Utah Personal Injury Law Firm Blog

Date: October 27, 2009
Location: Provo, UT
Type: Utah dog bite

An 11-year-old boy is recovering from injuries he received in a dog attack that occurred in Provo on Tuesday. According to the Daily Herald, Miles Graham was on his way to Provost Elementary School that morning when he passed a home around 1100 E. and 800 S. A dog jumped over the home’s privacy fence and attacked him. Miles punched and kicked the dog, but it continued to attack and bite him. Fortunately, the young boy was assisted by a Good Samaritan. Juan Riboldi was driving past in his car and saw the dog attacking Miles. He rushed out of his vehicle and chased the dog away. He helped Miles into the car and drove him home. Both Miles and his family are extremely grateful to Riboldi for his kindness and willingness to help.

Miles jeans were torn from the attack, and he suffered significant bit wounds to both of his calves. He had to receive several stitches in the emergency room. He said he tried to prevent the dog from biting his face, and Mr. Riboldi’s rescue likely spared him from more serious injuries. We wish Miles a quick recovery from his injuries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4.7 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs each year. 800,000 of these victims suffer injuries serious enough to receive medical attention. Young children face even greater risk of serious injuries, as dogs can more easily reach a child’s neck and face. A dog bite to the face can cause permanent scarring and disfigurement, leaving the child with difficult physical and emotional obstacles. Many nonprofit organizations tailor to victims of facial scarring, helping them cope with the physical pain, as well as providing support and guidance for self-esteem and social issues. Angel Faces and About Face are two very helpful resources.

Attorney Kenneth Christensen, founder of the Christensen Law Firm, has authored “The Utah Dog Bite and Attack Handbook.” In this book, Mr. Christensen offers dog bite victims important information on how to best pursue their injury case. He also discusses the effects of dog attacks on children, and provides helpful resources for victims and their families. As a public service, this book is FREE to all Utah residents. To request your free copy, call us at 801.506.0800 or request a copy online.

Date: October 25, 2009
Location: West Valley City, UT
Type: Salt lake City fatal accident, Salt Lake City, Utah hit-and-run accident, Utah wrongful death

A tragic Salt Lake City car accident killed a construction worker on Interstate 215 Sunday evening. According to KSL News, a truck was driving south on the interstate near 3300 South around 7:30. The driver entered a lane near the shoulder that had been coned off. The truck was traveling around 50 miles per hour, and struck one of the workers. The Utah Highway Patrol has reported that the worker was 20-year-old Brayden F. Beddoes. When emergency crews arrived at the scene, Beddoes was alive. However, he passed away before he was taken to the hospital.

The truck sped away from the scene of the accident, and authorities are asking the public for help finding the driver. The truck is an older model, possibly a dodge, and is blue and white colored. Lt. Robert Anderson of the Utah Highway Patrol said that based on the damage to the vehicle, there is no doubt the driver knew he hit a pedestrian. If you have any information about the truck, please contact the Utah Highway Patrol at 801.887.3800.

Even though it is a felony to leave the scene of an accident, over 900 pedestrians are killed in hit-and-run accidents nationwide every year. Hit-and-run accidents are becoming more frequent, especially in urban areas. USA Today reported that the rate of hit-and-runs has increased 20% since 2000. Studies have revealed that 11% of all automobile accidents are hit-and-run. In fact, 700,000 people fall victim to hit-and-runs annually.

Hit-and-run accidents can be difficult for victims on a number of levels. Beyond the physical and emotional recovery a victim faces, the insurance process can be extremely cumbersome. The responsible party is absent in this type of accident, and the victim is left footing the bill. Although the victims family will be able to make a Workers Compensation Claim, because this accident was the fault of a third-party, the family can also make a claim under their own car insurance as an uninsured motorist claim. THe family should contact their own car insurance company to ensure an uninsured motorist claim is made.

Working with the insurance company is a complicated process. If you have been involved in a Utah hit-and-run accident, you may consider hiring the best Utah personal injury lawyer to handle your case. The Utah hit-and-run attorneys at the Christensen Law Firm offer superlative legal representation and can help ensure you are not left paying out-of-pocket for an accident you did not cause. For a free consultation about your legal rights, contact us at 801.506.0800

The Utah rifle deer hunting season opened this weekend. Wildlife experts are predicting a robust season, despite a relatively slow opening weekend, with plenty of yearling bucks in the northern region of the state. While the season ends on Sunday the 25th, plenty of hunters will return home with their prize trophy.

