Car Accident Attorneys

You’re sitting at a stoplight with cars in front of you and to either side. You’re running late getting your child to school because they couldn’t find their homework. Your focus is getting there before the warning bell rings and your child gets a tardy.

You hear a squeal of tires and turn to look behind you just as a car rear-ends you, shoving your vehicle into the one in front of you. You’re no longer worried about school. Is your kid okay? Yes. They’re wearing their seatbelt. You’re okay. Shaky, you turn forward to see your hood has buckled. How are you going to get to work? You only have one car.

Someone knocks on the window to see if you’re injured. When you turn your head, you feel dizzy but shake it off as too much adrenaline. You try to get out to inspect the damage, but the door won’t open. You hit it with your shoulder, then freeze because it sends a jolt of pain down your spine. Maybe you’re not okay after all.

This was Marie’s story from an accident in 1986. She has struggled with pain, muscle weakness, and nerve damage for 37 years.

Scenarios similar to this one happen all over the nation every day. The driver that hits you may be texting, doing their makeup, spilling coffee in their lap, or feeling hazy because they got too little sleep the night before. Whatever the reason, their carelessness can cause many physical and financial problems like Marie’s.

Car accident lawyers here at LifeLaw understand that an accident like Marie’s can have lasting effects that alter the course of your life. They help accident victims seek compensation, not just for the immediate bills, but for the medical expenses that may continue into the future.

Expenses

While every case differs, Marie’s story illustrates the expenses you may face after a severe accident.

• Property Damage: The car is totaled. Between the front and back damage, the car’s frame shifted, so the door didn’t want to open. The cost to repair the vehicle is more than the car is worth. However, insurance companies don’t pay the price to replace the vehicle or pay off your previous loan. They pay actual cash value. The depreciated value means you need to buy a new car and may still need to continue making loan payments on the damaged one.
• Medical Bills: The list of possible medical bills after a spine injury is extensive. Put yourself in Marie’s shoes to see how much the at-fault driver’s moment of distraction cost her.
  • Her medical insurance didn’t cover ambulance transport.
  • The Emergency Room evaluation for her and her daughter included imaging to check her neck and spine for injury. Unfortunately, the torque in her spine from the accident impact caused two herniated discs and a bone spur in her cervical vertebrae that was too close to the spine to be operable without endangering her life and ability to walk. Thankfully, her daughter had a mild case of whiplash. She was fine after wearing a brace and getting rest.
  • Marie had pain management appointments over the next few months as she learned to manage a permanent injury.
  • She had many follow-up doctor appointments to check nerve conductivity, monitor the deteriorating discs, and deal with progressive nerve damage.
  • She discovered she was addicted to the pain pills they gave her and had to choose between addiction and pain. At this point, she couldn’t afford rehab and had to go through withdrawals at home.
  • She needed an MRI when her leg quit working. She could no longer stand. The collapsing disc was pinching the nerve.
  • Surgeons fused the surrounding vertebrae to stabilize her spine, and she regained the use of her leg.
  • She was in the hospital for several days after surgery.
  • Afterward, she had multiple physical therapy sessions, follow-up visits to the surgeon, a second surgery a decade later, post-surgical hospitalizations, and a stay at a post-surgical care center for a month until she could function independently.
• Lost Wages: Marie couldn’t work for several weeks, and even then, she couldn’t work the same hours she did before the accident. Sitting was too painful.
• Her spouse lost wages to take her to appointments and help after surgery.
• She lost her benefits when she lost her job and had to go on disability.

Marie didn’t have a great attorney. They gave no thought to a lifetime of disability, and she has had to shoulder the cost alone.

Our LifeLaw car accident attorneys are dedicated to helping our clients avoid outcomes like Marie’s. We advocate for our clients’ well-being and financial security now and into the future.

Who We Are

LifeLaw is your personal injury law firm in Salt Lake City, Utah. We pride ourselves on our service, commitment, and advocacy for the residents of Utah. Big insurance companies may try to get you to accept a lowball offer, trusting that most people won’t fight for more. We keep these insurance companies honest by making them take your claim seriously.

If injuries linger, we fight for you to get the best medical care for the best possible recovery. Drawing on nearly a century of combined experience, we exhaust every resource and get you the compensation you deserve to preserve your way of life, not just cover your current expenses.

When You Should Contact LifeLaw?

A lawsuit may be the last thing on your mind after an accident, especially if you or a loved one is injured. We recognize the pain, anger, and confusion that complicate life-altering decisions you may face. We also acknowledge your focus must be your or your loved one’s recovery.

Experience has shown us that our clients have the best outcomes when they come to us early, so we can be involved in every step of the process. That way, we can safeguard your financial future and ability to receive proper medical care.

