Utah Personal Injury Law Firm Blog

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published a study containing surprising statistics regarding cell phones and car accidents. Despite an increase in local laws banning cell phone use for drivers, and other public safety awareness campaigns, drivers are increasing their use of hand-held cell phone devices. The research found that any given day in 2008, over 800,000 drivers were using a hand-held cell phone.

According to the study, nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 due to distracted driving. An additional 500,000 people were injured in crashes involving inattentive drivers. The study found that text-messaging is an especially prevalent danger, especially with drivers under the age of 20. Local commuters aren’t the only drivers using cell phones. Consider the statistics: 16% of all fatal crashes and 21% of injury crashes in 2008 involved distracted drivers

We all need to do our part in ending distracted driving. KSL News recently held a Cell-Phone Free Car Challenge, in which they challenged viewers to make a pledge to not use their cell phones while driving for a week. Many drivers who took the pledge found it easy to turn the phone off when behind the wheel, it just took a simple reminder. The Salt Lake City car accident attorneys at the Christensen Law Firm encourage you to make the extra effort to drive without the distraction of a cell phone. Encourage your friends and family to turn off their phones before getting in the car. Together, we can help make Utah roads safer.

Our Utah personal injury lawyers are dedicated to providing Utah residents with helpful and important information to aid their commute. The founder of our law firm, attorney Kenneth Christensen, has authored the Utah car accident book “Seven Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Utah Accident Case” to provide even more advice to Utah accident victims. The Utah accident book offers detailed analysis of Utah’s accident laws, provides tips on how to work with insurance adjustors, and debunks common myths about accident claims. For your free copy of the Utah accident book, visit www.utahaccidentbook.com or call us at 801.506.0800.

On November 10, the Today Show featured a website called WhoCanISue.com. The website has been receiving quite a bit of publicity, as Time Magazine also featured it in an article (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1829725,00.html ) According to Time, attorneys will pay an annual fee of $1,000 to appear on the website, allowing consumers to determine whether they have a case and to pick a lawyer if they feel they need one.

Needless to say, this website is over-the-top. Real trial lawyers, who are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims, would not sign up for WhoCanISue.com just to find an easy case. Take the website’s tagline: “The Legal Process Made Easy.” A responsible personal injury lawyer, who has spent years mastering the law and representing accident victims, knows that the legal process is never easy. Defending a client’s rights against large insurance companies through litigation is a very difficult job, and one that ought to be taken more seriously than this website.

Continue reading " WhoCanISue.com is not for real lawyers! " »

Ottawa’s best personal injury lawyer Brenda Hollingsworth was interviewed about the decrease in medical rehabilitation benefits to seriously injured car accident victims that will come into effect beginning in the summer of 2010. The Ontario government will be reducing medical rehabilitation benefits from $100,000 to $50,000 over ten years for non-catastrophically injured victims. Many lawyers have remained silent on this topic, but Ms. Hollingsworth feels it is important to bring it to light in order to help defend injury victims’ rights. In the interview, she expresses her concerns for accident victims who have suffered serious injuries, but will run out of rehabilitation funds due to the government’s reduction plan.

Ms. Hollingsworth notes that this decrease in benefits will have a far-reaching effect. For example, if someone suffers serious orthopedic injuries in an accident, but the injuries do not result in quadriplegia or paraplegia, the victim may run out of medical rehabilitation benefits. The reduction also impacts victims in other ways. When a person is seriously injured, he/she may need to make home modifications, such as lowering the counters or installing a stair lift, to accommodate his/her injury. These costs come out of the rehabilitation benefits pot. However, $50,000 over ten years will not go far in helping pay for such expenses.

Continue reading " Ottawa Govt. Cuts Accident Victims' Benefits In Half - Is This Right? " »

Salt Lake City dog bite attorney Kenneth Christensen specializes in Utah Dog Bite cases and is the author of the "Utah Dog Bite and Attack Handbook." This valuable book is written to help educate Utah residents about their legal rights after a dog bite incident. It helps answer common questions concerning dog bite cases and provides detailed guidelines that can help you navigate Utah State law.

