Personal injury law is all that we do all day, every day. Our reputation was earned after spending year after year making things right for each individual client one at a time. We had an undefeated record in 2019 while recovering over 9 million dollars for our clients.
We take great pride in helping each and every client navigate their way through the aftermath of their injuries. We value the trust our community places in us to help make things better after an injury. We’ll handle all the insurance claims, medical bills, and paperwork so that you can focus on your health and getting life back to normal.
We treat you like a human being instead of just a claim number. Our attorneys are happy to take the time to meet with you, free of charge, to walk you through all your options so that you can make an informed decision about what’s best for you and your family.
After a car accident, most of us can’t simply sit at home and wait for our car to be repaired or totaled out, we need to be able to get around. That’s where rental cars come in. This is often a separate line of coverage that you may or may not have on your own insurance policy. If you don’t have it, get it. Through your own insurance a rental car will commonly be covered for up to 30 days, or until the repair is complete, whichever comes first. If you were not at fault for the crash, then you have the option to make the claim through the other driver’s insurance instead. This is because, in Utah, the at fault party owes you what is called “loss of use damages.” If they took your vehicle away for a time period, they owe you the value of a vehicle during that time period. To calculate this you should get compensated the amount it would cost to get a rental car for that duration. If they step up and accept liability quickly, the easiest way to handle the claim is to have their insurance book you a rental car directly so you can pick it up without paying a dime. If the insurance is moving slowly, but you need the rental car now, get one and we can make sure the insurance company gets you reimbursed ASAP!
After a crash, most of the time you can have your vehicle towed for free- meaning the cost is covered by insurance. If you were not at fault for the crash then the other driver’s insurance should actually cover your tow. Unfortunately, sometimes insurance companies can take their sweet time deciding that their driver was at fault, even when it may seem obvious. Rather than paying yourself and then waiting for reimbursement, you may be better off to submit the claim for the tow charge through your own insurance on your own vehicle. Sometimes this is a separate line of coverage that you may not have, but most people do have this coverage included on their own insurance.
When your car is damaged, you want to get an estimate done by a shop that you trust to do the repairs the right way. There are so many corners that could potentially be cut and you don’t want a shop that is just trying to keep the insurance company happy instead of trying to keep you happy. In Utah, the insurance company cannot force you to use their “preferred” shop. Don’t let them tell you otherwise. Not all shops are created equal and you’ll want someone you can trust. In some cases you may even need a separate mechanic in addition to the auto body shop.
Everyone knows that the insurance company is supposed to pay for your auto body repairs after a crash, but not many people realize that you do not have to actually do the repairs. If you had an estimate from a good shop, but you would rather pocket the cash and just live with a dented bumper, that is your choice. Deductibles and liens on the vehicle can complicate that situation, but you do usually have options in Utah. If you do actually want the repairs done, we recommend having the insurance pay the shop directly, that way, any disagreement about the cost of repairs is between the shop and the insurance to work out and no one blames you.
If the damage to your car is bad enough that fixing it would cost almost as much as just buying the vehicle from you, then your claim is handled as a “total loss.” You realize that number the insurance company throws out there as the value of your vehicle is really just an offer right? The insurance company pays an outside party to run a valuation report, and then the insurance company has a whole bunch of ways to play with that number before sending you a check. If their number feels low, it probably is. There are effective ways to negotiate for more! Also, remember that it is your choice. You are never forced to sell them your car!
You wouldn’t agree to let someone crash into you so long as they pay the body shop to do the repairs to your vehicle. We know that getting in a crash costs you more than that. No one wants to buy a used car that has a big crash on the vehicle history or Carfax report. Even if you get your vehicle fixed and the body shop does a great job, you have still lost money on the resale value of your vehicle. In Utah, the insurance company owes you for these diminished value damages, but they may not be too eager to bring it up. They get out of paying it all the time because no one ever knows to ask.