Salt Lake City Car Accident Lawyer
With Personal Injury Law Offices in Sandy, Utah
Do you need legal help?
Contact us today for a free legal consultation.
Brad DeBry is not associated or affiliated with Robert J. DeBry & Associates, P.C.
Client Testimonials
Brad is fantastic! So pleased with all the help he has been giving me in such a stressful hard time with my accident. He definitely treats his clients like family and wants what is best for them. Would recommend him to anyone.
Ashley Richey
I contacted Brad a couple of times with some questions regarding our accident and what our rights were. He gave us valuable and helpful suggestions and was so friendly and knowledgeable.
Aimee Ballif
Went above and beyond to not only help me with my case but to reassure me as I was struggling with my anxiety. He was very kind and supportive and wasn't afraid to offer as much help as possible. One of the best you'll meet here and I highly recommend!
Linzie Builds
ABOUT BRAD DEBRY
7 Mistakes That Ruin Personal Injury Cases
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With busier roads, faster cars, and the greater time pressures associated with modern life, it is an unfortunate reality most people will be involved in a car accident at some point in their lives. Many will sustain some form of injury.
Utah’s highways may provide a means of getting away from it all, but they are unforgiving, and a simple error can be life-changing. Don’t decide whether to call a car accident lawyer based on the size of the fallout zone. Call us anyway. Any number of factors can escalate a simple fender-bender to full-out assault, so you must have an experienced lawyer on your side throughout the process.
With Personal Injury Law Offices in Sandy, Utah
Being injured in a car accident is always scary. Finding out that the accident was due to negligence and could, therefore, have been prevented is infuriating.
If you’re reading this, you may have been seriously injured in a car accident. You may be in pain. You’re likely unable to work because of your injuries, bringing financial stress on top of everything else. You are also probably concerned about how to find the best person to help you with a car accident claim.
We’re here to help. Our firm provides free legal advice. Call our Salt Lake City car accident lawyer to schedule your free consultation today.
Being injured in a car accident is always scary. Finding out that the accident was due to negligence and could, therefore, have been prevented is infuriating.
If you’re reading this, you may have been seriously injured in a car accident. You may be in pain. You’re likely unable to work because of your injuries, bringing financial stress on top of everything else. You are also probably concerned about how to find the best person to help you with a car accident claim.
We’re here to help. Our firm provides free legal advice. Call our Salt Lake City car accident lawyer to schedule your free consultation today.
Common Car Accident Claim Mistakes
The information below will give you an idea of the key elements your car accident claim. We’ll begin with common mistakes we see people make in their car accident claims in Salt Lake City. Next, we’ll use a client story that will help you better understand your car accident claim. To get the most from this information, be sure to read to the end.
Not Going to the Hospital After the Accident
A common reason someone who’s been in a car accident may not realize how seriously they are injured is the “fight or flight” response. During a trauma, the human body produces an overabundance of stress hormones. This is meant to help you survive.
If you are being chased by a saber-toothed cat, you will have a better chance of running away, even if injured, if you’ve got a sudden surge of energy and a lowered ability to feel pain.
Fortunately, saber-toothed cats stopped being a threat 12,000 years ago. Unfortunately, these days, the “fight or flight” response poses more danger than help. If you’re in a car accident, you don’t need to fight or flee. You need to get yourself to medical professionals who can assess you for injuries.
This is not only critical to protect your life, it’s critical to the strength of a personal injury claim.
Skipping the medical exam means giving up valuable evidence for your injury claim. If you don’t go, the insurance company is almost certain to claim you must not have been injured very badly. They will use your failure to seek medical help against you.
Don’t help the insurance company destroy your claim. Go to the doctor as soon as possible after a car accident. The sooner you go, the closer the exam date and time will correlate with the accident and the stronger your claim will be.
Not Following the Treatment Plan from Your Doctor
We see a lot of people make the mistake of failing to adhere to their doctor’s treatment plan after they leave the hospital. This, too, can lead the insurance company to try and deflect blame for your injuries.
