us to be there for you every step of the way.
We offer free initial consultations and contingency fees. This means that you do not owe any legal fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our bilingual staff can assist you in English or Spanish, and we utilize the latest technology to make the process easier and more convenient for you.
For a free and confidential consultation, call (801) 999-1506 or contact us online today.