Hunters are known for their responsibility and safety during the hunting season, taking every precaution from wearing bright orange clothing to always ensuring the gun’s safety is on. However, accidents do happen during the hunting season, and can have deadly consequences. A common type of hunting accident occurs when the gun accidentally discharges. This happens for a variety of reasons, but product malfunction is at the top of the list. Dropping a rifle can result in it accidentally firing and injuring fellow hunters in the area. According to the International Hunter Education Association, 700 hunters nationwide were killed from accidental discharges in 2004.

Hunters were not the only ones anticipating the season’s opening this weekend. According to the Salt lake Tribune, the Utah Highway Patrol manned a checkpoint near West Wendover on Friday night. This checkpoint was placed in lieu of “Deer Widows” weekend in West Wendover, when many women stay behind while their husbands left for hunting season. Troopers made 12 drunk-driving arrests at the checkpoint on eastbound Interstate 80. Authorities also planned a checkpoint on Saturday evening in Heber City to target hunters returning home.

The expert Utah personal injury lawyers at the Christensen Law Firm encourage all hunters to enjoy deer season this year, but to do so in a safe manner. Keep your safety mechanisms on and always have your rifle pointed in a safe direction. Do not to operate your rifle after you have been drinking, nor get behind the wheel of your vehicle.

At the Christensen Law Firm, we have represented several clients that were injured in car accidents caused by drivers that were texting while driving, including a husband and wife that were rear-ended at a high rate of speed on I-15 in a construction zone by a teenager that was texting. The Christensen Law Firm has posted several blogs and articles that examine the dangers of text-messaging and driving. In our library article “Intexticated," we analyzed research conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory, which found that the reaction time of a driver who is text messaging is reduced by a staggering 35%. As text messaging has become increasingly popular, more institutes have studied the dangerous effects of texting behind the wheel.

Some drivers might ignore the research and warnings of texting and driving. Text messaging has become an old hat for many people, as easy as typing or writing. As such, some commuters may think they are less likely to get in an accident if they text and drive. However, KSL News has reported on a recent study that found text messaging and driving is always dangerous, no matter how good you are at typing on the phone-pad. A panel of social media experts were placed on a driving simulator while they text-messaged. The results show that texting and driving is always a risky combination.

Continue reading " Utah Accident Attorney Handling Accidents Caused By Text Messaging " »

At the Christensen Law Firm, we have represented several clients that were injured in car accidents caused by drivers that were texting while driving, including a husband and wife that were rear-ended at a high rate of speed on I-15 in a construction zone by a teenager that was texting. The Christensen Law Firm has posted several blogs and articles that examine the dangers of text-messaging and driving. In our library article “Intexticated," we analyzed research conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory, which found that the reaction time of a driver who is text messaging is reduced by a staggering 35%. As text messaging has become increasingly popular, more institutes have studied the dangerous effects of texting behind the wheel.

Some drivers might ignore the research and warnings of texting and driving. Text messaging has become an old hat for many people, as easy as typing or writing. As such, some commuters may think they are less likely to get in an accident if they text and drive. However, KSL News has reported on a recent study that found text messaging and driving is always dangerous, no matter how good you are at typing on the phone-pad. A panel of social media experts were placed on a driving simulator while they text-messaged. The results show that texting and driving is always a risky combination.

Continue reading " Salt Lake City, Utah Accident Attorney Handling Car Accidents Caused By Text Messaging " »

A community came together this weekend to honor a music instructor who died trying to save a bus full of students. Heather Christensen, 33, was a woodwind instructor at American Fork High School. On Saturday, October 10, Christensen was in a bus with the award-winning American Fork marching band returning home from a competition at Idaho State University in Pocatello. Two miles north of McCammon, the driver of the bus passed out from a medical condition. Christensen grabbed the wheel of the vehicle to try and bring it under control. Unfortunately, the bus rolled over, and Christensen did not survive the crash. Fifty students were on the bus, along with two adults and the driver. Two students were airlifted to a hospital, and medical crews treated many students at the scene of the accident. Christensen was the only fatality.