If your doctors ask you to take medication, attend physical or occupational therapy appointments, or engage in any other type of treatment, you need to do so. If you slack off or forget, the insurance company will be more than happy to blame you for any lack of progress you encounter in the healing process.
Following the doctor’s treatment plan also includes making sure you don’t return to a former activity before you are medically cleared to do so. This too, will draw blame from the insurance company.
Your strongest car accident case will be made by diligently following your doctor’s treatment plan.
Allowing the Insurance Company to Record Your Statement
We see a lot of people fall prey to this. It’s standard practice for the insurance company to call you after an accident and request a recorded statement. Do not give them one.
Many people don’t realize the insurance company is not trying to help them. They are trying to save money by finding anything in your statement they can use to turn blame for the accident around on you.
This may seem difficult to believe, but remember, insurance companies make money by taking in more in customer premiums than they pay out in benefits. The lower they can drop your compensation, the more they get to keep.
It’s important to know that you are not required to speak to the insurance company. Give your claim the strongest possible foundation by referring any communications with the insurance company to your Salt Lake City car accident lawyer.
Waiting Too Long to Find a Salt Lake City Car Accident Lawyer
This is a mistake people make for a variety of reasons. They may simply be too overwhelmed with recovering from their injuries to think about finding a lawyer. They may believe the statute of limitations for filing gives them plenty of time to get around to it. They may think once they’re feeling better, they’ll be able to save money by figuring out their car accident claim on their own.
Dealing with severe injuries can be all-consuming, and the deadline for filing may be more than a year away. Even if both of these things are true, remember that the evidence that supports your claim will be strongest right after the accident.
Not long after the accident, the scene will be cleared away and evidence may be lost. Witnesses may begin to forget details after a few weeks, or change addresses, phone numbers, and/or email. The bottom line is, the sooner your Salt Lake City car accident lawyer can get started on your claim, the stronger your claim will be.
Your job is to get the rest you need and focus on healing. Reach out to an experienced lawyer as soon as you are able to and let them take care of the rest.
If you’re waiting to look for a lawyer in hopes that you can handle it yourself, consider that people who handle accident claims without an attorney historically receive far lower compensation awards. Personal accident claims can be complicated and you are already dealing with serious injury and likely pain. This is arguably the worst possible time to take on a battle with an insurance company.
In addition, experienced trial attorneys bring with them the leverage of being able to effectively bring a lawsuit against an insurance company that refuses to settle. This leverage alone is sometimes enough to bring the insurance company to the negotiating table. And if they still refuse to settle, a qualified personal injury trial lawyer won’t flinch from the challenge of a trial.
Hiring an experienced personal injury trial attorney is always the best strategy for getting full and fair compensation for your car accident injuries.
Choosing a Lawyer Who’s Not the Best Fit for Your Claim
Don’t rush through the process of hiring a lawyer, assuming any lawyer can handle your claim with the same results. We’ve covered why you need a lawyer, but hiring “just any lawyer” is not much better than going it alone.
It’s best to look for a lawyer similarly to how you would look for a surgeon. A cardiac surgeon and a neurosurgeon are both doctors, but wouldn’t you have a preference if you needed heart surgery?
Like doctors, lawyers often specialize in specific practice areas. Each has its own area of expertise, deadlines, and challenges. Don’t call your aunt’s estate attorney to handle your personal injury claim.
In addition, it’s best to hire a trial attorney for your claim. This doesn’t mean your claim will go to trial— most cases are resolved through settlement. But if your claim doesn’t settle, you are going to need someone who knows how to win in court.
In addition, the risk of facing a successful trial attorney in the courtroom sometimes gets stubborn insurance companies to reconsider the possibility of a fair settlement. Either way, you’ll have the best chance at maximum compensation when you hire a personal injury trial lawyer.
Salt Lake City Car Accident Client Story
The story below is intended to help you get a better idea of what to expect in a car accident claim. The details and client names have been edited to maintain client privacy, but the story should provide you with valuable insight just the same. Please read it all the way through. When you’ve finished, please consider giving us a call to schedule your free legal consultation.
