When Does a Dog Owner Become Legally Liable for a Dog Bite in Utah?
A dog bite can cause far more than a temporary wound. Victims may need emergency treatment, stitches, surgery, infection management, scar revision, counseling, or long-term rehabilitation. Children may suffer permanent facial scarring and lasting fear, while adults may miss work or lose the ability to perform physically demanding jobs. In Utah, a dog owner or […]
Can Poor Road Maintenance Cause a Car Accident? Here’s Who May Be Liable
A car accident is not always caused entirely by one careless driver. Potholes, missing warning signs, malfunctioning traffic signals, poorly marked construction zones, dangerous drainage, damaged guardrails, and debris left in travel lanes can all contribute to a serious collision. When a dangerous road condition helps cause an accident, responsibility may extend beyond the drivers […]
Who Can File a Survival Action vs. a Wrongful Death Claim in Utah?
When someone dies because of another person’s negligence, surviving family members may hear two legal terms: wrongful death claim and survival action. These claims may arise from the same accident, but they address different losses and may be pursued on behalf of different interests. A Utah wrongful death claim generally seeks compensation for the harm […]
What Medical Records Matter Most in a Utah Personal Injury Case?
Medical records are among the most important forms of evidence in a Utah personal injury case. They help establish what injuries were diagnosed, when symptoms began, which treatments were recommended, whether the patient followed those recommendations, and how the accident affected the person’s ability to work and complete daily activities. However, not every medical document […]
What Happens If Multiple Parties Are Responsible for Your Injury in Utah?
Some personal injury cases involve one clearly responsible person. A driver runs a red light, strikes another vehicle, and causes an injury. Other cases are far more complicated. A chain-reaction collision on I-15 may involve several careless drivers. A construction accident may result from decisions made by a property owner, general contractor, subcontractor, and equipment […]
Can Surveillance Cameras Help Prove a Personal Injury Claim?
Surveillance footage can be some of the most valuable evidence in a personal injury case. A video may capture the exact moment a car accident occurred, show how long a dangerous spill remained on a store floor, identify a driver who left the scene, or reveal that a property owner failed to correct a known […]
Common Insurance Company Tactics That Can Hurt Your Injury Claim
After an accident, an insurance adjuster may sound friendly, concerned, and eager to help. The adjuster may ask how you are feeling, request a recorded statement, and promise to process the claim as quickly as possible. It is important to remember that the insurance company is not a neutral participant. An adjuster working for the […]
What Qualifies as a Catastrophic Injury Under Utah Law?
A catastrophic injury is generally understood as a life-altering injury that causes permanent or long-term impairment, prevents a person from returning to the life or work they had before the accident, or creates a continuing need for medical care and personal assistance. Utah does not use one universal statutory definition of “catastrophic injury” for every […]
Understanding Soft Tissue Injuries After a Car Accident: Why They Shouldn’t Be Ignored
A car accident does not have to cause a broken bone or visible wound to result in a serious injury. The sudden movement of a collision can stretch, twist, or tear muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues throughout the body. These injuries are sometimes dismissed because they may not appear clearly on an X-ray. […]
What Makes a Property Owner Legally Responsible for Unsafe Conditions?
A property owner is not automatically responsible every time someone is injured on residential, commercial, or public property. To establish a premises liability claim in Utah, the injured person generally must show that the person or entity controlling the property failed to use reasonable care and that this failure caused the injury. The key questions […]
What Is the Difference Between Compensatory and Punitive Damages in Utah Personal Injury Cases?
After a serious accident, many injured people hear terms such as “compensatory damages,” “general damages,” and “punitive damages” without receiving a clear explanation of what those terms mean. Although each may affect the outcome of a Utah personal injury case, they serve very different purposes. Compensatory damages are intended to address the losses an injured […]
Can You Still Recover Compensation If You Weren’t Wearing a Seat Belt in Utah?
Yes. Under current Utah law, you may still recover compensation after a car accident even if you were not wearing a seat belt. Utah requires drivers and most passengers to use properly adjusted and fastened safety belts. However, violating that requirement does not automatically make an injured person responsible for a collision. More importantly, Utah […]