Utah Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries that affect you for the rest of your life. When someone else’s negligence is the cause, you deserve justice. Our robust litigation team can help you recover substantial compensation from trucking companies and other responsible parties.
When life knocks you down, you can count on our dedicated Utah truck accident lawyers to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you until you get the results you deserve. Call (801) 499-5060 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
Why Choose Feller & Wendt LLC™ As Your Truck Accident Law Firm in Utah?
When you are seriously injured in a truck accident, you deserve more than just a lawyer. You deserve a team of legal warriors dedicated to winning your battle. When you choose Feller and Wendt, LLC™, you become a part of our family. We provide personalized, caring support, and you will have your attorney’s personal cell phone number with an open invitation to call anytime.
We have over 70 years of combined experience, a proven record of outstanding results, and deep local roots. Founding partner Matt Feller and other attorneys in our firm were born and raised in Utah. Partner and CEO Thaddeus Wendt is also a respected professor at Weber State University. We know the legal landscape in Utah and have the resources, skills, and professional network to fight trucking companies for the results you deserve.
“My passion for teaching comes from my experience at Weber State. I really appreciated the local instructors who were actively working in the community-owned businesses. I think I learned the most from them. My involvement at Weber State University as an adjunct professor improves my ability not just to practice law in personal injury but be knowledgeable about all aspects of the law.”
You will receive an unmatched level of client service while we aggressively protect your rights through every stage of the legal process.
“People come to us in need of help, and help is what we offer. That help often comes in the form of legal work, but I’ve always tried to do more, give more, and be more to every one of my clients. They will receive the best legal representation from the best personal injury lawyers in town, but they will also receive a friend, a cheerleader, a listening ear, and a shoulder to cry on. The clients we represent are, at times, devastated. They’re walking through what is likely the most difficult trial they’ve ever faced or will ever face. I care about them and believe they deserve more. They should never have to walk alone. I’m here for them.”
– Matt Feller
Testimonials From Our Utah Injury Clients
We maintain the highest standard of service while aggressively protecting our clients’ rights at every stage of the claims process. We are honored by the glowing client testimonials we receive praising our dedication and hard work:
Our high-value case results reflect the hard work and care we put into every case.
Compensation Available In A Utah Truck Accident
You may be entitled to the following damages when you are injured in a truck accident:
- Economic damages – Monetary losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.
- Non-economic damages – Intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of consortium.
- Punitive damages – Damages that punish the defendant and deter others, awarded in limited cases when the defendant injured you intentionally or through gross negligence.
Who Is Liable in a Utah Truck Accident
Multiple parties play a role in the safe operation of commercial trucks. The following parties may be liable when their carelessness leads to accidents:
- Truck drivers
- Trucking companies
- Truck part manufacturers
- Truck mechanics
- Companies that load cargo
Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Utah
Drivers and trucking companies have an increased level of responsibility to prevent accidents due to their heightened risk of catastrophic injuries. Accidents happen when trucking companies, drivers, and other parties fail to take their responsibilities seriously.
Driver Negligence
Driver error is the most common cause of truck accidents. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the most common forms of truck driver negligence are speeding and distracted driving. In our experience, the following careless behavior by truck drivers also leads to frequent serious accidents:
- Drunk driving
- Drowsy driving
- Improper lane changes
- Improper right turns
- Failure to adjust to road conditions
- Taking unsafe shortcuts
Trucking companies may be held vicariously liable for the negligence of their drivers.
Unqualified Truck Drivers
Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring drivers have active commercial driver’s licenses and for performing background and driving history checks before hiring. Though they are also responsible for driver training, trucking companies often respond to driver shortages by hiring inexperienced truck drivers.
Inadequate Truck Maintenance
Trucking companies have a duty to maintain trucks in safe working order, perform ongoing maintenance, and complete regular inspections. In fact, truck drivers must perform vehicle inspections at the end of every workday. The following safety defects often lead to truck accidents:
- Defective or worn tires
- Malfunctioning brakes
- Steering mechanism defects
- Cracked, broken, or obstructed mirrors and windshields
- Non-functioning blinkers, taillights, and headlights
Uneven or Overweight Loads
With limited exceptions, the maximum gross vehicle weight in Utah is 80,000 pounds. An overloaded truck can be difficult to control and may cause tire blowouts.
Even if a truck is not overloaded, improperly loaded cargo can cause a loss of control, rollover, or jackknife accident. These accidents can occur if the weight distribution is lopsided, unsecured cargo moves in transit, or the weight distribution shifts. Companies that load cargo may be liable when unsafe loading causes accidents.
Road Conditions
Road conditions in Utah can quickly degrade during winter months, which is especially dangerous on mountainous roads with blind curves and drop-offs. Federal law requires commercial motor vehicles to slow down in snowy or icy conditions and stop driving if the conditions prevent safe travel. Trucking companies may be liable if they pressure drivers to operate in unsafe conditions.
Regulatory Violations
- Hours-of-service regulations – Federal regulations limit truck drivers to 11 hours on the road per day and require a break of at least 10 hours between shifts.
- Utah travel lane restrictions – Commercial vehicles heavier than 18,000 pounds must drive in the right lane except in limited circumstances, such as legal passing.
Truck Accident FAQs
1. Will My Utah Truck Accident Case Go to Trial?
When you work with our Utah personal injury lawyers, it is unlikely that your truck accident claim will go to trial. In 85 percent of our cases, we recover compensation without ever stepping foot in court. Even if we file a lawsuit, only 5 percent of cases go to court because we successfully negotiate insurance settlements.
Whether we accept a settlement or go to court is always up to you. If a trial becomes necessary, we will prepare you ahead of time in a three-day deposition boot camp.
2. Can I Recover Damages If I Was Partially Responsible for a Utah Truck Accident?
The Utah comparative negligence law allows you to recover damages even if you are partly at fault, as long as your share of the fault is not higher than the defendant’s. For example, if you are 20 percent at fault in a $1 million accident, your recovery is reduced to $800,000.
Comparative negligence laws give insurance companies a financial incentive to assign as much fault to you as possible. Our legal team can investigate the accident and counter false allegations to maximize your compensation.
3. How Do I Obtain a Crash Report After a Utah Truck Accident?
You can purchase a crash report from the Utah Department of Public Safety through its online portal. Crash reports are protected records in Utah, so you must prove that you were a party who suffered a loss in the accident, such as a driver or passenger, before you can get a copy of your report. Our attorneys can help.
4. Should I Accept an Insurance Company's First Settlement Offer?
Never accept an insurance company’s settlement offer without speaking to an experienced Utah truck accident attorney first. Early insurance settlement offers are almost always lowball offers. Your injuries could cost you a lifetime of wages and medical expenses, and the full value of your claim may not be clear immediately after the accident.
As a condition of accepting the offer, you must sign away your rights to pursue additional compensation, even if your damages exceed the settlement. Our attorneys can evaluate your claim to make sure you leave no money on the table.
Our Utah Office Locations
Areas We Serve
Let Feller & Wendt LLC™ Be Your Truck Accident Law Firm in Utah
You shouldn’t have to fight big trucking companies alone when injured in a truck accident. Our legal warriors are ready to take up your cause. We will handle your claim while you can focus on recovery. With more than $85 million recovered for our clients, we are Utah’s premier law firm for injured truck accident victims. Call (801) 499-5060 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our skilled Utah truck accident lawyers today.
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*This information provided by Feller & Wendt, LLC™ is for informational purposes only and should be in no way constructed as legal advice.