On a chilly night in January not so long ago, Jason Berg and his wife Tricia left home for a night at the theater. Jason had surprised his wife on their anniversary a week earlier with season tickets to a performing arts theater in the Salt Lake City area. Tricia, an avid theater-goer from the East coast, was ecstatic. They’d agreed to make time together to get to each production throughout the year.
They held hands as they drove through the streets toward the theater, reminiscing about other productions they’d seen at various theaters. On this particular night, they were on their way to see “West Side Story;” one of their favorites. Though, truth be told, if someone asked them to list their favorite productions, they’d be hard-pressed to choose.
The past few years had been financially difficult. Jason had been unexpectedly laid off in the middle of their youngest son’s college years. It was a scary ride, but Tricia and Jason were always supportive of each other. Through it all, Tricia always said, “It’s not the destination that matters, it’s the journey and those you share it with.”
Things were looking up now. Jason had found a stable job he enjoyed even more than the one he’d been laid off from. Tricia had always looked forward to getting out and seeing her friends at the hospital where she worked in medical billing. With the kids out of high school, she was able to go from part time to full time. They’d gotten through it.
Tricia squeezed Jason’s hand and smiled at her husband.
The roads were icy, so they took the surface streets to the theater instead of heading south on the 15 where the big trucks rumbled. They took Towne Ridge west and turned south on Monroe. As they made the short run down to the theater, headlights behind them suddenly grew in size as a car approached, going much too fast for road conditions.
Jason stayed in the right lane to give the car a wide berth as it gained on them. The lights grew impossibly bright as two lights became four, stretching in a line across both lanes almost on their bumper now. Jason shielded his eyes trying to grasp the situation in the rearview as Tricia anxiously looked over her shoulder.
Two cars. Racing. Black Ford Mustang and yellow Camaro. Jason tapped the brake. A lot of black ice tonight, but tricky to slow down with the cars so close. Almost to the curve now, where the road became divided. Not much room to get out of the way.
Suddenly, both cars shot forward attempting to pass an SUV lumbering in the left lane from both sides at once.
The Mustang lunged into the oncoming lane as the Camaro swooped around the SUV on the right, barely missing Jason’s Hyundai as it cut in front of him and sped off.
As the median loomed, the Mustang careened back into the southbound fast lane, cutting off the SUV.
The SUV lurched right, slamming into the front quarter panel of the Hyundai as both vehicles slid off the road together, flipping into the gravel and rock landscaping of a bank not a quarter mile from the theater.
Jason woke up in the hospital, asking for his wife. His oldest son, Chris was by his side.
Chris told his dad Tricia had survived and was in a room down the hall. They both had cuts and bruises.
Jason had a neck sprain, a broken left clavicle, and two broken ribs on the same side. Tricia had a broken right femur and right arm, and a traumatic brain injury.
Their daughter Mary was driving down from Idaho and their youngest, Sean was flying in from Minneapolis.
Released after 24 hours, Jason relocated himself down the hall in Tricia’s room.
The doctor said Tricia would need to remain in the hospital for the next few weeks for observation. He was reluctant to make promises early on, and cautioned that Tricia would almost certainly need to go to a rehabilitation facility before being cleared to resume her recovery at home.
For the time-being, it was a waiting game. Tricia was awake and gave every indication of recognizing Jason and the children, but appeared unable to speak. She’d try to speak but could only mumble, tears of anxiety and frustration spilling down her cheeks.
Jason gave his wife a pen and pad, but with her broken arm in a cast, writing was not only impossible, it was painful. She gave up.
Luckily, Tricia seemed to understand what was going on and what was being said to her. Jason was able to quiet her fears by maintaining a steady, soothing presence, holding his wife’s hand and talking quietly to her. The doctor explained that brain injuries were tricky, but he was hopeful that she’d regain the ability to speak before going to the rehabilitation facility.
On the fourth morning after the accident, Chris suggested his parents call us.
At first, Jason balked. “We can’t afford a lawyer,” he insisted, waving off the idea. “We just got back on our feet!”
