How Much Can Someone Sue for a Car Accident in Taylorsville, Utah?
Feeling all shook up after a car wreck in Taylorsville, Utah? That’s a completely normal reaction, especially if you’ve been hurt – and if that’s the case, hiring a car accident attorney is in your best interests.
With injuries, the medical bills will be piling up, and you may not even be able to work. You have the right to hold the at-fault motorist accountable through a personal injury claim, but getting fairly compensated for your losses can be difficult on your own. An experienced car accident attorney can help ensure that you receive every dollar you deserve, which begs the question: how much can someone sue for a car accident in Taylorsville?
In Utah, the payout for a wreck-related injury claim is typically between $15,000 and $30,000. However, the amount can vary greatly – some cases are worth less, while others are worth far more. A seasoned car accident attorney can provide you with an accurate assessment of how much your claim may be worth, but for now, the following information may prove helpful.
Understanding Car Accident Compensation
To get a fix on how much someone can sue for a car accident in Taylorsville, Utah, you need to know how personal injury claims work. Victims can pursue two types of compensation:
Economic Damages — These are intended to compensate victims for measurable monetary losses related to a car accident. Some of the most common are medical expenses, lost income, lost earning capacity, property damage and in-home services.
Non-Economic Damages – These are aimed at intangible losses resulting from a car wreck, things that are difficult to prove. Damages that are fully compensable under Utah law include pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement and loss of enjoyment.
What about punitive damages? As these are meant to punish someone for their actions and discourage others from acting in a similar manner, they’re rarely awarded in car accident cases.
Calculating compensation in a personal injury claim can be complicated. In addition to adding up costs already incurred, a victim must factor in future expenses, loss of future income and any adverse effects on quality of life. A skilled car accident attorney can handle this task, ensuring that all aspects are thoroughly considered in the calculation.
Factors That Affect How Much Someone Can Sue for a Car Accident
While non-economic damages are subjective, with no specific monetary value, this doesn’t mean you can arbitrarily decide how much to sue someone for a car accident. A couple of legal factors affect payouts in Utah personal injury claims, and understanding these can help put the car accident compensation situation into perspective:
Utah’s No-Fault Auto Accident Liability Rule – All motorists must carry a minimum of $3,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. Before a victim can sue someone for damages, this coverage must be exhausted. As such, compensation for losses resulting from a car wreck often comes from the victim’s own insurance.
Utah’s Comparative Negligence Rule – To file a lawsuit against another motorist, an accident victim must be less than 50 percent at fault. And when a victim is partially responsible, compensation may be reduced proportionally. For instance, if found to be 30 percent at fault, the amount of payout may be reduced by 30 percent.
In some states, limits on damages have an impact on payouts in personal injury claims. Utah has no cap on damages arising from a car wreck. However, victims must be able to prove the losses they have suffered. With the assistance of an experienced car accident attorney, accomplishing this is much easier.
Tips for Maximizing the Payout in a Utah Car Accident Claim
Injured victims not only want to know how much someone can sue for a car accident in Taylorsville, but also how to increase the amount they receive in compensation. This is entirely understandable, given the financial hardships that come with a car wreck. Following this advice from a top-rated car accident attorney can help boost the payout in a personal injury claim:
Get Medical Attention Immediately – No matter how fine you feel after a car accident, see a doctor as soon as possible. Doing so could be crucial for health reasons, and it also creates a medical record that could be crucial to the success of your case.
Keep Detailed Records of Everything – Documenting the scene of the accident, recording details of the car wreck, saving medical bills and tracking lost income are all important duties. The more evidence collected, the stronger your personal injury claim.
Don’t Agree to a Settlement Too Quickly – Insurance adjusters might offer to settle a short time after a car wreck, but rushing to accept isn’t wise. Before agreeing to any amount, a victim must fully understand the extent of their injuries and losses.
Let the Professional Team at Cockayne Law Protect Your Legal Rights
Hiring an experienced car accident attorney – like Chris Cockayne at Cockayne Law – increases the odds of securing a favorable outcome. Lawyers who specialize in this area know how to effectively negotiate with insurance adjusters, and when necessary, how to fight it out in court.
If you’d like to sue someone for a car accident in Taylorsville, Utah, our legal team would be happy to provide the advice and assistance you may need. Contact our law office and schedule a free, no-obligation car accident attorney consultation today.
