As per Utah’s Department of Health, a car crash occurs in the state every 10 minutes, a person gets injured because of the crash every 23 minutes, and one person dies every 36 hours. Car accidents leave many families in Utah devastated because many accidents result in disabilities or deaths.
Because of the high frequency of car accidents, compensation claims fly around thick and fast, and so settlement negotiations are part of a Utah car accident law firm’s daily routine. The parties involved in the negotiations include the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s lawyers and insurance company representatives. Most car accident cases are settled out-of-court after several rounds of negotiations.
If the accident inflicts economic and non-economic damages over and above what the victim’s insurance policy covers, then the victim’s car accident attorney submits a compensation claim for such damages to the at-fault party and his insurance company.
Our team of car accident lawyers put together this whitepaper that describes how the whole process unfolds:
PART A: The Process before filing the claim
- The victim’s attorney can hold consultations with medical and economic experts to determine whether the accident has the potential to reduce the victim’s earning capabilities and by how much. Attorneys also check if the accident has the potential to impair the victim’s social life, and then quantify it and build it into the compensation claim.
- The victim’s car accident law firm is likely to investigate the at-fault party’s background and review his insurance policies to determine if he has the resources to settle the claim.
PART B: The Process after filing the claim
1. Accident Investigation
The at-fault party’s insurance company and attorneys from his car accident law firm in Utah investigate the car accident to approve or dispute the compensation claim. They are likely to obtain the following documents from the police, victim, and the at-fault party and dig deeper:
- The Police Report
- Photographs of the accident site taken immediately after the accident
- Witness statements/depositions
- Medical records (of the victim)
- The at-fault party’s statement
These bits of evidence are reviewed and the accident is investigated by the insurance claims adjuster and the at-fault party’s attorney. The investigation can take anywhere between 2 weeks to a couple of months.
2. Digital Reconstruction of the Accident
Car accident law firms in Utah hire digital experts to reconstruct the accident. If the digital reconstruction finds flaws in the victim’s or the at-fault party’s statements, and if the divergence is substantial, then their case could weaken. Therefore, all parties involved in the accident are urged to be truthful and transparent while passing on information to attorneys or the police.
3. Consultation with Civil or Mechanical Engineers
If the accident occurred because of a problem or defect in the roads, then the investigators are likely to consult civil engineers. If vehicle defects were the cause, the investigators consult automobile engineers.
Once the investigation is over, negotiations begin. Most car accident compensation claims in Utah are settled by mutual negotiations, which can last for a few weeks.
If the victim has engaged an experienced attorney from a Utah car accident law firm, his case will be strong, and the at-fault party will be left with no option but to accept the claim. If the defendant doesn’t accept the claim, the case goes to trial.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue as the attorneys prepare for trial. In some cases, cases are even resolved mutually in the middle of a trial – and this usually happens when the victim’s attorney has built a formidable case. And that can be done only by a reputed and experienced car accident attorney.
FREE, NO-OBLIGATION INITIAL CONSULTATION
Our law firm specializes in resolving car accidents in Utah and has succeeded in settling hundreds of cases and helping accident victims receive millions of dollars in compensation claims.
If you would like to know the processes we followed, why not schedule a free, no-obligation initial discussion?
It won’t cost you a penny and you will learn about the approximate compensation you can claim, and what we can do to help you or your loved one obtain a favorable judgment.
Remember that if you work with an inexperienced attorney, general practitioner, or even with a reputed firm that does not specialize in car accident cases, your case can be in jeopardy.
Contact us today and find out what it will take to win your case.
You have absolutely nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain by meeting us.