Chris said, “Dad, it says right here on their website they provide free consultations. And you know what Mom always says, ‘You don’t know until you ask.’”
Overwhelmed, Jason resisted. “I can’t even think about this right now, Chris!” He would have been shouting now, had his voice not caught in his throat. The tears finally came and he sat quietly for a minute. Unable to turn his head in the neck brace, he turned his body away, covering his face with his right hand.
“Call.”
Tricia’s voice. Jason opened his eyes to see Chris staring at his mom. Tricia blinked, smiled, and repeated, “Call.”
When Jason scheduled a free consultation for the both of them, he told us his main concerns were how much it would cost to hire us, what his and Tricia’s claims might be worth, and how long the whole thing would take.
What does it cost to hire a lawyer?
We sat down in Tricia’s hospital room the next day. Jason wasted no time confirming that the consultation was indeed free of charge (it was), and asking about the cost of hiring our firm to represent them.
“It’s a completely valid question,” our lawyer told the couple, explaining that the firm uses a contingency fee model. “We don’t get paid unless we are able to resolve your claim successfully,” he told the Bergs.
What is my car accident case worth?
Relieved, Jason looked to Tricia. She winked. “So, what is a case like ours usually worth?” He asked next.
We told them that there really isn’t a “usual,” because no two claims are the same.
“Look at you two. You were injured in the same accident in the same vehicle, yet you sustained different injuries. So, it’s really not possible to predict the value of a claim at the very beginning.
“What needs to happen in order to understand the value of your claims is two-fold.
“First, we need to conduct a thorough accident investigation. We’ll talk to witnesses and gather evidence. Of course, the drag racers were apprehended, so that helps. We’ve got police reports and a bunch of witnesses.”
“Yeah, the accident was all over the news,” Chris nodded.
“We can start the investigation immediately,” the lawyer continued.
“The other determinant of your claims’ value is your damages— the ways in which the accident has impacted you economically and non-economically.
“To figure out your damages, we’re going to need both of you to put all your energy toward recovery,” the lawyer told Tricia and Jason. “This means getting all the rest you need and following the doctors’ treatment plans carefully.
“You need to reach maximum medical improvement. This means recovering to the point that you are medically ‘back to normal.’ If you aren’t able to recover to that extent due to your injuries, then your doctors are going to determine what your ‘new normal’ is, and you’ll work toward that.
“When you’ve reached maximum medical improvement, we’ll know what your damages are, and understand the value of your claims.”
How long will my car accident claim take?
“I think we understand, right, Honey?” Jason asked Tricia, who rewarded him with a small nod and a smile. “How long can we expect the case to take?” he asked.
“That too will depend on a couple of factors,” said our lawyer.
“You may have guessed that one of these factors is how long it takes you to reach maximum medical improvement. We need to know those damages to proceed with your claim. Once we do, we’ll send a demand letter to the insurance companies of the drivers.
“From there, your case timeline will depend on whether the insurance companies respond in a manner that is reasonable and fair. If they do, we’ll arrive at an acceptable settlement and wrap things up.
“If they refuse to settle, we’ll take them in front of a jury. Please don’t let this possibility worry you, though. Most cases settle before getting that far. If yours doesn’t though, our experienced personal injury trial lawyers will move ahead with a lawsuit.
“Funny enough, just seeing our name on your claim may work to get the insurance company to negotiate. They know who we are, and I doubt they’re in any hurry to meet us in the courtroom.
“Either way, we’ll be ready. That’s why no matter whom you choose to be your lawyer, we recommend you go with a personal injury trial lawyer with a winning record handling car accidents,” our lawyer said.
Tricia and Jason were reassured by the answers they received in their free consultation. They retained our firm, and today we can happily say that we were able to get them more than six times what the insurance companies initially offered.
Call Our Salt Lake City Car Accident Lawyer Today
We hope that this story has given you some clarity on the car accident claim process. That said, no two cases are the same. Please contact us as soon as you are able to schedule your free legal consultation. It’s time to get answers. Let us help.