This is the book that insurance companies DO NOT want you to know about! Get your free book today by calling (801) 506-0800 or visiting our website.

Rainy weather, icy roads, sudden tire bursts—these are all dangerous threats to Utah commuters, as they can cause serious accidents. One of largest threats on our roadways, however, isn’t an outside factor like winter weather. It’s the driver. Distracted drivers are the cause of many Salt Lake City car accidents, some of which result in serious injuries or fatalities. In our fast-paced society, many commuters attempt to multi-task while driving by eating lunch on the go, putting on make-up, or taking a business call on their cell phone. Such behavior puts lives in danger.

According to KSL News, engineers at the University of Utah are trying to limit the number of distracted drivers. While lawmakers have attempted to do this by passing legislation, such as Utah’s texting and driving ban, these engineers are taking a less conventional route. Mechanical Engineering associate professor Mark Minors says that teams from all over the university are working on devices that can be attached to a vehicle’s interface and take control of certain aspects of the driving. Although he could not divulge much information at this time, Minors said that this new technology may be able to help prevent distracted driving. Similar technology is already in use in high-end cars. Radar devices in some cars are able to sense if the vehicle is approaching an object too quickly, and automatically apply the brakes if the driver is distracted and doesn’t notice the object. While technology is for automatic driving is still far away, recent technological advances are helping to reduce the threat of distracted driving.

Cell phone use is one of the most common types of driver distractions. According to a study at the University of Utah, using a cell phone (hand held or hands free) reduces a driver’s reaction time to that of a driver with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent, the legal limit. Furthermore, a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to get into a crash. For more information on distracted driving and other Utah car accident statistics, visit the Christensen Law Firm’s online library.

One quarter of all accidents results from distracted drivers. If you have been in a Utah accident due to another driver’s negligence, you are entitled to receive full compensation for property damage, medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Working through insurance papers and dealing with adjustors can be very cumbersome and time-consuming. Consider hiring Utah’s best personal injury lawyer, attorney Kenneth Christensen. With years of legal representation and expertise, Mr. Christensen can help ensure you receive a fair and just settlement. He diligently works on every case, offering personal attention and dedication to your accident claim. For a free consultation about your legal rights, contact the Christensen Law Firm at 801.506.0800 or visit our Utah car accident law online library

Date: October 31, 2009
Location: 1340 N. 1200 W., Orem, UT
Type: Utah hit-and-run accident law

A young boy from Orem was critically injured in a horrible Utah hit-and-run accident Halloween night. According to KSL News, the young boy was walking by his parent’s car to go out trick-or-treating around 7:30 PM. A truck or SUV hit the boy while he was in the street. Sgt. Craig Martinez said the driver knew what happened; it pulled over on the side of the road less than a block away. It idled for a short time, and then left the scene of the accident. The boy was initially taken to Utah valley Medical Center, and later flown to Primary Children’s Medical Center in critical condition. He has since improved to serious condition, and suffers from at least one facial fracture and a broken leg. We wish this young boy a healthy and quick recovery from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle is still on the run. If you have any information pertaining to the accident, contact your local sheriff’s department. Keep your eye out for a dark truck or SUV with damage to the right front corner.

In addition to the physical and emotional difficulties that accompany a Utah car accident, hit-and-run victims often face financial challenges with insurance companies. In a normal accident, the insurance company of the responsible party pays for vehicle damage, medical costs, and other expenses. However, in a hit-and-run accident, the responsible party is absent and the victim often gets stuck with the bill. This is why it is important to make sure your insurance policy has Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM Coverage.) This type of policy will help cover the victim’s costs for property damage, lost wages, and medical bills.

If you have been involved in a Utah hit-and-run accident, you may consider hiring Utah’s best injury attorney. The Utah accident lawyers at the Christensen Law Firm are experts in Utah’s personal injury and insurance laws, providing victim with diligent and knowledgeable legal representation. Hit-and-run accident victims can still make a claim for their full injuries and damages, even if the at-fault driver is never found. We offer personal attention to every client, successfully representing injury victims all along the Wasatch Front. For a free consultation about your case, contact us at 801.506.0800.