Utah Personal Injury Law Firm Blog

According to a recent report released by the Salt Lake Tribune, car accidents caused by West Valley City employees, while driving city vehicles, have increased by an astounding 54% in the last year. West Valley City employees cost the city over $107,000.00 in damages so far for 2009. This amount is likely to rise as there are still pending personal injury claims that have yet to be settled. Utah residents are angry that instead of spending public monies in areas like health care or education, these funds are being funneled into paying for reckless and preventable accidents caused by city employees.

West Valley Police Officers Overwhelmingly At-Fault in Car Accidents

West Valley City Attorney, Richard Catten, explained to the public that WVC employees have increasingly been cited for causing minor accidents like backing into other vehicles, mail boxes, trees or rear ending other motor vehicles. Distracted driving is a key characteristic of these types of accidents and the damages are not cheap. For example a city employee, driving a WVC water truck scraped his truck against two parked cars when making a right turn. The city employee was not observant that he was driving an extra wide load and his mistake cost the city $11,000 in property damages.

Interestingly, the report demonstrates that West Valley City police officers caused 37 of the 60 at-fault car accidents in 2009. In fact, for the past three years, police officers have consistently caused 60% of at-fault traffic accidents.

• One officer attempted to make a U-Turn over a median and got stuck. This accident cost the city $6,000.

• Another police officer rear ended a vehicle causing $14,000 in property damages and injuring the driver of the other motor vehicle.

Warning:
Your Ability to File a Utah Personal Injury Claim is Affected if a Government Entity is Involved

Utah statute of limitations is an important timeline that designates your window of opportunity to file a claim against the responsible party. If the statute of limitations expires, you may no longer bring a case to court. In standard Utah motor vehicle accidents, the statute of limitations is four years. However, In the State of Utah, the statute of limitations on filing a personal injury claim is decreased to one year if the at-fault party is a government agency.

Attorney Ken Christensen’s book Seven Biggest Mistakes that can Wreck Your Utah Accident Case contains additional information on Utah Traffic Laws and guidelines on how to file an insurance claim for bodily injury. It is an invaluable resource that offers real life education and advice on how to protect yourself if you have been in a Utah personal injury accident. Give the Christensen Law Firm a call to request a FREE copy of this book at 1.801.506.0800 or visit us online at www.utahaccidentbook.com.

WVC Fire Department Takes Action to Curb Accidents

Several years ago, the West Valley Fire Department also experiences a substantial increase in accidents. Most of the accidents were from hitting objects when backing out. WVC instated a policy that a “spotter” is designated whenever the fire truck backs out of any premise. The results have been significantly positive: the department has seen a 50% reduction in their at-fault truck accidents. If West Valley City were to implement basic changes on employee driver protocol, training and safety then the West Valley City won’t lose so much public money on preventable car accidents. Increased driver’s education on how to on how to maneuver government vehicles properly and how to avoid distracted driving will be quite beneficial to all.

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.

Date: June 11, 2009
Location: 400 West and 9000 South
Type: Utah Bus Accident Lawyer, Utah drunk driving accident

KSL News has reported a serious Utah truck accident involving a school bus that took place Thursday morning in West Jordan. According to police, 46-year-old Kevin Fullmer suddenly made a left-hand turn in his truck directly in front of a school bus. The bus driver had little time to react and hit the breaks to decrease speed. He slammed into the truck, sending it into a light pole. The bus was carrying 55 children. Thankfully, none of them were seriously injured. Some students suffered bruising and others received cuts from shattered glass. Fullmer suffered from a head injury and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police say he was drinking before the crash, but are waiting for a blood alcohol test before they press charges.

While the quick reaction of the bus driver saved the students from serious injuries, this accident could have been a lot worse. Alcohol-related accidents account for 40% of all traffic accident fatalities across the United States. 19% of all Utah traffic accident fatalities are the result of drunk driving. Even worse, many drunk drivers are repeat offenders. To learn about the actions advocacy groups are taking to limit repeat DUI offenders, visit the Christensen Law Firm’s online library. If you have been injured in a Utah drunk driving accident, you deserve just compensation for the physical and monetary damages you received. The expert drunk driving attorneys at the Christensen Law Firm will provide you with superlative legal representation and will diligently work to ensure you receive the settlement you deserve. For a free consultation call 801.506.0800.

Date: March 30, 2009
Location: Baker Canyon, 21 miles south of Fillmore
Type: Truck and bus collisions, Utah bus accident

The Salt Lake Tribune reported a serious accident this morning involving a school bus. The bus was transporting a youth choir group from Payson High School along Interstate 15 during the latest Utah snowstorm. Around 4:30 am this morning, the bus collided with a tractor trailer. Police say the truck was traveling north and slid on an ice patch, causing it to overturn. The trailer broke off from the cab and spilled boxes across the interstate. The bus, which was also driving north, attempted to avoid the trailer. However, it ended up clipping the side of the trailer, causing many of the 52 student passengers to sustain neck and back pains. Many of the students were transported to an armory in Fillmore where they waited for rides back to Payson.

Typically insurance companies try and settle bus accident claims quickly before the injured parties discover the full extent of their injuries. All passengers in the bus would be well advised to obtain a free copy of the Utah Accident Book, "7 Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Utah Accident Case" at www.UtahAccidentBook.com before signing any documents from the insurance companies.

According to a KUTV News article, “School Bus Driver Jailed After DUI Crash At The Gateway,” a school bus driver was transporting several children from Salt Lake City’s Jewish Community Center to the Discovery Museum at the Gateway when he crashed into a light pole. The driver, 51-year-old Jon Wallace Hoffman, then ran away from the scene before authorities arrived. Hoffman later returned and took a field sobriety test, which he failed. Mr. Hoffman was arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

Considering Hoffman’s history, the bus company never should have allowed him to be in such a position of trust. In 1994 Hoffman was charged with public intoxication. In 1996 he caused a serious traffic accident. In 2005 he was involved in another traffic accident and in 2006 he plead guilty to charges of disorderly conduct and speeding. Despite this, the bus company that employed Hoffman – Serv-a-Bus – insists that it conducts background checks on all of its drivers.

Both Hoffman and Serv-a-Bus could be held liable. Buses – school buses, city buses, and charter buses - are considered “common carriers” and have an “utmost duty of care.” This is much higher than that of a friend who gives you a ride to school. If any of these young children were injured in this accident, their families would be well served to contact a Utah Personal Injury Lawyer to ensure bus drivers and transportation companies do not let this happen again and that all medical bills and future damages are covered.

A tour bus near Panguitch, Utah and Bryce Canyon full of teens from New Jersey, New York and Florida who were on a tour of the western United States rolled and caught on fire according to reports by KSL News, Tour Bus Loaded With Teens Rolls in Red Canyon, and the Salt Lake Tribune's, Fiery Bus Crash Near Bryce Canyon National Park Hurts Teens.

It is very fortunate for the young people and their families that no one was killed in this fiery accident.

KSL reported that is unclear what caused this bus to go off the road and that wind may have contributed. How could it be unclear? The bus driver should be questioned and should provide answers to these important questions.

Official accident investigations many times lack the resource to cover every probable cause of the accident. The family of these young teens may be well served consulting with a Utah personal injury attorney. Injury claims outside your home state can be difficult, but our firm has handled several of these claims and achieved successful results.