Snowmobiles offer users a useful, fun way to get around in the winter months. Unfortunately, the fun is sometimes cut short by an accident. Snowmobile accidents are often serious due to the limited protection offered by these vehicles combined with the areas in which they are often used.
If you have suffered a snowmobile accident, contact the 1Law Salt Lake City office for a free consultation today. We have helped countless snowmobile accident victims recover the money they need to get their lives back on track after an injury.
When you hire a snowmobile accident lawyer, they will take over every aspect of your legal case. This leaves you free to focus on recovering from your injuries while your lawyer works to recover your damages. The first thing they will do to that end is to launch an independent investigation into your crash. This investigation may involve:
Through their investigation, your attorney will aim to determine who is liable for your accident and gather evidence to support your claim. Once the investigation is complete, your attorney will assess your damages and calculate the total value of your case.
Your attorney will then consult with you about your options for recovering compensation and advise you of the pros and cons of each. Once you are on the same page, your lawyer will submit a claim to the insurer of the liable party or file a lawsuit with the court.
If pursuing a lawsuit, your attorney will go through the pretrial process and then represent you in court, if necessary. Most snowmobile accident cases never go to trial. Your attorney will be in constant negotiations with the legal representation from the other side, attempting to negotiate a fair settlement and get you the money you need as quickly as possible.
Personal injury lawyers typically work on a contingency fee basis. That means that unlike many other types of lawyers, a Salt Lake City snowmobile accident attorney will not be billing you more money every time they answer your phone call. Instead, your lawyer will collect a prearranged percentage of the compensation you recover from the liable party.
This fee is entirely contingent upon your attorney getting you money for your accident. If you don’t recover compensation, your lawyer doesn’t get paid.
Under this system, you can feel encouraged that your attorney is doing everything they can to make sure you recover compensation. Additionally, since their fee increases with each extra dollar they get for you, you can be assured that they will work to get you as much money for your accident as they possibly can.
Under Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307, snowmobile accident victims typically have four years from the date of their accident to file a lawsuit against the liable party. However, it is essential that you are aware of the fact that special circumstances may alter the amount of time you have to file. For instance, you will have far less time if the liable party was a government agency.
The best way to ensure that you meet all deadlines is to hire an experienced snowmobile accident attorney shortly after your accident. Not only will this ensure that your lawsuit gets filed on time, but it will also put your lawyer in the best position to build a strong case. They will be able to gather evidence and record witness testimony much easier the sooner they get started.
When you get hurt in a Salt Lake City snowmobile accident where another party was at fault, you are likely eligible to recover a wide variety of damages. Damages recoverable after a snowmobile accident can be divided into three general categories:
Economic damages are the losses you suffered that have a direct impact on your financial situation. Common economic damages include:
Non-economic damages are far more complex. These are the losses you suffered that can not be easily quantified. Non-economic damages are the losses that people tend to feel the deepest. These are the things that can never be replaced. Because of this, non-economic damages often make up the bulk of a snowmobile accident compensation payout.
Common non-economic damages include:
Punitive damages are only awarded in a small percentage of snowmobile accidents. Punitive damages are not awarded as compensation for any loss suffered by the accident victim. Instead, these damages are assessed when the actions of the liable party were particularly egregious.
Punitive damages are intended to punish the at-fault party for actions that were grossly negligent or carried out with a blatant disregard for public safety.
When attempting to recover compensation after a snowmobile accident, hiring an experienced snowmobile accident lawyer in Salt Lake City is the best step you can take. At 1Law, we have plenty of experience working to get fair compensation for your clients after a snowmobile accident.
If you were injured due to another party’s negligence, give us a call, fill out our online contact form, or use our free chat tool to get started. We offer free consultations where we will review your case, answer any questions you may have, and offer advice on how to proceed.