A lot of Utah's most serious crash injuries end up in Murray, whether the crash happened here or not. Intermountain Medical Center is here. So are State Street, 5300 South, Murray Boulevard, the I-15 and I-215 interchange, Fashion Place Mall, and Murray Central Station, where TRAX and FrontRunner meet.
If you are reading this from a hospital bed in Murray, or a few days after you got home, the thing that probably worries you most right now is the bills. Let us start there.
Who pays the medical bills, and in what order
First, your own PIP. Utah is a no-fault state for the first $3,000 of medical expenses under Utah Code § 31A-22-307. Your personal injury protection pays those regardless of who caused the crash. A single emergency visit can use most of it.
Next, often your health insurance. Once PIP runs out, your health insurance may start paying. That is usually a good thing. But health insurers commonly have a right to be repaid from a later injury settlement, so their payments are not free money. They need to be tracked and negotiated at the end.
Last, the at-fault driver's insurer. The other driver's liability insurance does not pay your bills as they come in. It pays when the claim is resolved, as part of a settlement or judgment. That gap is exactly why people feel pressure to settle early.
Do not let the gap push you into a quick settlement. Under § 31A-22-309, a claim for pain and suffering requires a qualifying injury, such as a fracture, permanent impairment, or more than $3,000 in medical expenses. A hospital stay usually clears that line. Settling before you know where treatment ends trades away the part of the claim you cannot see yet.
Keep the paper
- Every bill, from every provider. Hospitals, emergency physicians, radiology and ambulance services often bill separately.
- Every explanation of benefits from your health insurer.
- Discharge instructions and follow-up referrals.
- A simple diary: pain, sleep, what you could not do that day, missed work.
It is not glamorous. It is also the difference between a claim that is documented and one that is argued.
Which police agency took the report
Crashes inside the city are handled by Murray City Police. Crashes on I-15 and I-215 are usually worked by the Utah Highway Patrol. Request the report from the agency that responded, and keep the police case number separate from the insurance claim number.
Crashes near Murray Central Station
Murray Central is a busy transfer point for TRAX, FrontRunner and buses. A crash involving a UTA train or bus is a claim against a government entity, and Utah Code § 63G-7-402 requires a written notice of claim within one year. Miss it and the claim is barred, no matter how strong it is.
Retail traffic on State Street
Fashion Place Mall and the State Street corridor mean parking lots, left turns and pedestrians. Parking lot crashes are often on private property, and the police may not write a full report. Your own photos, witness names and a request to the business to save its camera footage matter more there.
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.
- UTA or another government entity: written notice of claim within one year.
A Murray injury lawsuit is generally filed in the Third District Court, which covers Salt Lake County.
LawyerUp handles the vehicle property damage claim alongside the injury claim, so the car, the rental and the medical bills are in one file. Call (801) 685-1000.