The unfortunate truth is that big insurance companies are looking to cut costs and maximize profit, like any other business. However, the costs they look to cut are your medical bills and financial stability. Some of the benefits of having an attorney on your side include:

• Protection: We review all documents the insurance company or opposing counsel gives you. We make sure you don’t inadvertently sign away your rights to sufficient and just compensation for your losses.
• More Time: We focus on the legal aspects of your case so you can devote your energy to healing. We will contact you when your testimony or presence is needed but will otherwise do the heavy legal lifting for you.
• Advocates In Your Corner: We can help you manage not only the at-fault party’s insurance company but yours as well if they are uncooperative in paying claims, especially if the at-fault party lacks the insurance to pay your medical bills.
• Better Resources: With detailed knowledge of the law, our car accident attorneys in Utah are privy to sources of compensation you may not be aware of. This may include things such as city insurance, if improper signage or other infrastructural problems contributed to the accident.
• Communication: We insulate you from some unpleasantness as all communication comes to our office first. No one can pressure you into taking a bad offer or harass you at home.

As trusted car accident attorneys in Utah, we will give you a free consultation about your case so you know what to expect. You’ve had enough surprises. We can help you start off strong and avoid pitfalls that might endanger your settlement.

What You Can Expect From Our Office

Our number one priority is that you feel safe in our care. Every client is a VIP. We strive to meet a high standard of excellence and professionalism.

Attentive Listening: One of our clients’ most often repeated comments is that we listen. You’re not just a case to solve. We are here for you and want to understand every aspect of your situation. Our car accident lawyers work to restore your financial security. They also want to help you regain your quality of life, which means getting you to a place where you can enjoy the same activities and lifestyle you had before the accident.

Respect for Your Time: Fruitless errands and unproductive meetings cost you money as you miss work and/or pay for a babysitter. Excessive absences could even endanger your job. We do the legwork and call you when needed rather than wasting your time.

Compassion And Respect: We care about you and your family, so we want your every experience with us to be positive. We’ll take the time to answer all of your questions so you feel comfortable and satisfied with our efforts on your behalf. We’ll never leave you out of the loop.

Professional And Knowledgeable Staff: Our seasoned Salt Lake City car accident attorneys have nearly 100 years of combined experience. They’re backed by top-notch staff members to ensure that every step runs smoothly, from your first consultation to the resolution of your case. Our staff ensures that you have access to the proper diagnostic tests and treatment and build a case supported by appropriate documentation.

Organization: You don’t need to worry about missed deadlines or paperwork. Our dedicated staff keeps track of important dates so you’re where you need to be when you need to be there. All the documentation will be in perfect order with every “I” dotted and “T” crossed. They update your file after every appointment and check in with you regularly for updates.

Strength: A car accident lawyer must go the distance, no matter how hard the insurance company fights the settlement. Our commitment is to you and your future. We have the will and determination to fight until we reach the best possible outcome for you in your situation. You have the full strength of our office on your side.

The Bottom Line

To the insurance company, you’re a statistic to adjust their actuary tables. These charts tell them who will likely cause an accident, which cars will take the most damage, and how much the company will pay out in claims. Their goal is to collect more in premiums than they pay out in claims.

To them, you and your family are numbers on a page. The adjusters making decisions will likely never meet you face to face. They won’t visit you in the hospital, see you struggle in rehabilitation therapy, or watch you worry over your child after a significant injury. They won’t worry about your bills when you must take time off work to go to the doctor or if you need to modify a portion of your house to accommodate a wheelchair. While individual adjusters may care, the company doesn’t care about you or your future. The adjuster will follow company policy to increase the shareholder’s profit at your expense.

The victims of car accidents shouldn’t suffer long-term physical and financial hardship because of the careless acts of another driver, but as Marie found out the hard way, some damage is long-lasting. The insurance company has forgotten her. The other driver went on with their life. And Marie struggles to provide basic needs while dealing with long-term disability.

Every morning you leave the house whole and healthy, expecting to return home the same way. You can follow every traffic law, maintain awareness of your surroundings, and give other drivers plenty of space, but these measures won’t guarantee your safety. Accidents still happen. Don’t let a negligent driver destroy your future. There is a way to stop them.

At LifeLaw, we have built our reputation on the idea that people are more important than profit. Every day, we work to protect the rights of Utah residents like you, who, through no fault of their own, face serious challenges. Let us help you fight back.

For more information about our talented team or to schedule a free consultation, call our Salt Lake City car accident attorneys at (801) 206-4002 or submit a request on our contact page.

We hope you never need us, but we’re here to advocate for you if you do.