Whether you are involved in an automobile accident or any personal injury, there are many resources available at your disposal in Utah. In your time of need, having the right resources to help you get money, settle a claim, and get the right compensation for your injuries should be easy to find. If you are injured in the state of Utah, it is crucial however, that you do not wait too long before taking action.
Utah Statute of Limitations
Utah, like any other state, has a statute of limitations on the filing of a personal injury claim. What this mean is Utah allows you up to 4 years after the time that the auto accident or personal injury occurred to file a claim. Once those 4 years are up, it will be up to the court system if they will even listen to your claim or not. Therefore, if you wish to file a personal injury claim in Utah, it is important that you do so before the statute of limitations expires.
Owning a car comes with the added responsibility of carrying insurance for that car. The state of Utah has some minimum requirements for the car insurance you have:
- Your insurance must cover Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of no less than $3,000 per person.
- Your insurance must cover $25,000 worth of bodily injury per person, per accident.
- Your insurance must cover $65,000 worth of bodily injury total per accident.
- Your insurance must cover $15,000 worth of property damage per accident OR $80,000 worth of total bodily injury and property damage
Of course these are only the minimums you must carry on your insurance. There are however, plenty of extra types of coverage you can add. For example:
- Collision (helps pay for damages to your car)
- Rental Car and Roadside Assistance
- Uninsured Motorist (covers you if you are involved in an accident caused by a driver that is uninsured)
- Comprehensive (provides added coverage to help pay for damages to your automobile caused by things that are not collision-related, such as hail, flood damage, or falling branches.
Is Utah A No Fault State?
Utah uses what is called “no fault” when it comes to auto accident cases. The law states that no matter who is at fault with the accident, any injured person may request medical expenses up to $3,000 from their own insurance. In Utah it is sometimes called the Personal Injury Protection (PIP). However, the law does allow for additional claims for damages including but not limited to: pain, inconvenience, etc.
For example, imagine yourself at a red light waiting to turn. Once your light turns green you go to make your turn and a car decides to run their red light, and runs right into you. Obviously, this is not your fault as you had the right of way. However, the person who ran the red light is still able to claim up to $3,000 in medical costs from his or her own insurance company if he or she is injured in the accident. You would also file a claim with your insurance company for up to $3,000 in medical expenses, however, if there are more than $3,000 worth of medical expenses, then you may file a claim with the insurance company of the other person involved in the accident.
The Caps on Damages in Utah
It is important to note that as of May, 2010, there are no caps on damages in the state of Utah for auto accident cases. However, the caps on personal injury cases do change periodically so be sure to check with a personal injury lawyer for up-to-date information of the cap on damages for personal injury cases in Utah.
Auto Accident Attorneys In Utah
To be a personal injury lawyer in Utah, you first need to complete schooling and then becoming licensed to practice in the state of Utah. Personal injury attorneys in Utah can then help people file claims, such as a car accident claim. Attorneys may have an understanding of
