RECENT CASE RESULTS

16.4M
trucking accident verdict

14.5M
medical malpractice verdict

10M
motorcycle accident settlement

5.2M
asbestos product liability verdict

4.2M
traumatic brain injury from industrial accident

4M
quadriplegia from trucking accident

SALT LAKE CITY
CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

The personal injury law firm of Elegal in Salt Lake City, Utah is not a mill that churns out car-accident case after car-accident case. We take on a limited number of complex cases that involve permanent injuries and death, requiring attention to all details and unique issues related to the claim. While we don’t take on all clients, know that the cases we do take are handled with dedication and diligence.

In 2015, the latest year for which the Utah Department of Public Safety has concluded its annual “Crash Summary” report, “there were 60,012 reported traffic crashes on public roadways in Utah.”  That’s an astonishing average of over 164 reported crashes every day.  The injuries resulting from these crashes vary from minor “fender bender” property damage situations to injuries resulting in severe permanent disability or death.  In 2016, deaths from car crashes hit a 9-year high with 280 people killed.

The rules that apply to operators of motor vehicles are in place to keep everyone safe.  For example, according to the Utah Driver Handbook, drivers are required to keep a safe following distance, and should “[k]eep at least 2 seconds between your car and the vehicle in front” of you. Unfortunately, people often become complacent and forget about how fast they are traveling and/or misjudge distances.  This frequently leads to avoidable collisions, which can have devastating consequences.

Injuries to Passengers

Many personal injury claims involving a motor vehicle focus on the driver.  However, many times a passenger is also seriously injured.  A serious injury to a passenger can present some unique issues and may alter how a case is pursued.  Depending on the situation, the accident may be the fault of the driver of the vehicle in which the passenger was riding at the time of the crash.  In other situations, the accident may be the fault of another driver.  Other times it is a combination of fault from many people.

In any event, the important issue is that all steps are taken to be sure that the injured person is fully and fairly compensated.  At Elegal, we have successfully navigated through these issues many times.  Being successful in these claims requires experience and close attention to the details of the crash.  Giving close attention to a case requires us to be selective about the cases we take.  We generally take only passenger injury cases where the injuries are severe.

If you or someone you care about has been injured while riding as a passenger in a vehicle, please call us now for a free consultation at (801) 657-3187.

Frequently Asked Questions

Video Transcription

If the tire fails and causes an accident as a result of tread separation or another form of failure, there is usually a case to be brought against the manufacturer for defectively designing or manufacturing that tire.

There are also other areas of liability in a tire failure. The seller or retailer of the tire is often strictly liable for the tire being defective. It is not terribly well known that tires fail as a result of age, even though there is plenty of tread depth left on the tire. Most of the vehicle manufacturers recommend that the tire not be used if it is six years old, regardless of the level of wear on the tire.

The problem is most tire manufacturers don’t warn the consumer of that, and they make it very difficult to find out how old the tire is. Places sell tires that look brand new and have never been driven on. But those tires could be sitting on the shelf or in a warehouse for three, four or five years. Several years into the life of that tire is already far past the life of that tire. It should not be used, and it is not at all uncommon that tread separations occur simply because a tire is too old, but nobody has been warned about that.

Video Transcription

Tires are actually extremely complicated products. Understanding where the defect in a tire requires a very detailed knowledge and understanding of how tires are designed, how they are manufactured, and what the various sub-components are.

Tire companies fight these cases extremely hard, and unless you have an intimate knowledge of tire design, you are going to get railroaded in discovery. It is just too easy for tire manufacturers to take advantage of the complexity of the product, and the ignorance of the plaintiff’s counsel. As a result, it is possible to miss the important information in discovery that the tire was in fact defectively designed. Having counsel with extensive experience in litigating tire defect cases is absolutely essential.

Your legal advocate and spokesperson

At Elegal, we know each client and each injury is distinct, and we do our best to understand each client’s individual case. To do this, we must be selective of the cases we take. Using this approach, our team of lawyers has had tremendous success in representing victims of car crashes. Our results include a $16.4 million dollar jury verdict in favor of a victim of a trucking crash, as well as numerous other settlements and jury verdicts of 6, 7, and 8 figures.  We have obtained these results in cases litigated all over the country.

Our results are no accident.  We have spent years studying how best to represent individuals injured in car crashes and their loved ones.  We have done dozens of focus groups, interviewed and worked with hundreds of physicians and other health care professionals, and spent many hours on our feet in courtrooms advocating on behalf of car crash victims.

Call 801.679.4510 or send us an e-mail to arrange for a free consultation. A lawyer at our firm can explain your rights and discuss what it will take to get compensation for you.

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FROM THE MOUTHS
OF OUR CLIENTS

Elegal was invaluable in helping us through a difficult time. Our son was involved in a horrible accident and we weren't sure if he would survive. We were dealing with doctors, medical bills, and overwhelming emotions on how we would help our son recover. They answered every question we had and explained the entire process. They went above and beyond for our son and truly cared about him. I never thought I would be in a situation where I needed a lawyer, but I was so grateful we had them representing our son. We now don't have to worry or stress about his future medical bills and surgeries. We can focus on spending time together and giving our son the best life he can have.

- Kali Winward

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