Our Sandy office is at 45 West Sego Lily Drive, Suite 315. A lot of the people who call us were hurt within a few miles of it: on I-15, on State Street, on the busy east to west roads running across the valley.
Whether your crash was at a light on State or in a parking lot at the mall, the first two weeks look the same. Here is what to do.
First: get checked. It is not the time to be brave.
People are hurt in crashes and do not know it. Adrenaline and shock hide a lot. Go to an emergency room, an urgent care or your doctor, and tell them everything that hurts. Describe symptoms, not diagnoses: my neck hurts, my hands are numb, I'm dizzy.
Waiting to see if it gets better is one of the biggest mistakes I see. A gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster will use against you.
Get the right crash report
Which agency wrote the report depends on where the crash happened.
- Inside Sandy city limits: usually Sandy Police.
- On I-15: usually the Utah Highway Patrol.
- Just across a city line into Draper, Midvale, South Jordan or Cottonwood Heights: that city's department.
Your case number should be on the paperwork the officer gave you. One detail that trips people up constantly: the police case number and the insurance claim number are two different things. Keep them straight, and write both in your crash diary.
A police report is useful, but it is not the final word on fault. It is the officer's summary. Photos, video, witnesses and the physical evidence often tell a fuller story.
Find the video before it is gone
Sandy is full of cameras: businesses along State Street, gas stations, doorbells in the neighbourhoods. Most of that footage overwrites itself in days or weeks. If you know a business near the crash had a camera, ask them to save it now, in writing, and tell us.
Find your car
If your car was towed, find out where it is this week and who is paying the storage. Unless an insurance company tells you in writing that it is covering the tow and storage, assume it is not. Storage runs every day.
The insurance calls
Your own insurer: open the claim. Read your answers from your notes so they are the same every time. Ask what coverage you have, including personal injury protection and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
The other driver's insurer: they are not your friend. Report the claim with simple facts. If they ask to record the call, say no. Do not apologise, do not guess, do not sign anything.
If you got a ticket
Do not argue with the officer at the scene. Ask questions so you understand exactly why, make sure the officer heard your side, and write down what you were told. Traffic citations in Sandy are generally handled in the Sandy Justice Court. A ticket is not the same thing as being at fault in the civil claim, but what you say about it can be used there, so talk to us before you plead.
The deadlines
- Personal injury — four years. Utah Code § 78B-2-307.
- Wrongful death — two years. § 78B-2-304.
- Vehicle property damage — three years. § 78B-2-305.
- A city vehicle, UTA bus, snowplow or road defect: a written notice of claim is due within one year. § 63G-7-402.
One team for you and your car
Most injury firms leave you to fight the adjuster about the car on your own. LawyerUp handles the vehicle property damage claim alongside the injury claim, so the tow, the rental, the repair or total loss and your treatment are all handled together.
Call (801) 685-1000 or visit our Sandy office. The consultation is free.