We are the Personal Injury Attorneys in Utah Protecting your RIGHTS!
“You know, all that really matters is that the people you love are happy and healthy. Everything else is just sprinkles on the sundae.” Paul Walker.
How Do You Protect Yourself, Your Family & Wealth After a Collision?
Call us today for your FREE consultation. You won’t owe us anything unless you hire us and we get money for you
WARNING: If you’ve suffered serious injuries in a car crash or other accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company often will work to persuade you to settle your injury claim quickly. In rare cases this might be a good thing; however, more often than not, it can be disastrous for you. Before settling your personal injury claim, you must understand fully the extent of your injuries. Often, you don’t know the full extent of your injuries for several months or longer. The at-fault driver’s insurance company will want you to settle quickly before you realize how badly you have been injured. They will want you to sign a release absolving them of any future liability. Once you sign the release, your case is over and if your medical condition worsens, you will not receive further compensation. DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING without talking to Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys first. The most important thing is to make sure that you, your family, and your wealth are protected. Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys can help you with this.
If you’ve been in a wreck or other kind of accident PLEASE contact an Attorney before you speak with the Insurance Company!
“When you are young and healthy, it never occurs to you that in a single second your whole life could change.” Annette Funicello
If you’ve been in a crash, what do you do now? How do you protect yourself, your family and your wealth? If you’re like most people, you have three big concerns. One, how do I get my car fixed ASAP? Without a car, I can’t go to the doctor. I can’t go to work. I can’t even get the kids to school. Second, how am I going to pay for the ambulance, the ER visit and my medical treatment? I don’t have health insurance. I can’t afford to go to the doctor. Third, if I have to miss work, how will I pay my bills? Will anyone reimburse me for my financial losses?
If you’ve been injured in a crash because of the fault of another, you have certain rights. I call these your Collision Rights.
Know Your Collision Rights!
On an average day in Utah, there are 143 car crashes involving 353 people with 61 people being injured and 1 person being killed each day. Every 10 minutes another car crash occurs. The estimated economic loss in Utah, in 2011, because of these crashes was $1.46 billion.
1. Your right to a rental vehicle. If your vehicle was damages in a crash caused by someone else, the at-fault driver’s insurance should furnish you with a rental vehicle until your vehicle is repaired or until you get a settlement offer to purchase a different car. In the event that their insurance company delays helping you, you can look to your own insurance for rental car help (give us a call today to discuss the type of coverage you have and see if you are adequately protected).
2. Your right to have your vehicle fixed. The driver who caused the accident should have insurance. Their insurance should cover the cost of repairing your vehicle or pay you the reasonable market value of your vehicle if your car is deemed a “total loss.” Generally speaking, you can handle this part by yourself; however, sometimes the at-fault driver’s insurance company can be difficult to work with and may not be treating you fairly. If that is the case, what should you do? Call Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys and we will gladly help you with a rental car and negotiate a fair settlement for the value of the damage to your vehicle. We are happy to provide this service to our clients for FREE.
3. Right to Have Your Medical Bills Paid. In Utah, if you have car insurance, your own insurance has something called Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”). This PIP covers the first $3,000 worth of reasonable and necessary medical expenses. This is sometimes called “no-fault coverage” because it is your right to have your insurance pay this regardless of whose fault the accident is. By law, your insurer is required to provide $3,000 in PIP coverage. We can help you with a local St George Chiropractor. You should examine your auto policy because you may have purchased a higher amount. (give us a call today to discuss the type of coverage you have and see if you are adequately protected).
4. Your right to reimbursement of lost wages. When you are injured in an accident, you may not be able to go back to work right away. How do you get money to take care of the necessities of life? Under your PIP coverage, and if you were earning money at the time you were injured, then you are entitled to some money to cover your lost wages. The way this works varies in each situation, so give us a call to determine what your lost wage reimbursement may be. Let Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys fight for your rights to reimbursement of your lost wages.
5. Right to Recover Some Household Expenses. Right to pay for household expenses. Under your PIP coverage, you may be entitled to receive up to $20 per day for 1 full year to pay for the cost of household chores or other assistance. This money is available when you can no longer perform household tasks and need to pay someone else to do them for you. Give Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys a call to determine whether this is something that you would qualify for and we will fight to make it happen.
If you don’t have health insurance benefits, you may have difficulty getting proper medical care unless you can afford to pay cash for that care.
If you have concerns about what to do, please call us now to get your questions answered:
- How am I going to get my car fixed?
- Who is going to pay for the ambulance and medical bills?
- What am I going to do about work?
- How does my insurance plan work?
6. Right to Recover Death Benefits. Under your PIP coverage, if a loved one died in a car crash, your loved one’s heir’s may be entitled to receive $3,000 in compensation and possibly $1,500 to help with funeral and burial associated costs. Give us a call to see if this applies to you.
7. Right to Compensation for Pain and Suffering. Under Utah law, unless your medical expenses exceed $3,000 you are NOT entitled to any compensation for your general damages which include pain and suffering unless you suffered other injuries in the crash such as dismemberment, permanent disfigurement, permanent disability or permanent impairment. If your reasonable and necessary medical expenses are greater than $3,000, you ARE entitled to be fairly and adequately compensated for your pain and suffering.
8. Your right to reimbursement for lost income. Often times when you are injured in an automobile wreck or other accident, the effects are long lasting. Sometimes the injury can affect your ability to earn money in the future. Not only is it your right to compensation of what you have already lost, but you also are entitled to be compensated for money that you will surely lose in the future because of the long term effects of your injury. Give Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys a call to better understand how this will work in your particular case.
9. Right to Compensation for any Disfigurement. If you’re disfigured in any way as a result of an automobile crash or other accident, you have a right to be compensated. If you have any questions regarding what disfigurement means or if it applies to you, give Truman & Radford – Injury Attorneys a call today!
10. Right to Compensation for Diminution in the Quality of Your Life. You have the right to be fairly and adequately compensated to the extent that the crash has prevented you from pursuing your ordinary affairs and to the extent that you have been limited in your enjoyment of life. For example, if, before the crash, you were an avid basketball player, pianist, dancer, hunter, golfer, etc. and you no longer can engage in these activities, or it is difficult to engage in these activities because of the crash, you are entitled to be fairly and adequately compensated for this loss. Oftentimes the diminution in the quality of one’s life is by far the greatest loss. This loss, like a rock thrown in a still pond, ripples through and affects all aspects of the injured person’s life.
Caution!
After a crash, the insurance company for the person causing the crash wants you to settle quickly before you fully appreciate the extent of your harms and losses. You should not settle before you understand your rights and know the extent of your harms and losses. Once you accept money in settlement of your injury claims, the insurance company will require you to sign a release. Once you sign the release, you are on your own. If your condition worsens or you incur additional medical bills, you will not be compensated for that.
If you have any questions regarding your Collision Rights or you’re concerned about how you are being treated by the insurance company, I will gladly answer your questions for free. If you’re having difficulty finding a medical provider to treat you for your injuries, I may be able to help you with that also. Don’t worry. I will not charge you for my help unless you hire me and I recover money for you.
Protecting Your Wealth
Your Collision Rights:
At Truman & Radford - As Utah Injury Attorneys, we know your rights, we care about your rights, and we will fight for your rights!
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