On Sunday night, students, parents, and neighbors gathered in the gymnasium of American Fork High School for a vigil to the brave instructor. Hundreds of people, including Gov. Gary Herbert, packed into the gym to remember and honor Christensen.

Jana Hogenson, Christensen’s sister, was proud of her heroic actions.
“I talked to the girl that sight right next to her last night on the bus,” Hogenson said. “She said had it not been for (Christensen), a lot of them would have died.”

Christensen’s viewing will be held this Friday at the Anderson & Sons Mortuary (49 E. 100 North, American Fork) from 6 to 9 p.m. Another viewing will follow Saturday morning at the Alpine Tabernacle from 9 to 11:30.

We join Christensen’s family and friends, as well as the entire Utah community, in honoring Heather Christensen for her heroic actions.

A Salt Lake City bicycle accident victim passed away this morning. Twelve-year-old Jacob Park had been battling for his life the past two weeks after suffering critical injuries in an accident that took place September 22. Jacob was riding his bike around 8 p.m, when he was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Chase Lane and 400 West. According to investigators, Jacob had been wearing dark clothes at the time of the accident, and did not have reflector lights on his bicycle. The driver of the vehicle did not see him. The force of the impact threw Jacob to the ground, inflicting him with severe head injuries. His family made the difficult decision to take him off life support, and he passed away this morning. We offer our deepest sympathies with the Park family as they mourn the loss of their loved one.

As the days get shorter, it is important to remind your children of proper bicycle safety precautions for riding in the evening. An important rule is “dress to be seen.” At night, make sure your children are wearing bright, reflective clothing to enhance their visibility to motorists. Also, every bicycle should be equipped with a white light in the front and a red reflector light in the back. And of course, always make sure your child does not go riding without a safety helmet. For more Utah bicycle safety tips, read the article “Top Ten Safety Tips for Utah Cyclists to Avoid Accidents,” just one of many Utah bicyclist resources in the Christensen Law Firm’s online library.

Some events in life are out of our control. Even when we adhere to ever safety guideline, accidents can still occur. When a Utah bicyclist is struck by a car, he/she has very little protection against serious injury. The physical recovery can be long and arduous, requiring follow-up surgeries, physical therapy, and time off of work. These medical bills can quickly add up, creating even more stress to an already burdensome recovery. If you have been in a Utah bicycle accident, you may consider seeking legal representation to help you receive a proper settlement. Allowing the best Utah bicycle accident lawyer to handle your accident case will provide you the peace of mind and freedom to focus on your physical and emotional recovery. Contact the expert Utah injury lawyers at the Christensen Law Firm for a free consultation at 801.506.0800. We will provide you with personal service to your case, diligently working to ensure you receive the settlement you deserve.

For most teenagers, getting their driver’s license is one of the happiest days of their lives. For parents, however, it can be a very nerve-racking event. Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every three deaths among American teenagers is the result of a car accident, with 12 teens between the ages of 16 and 19 dying each day from car crashes.

Consider the statistics: in 2005, 4,544 teenagers ages 16 to 19 died in car accidents. An additional 400,000 teens in this age group suffered injuries in car accidents that necessitated an emergency room visit. Teenagers account for 12% of all motor vehicle accident deaths in the United States.

A thorough examination of research and statistics provides parents with helpful advice in mitigating the risks of teenage driving. A teenage driver’s risk of getting into an accident increases with the number of teen passengers in the vehicle. You may consider limiting the number of friends your teenager can have in the car until he/she has more experience behind the wheel. Surveys have revealed that three out of ten teenagers have ridden with a driver who was under the influence of alcohol. Make sure your teenager knows the dangers of drunk driving, and assure him/her that you are always available and willing to pick them up, no matter the time or place. While it may be inconvenient for you, a late-night drive with your teenager is far better than a late-night call from the hospital.

Finally, the best method for teaching your teenager safe driving is to practice what you preach. Be sure you always buckle up, and enforce the same rule for all your passengers. Do not drive aggressively, and avoid distractions such as fiddling with the radio or talking on your cell phone. Your teenage driver will learn much from your example.