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Your Clearfield Personal Injury Attorney
If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Clearfield, the most useful thing to have right now is a straight answer about time limits and fault. Utah sets both by statute, and this page walks through them in plain language. The sections below cover the deadlines that apply, the one-year notice rule for government claims, how shared fault is weighed, and the situations people ask about most. Nothing here is specific to Clearfield alone, since the same statutes apply across Utah, but where your case is heard depends on the county.
Quick Answers on Utah Time Limits
- Car accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, and similar claims: generally 4 years from the injury, under Utah Code 78B-2-307.
- Car damage from a crash: 4 years to file a claim for the vehicle itself (Utah Code 78B-2-307(3)).
- Wrongful death: 2 years from the date of death, under Utah Code 78B-2-304.
- Product liability: 2 years from discovery of the harm and what caused it (Utah Code 78B-6-706).
- Public-entity claims: notice within 1 year, lawsuit within 2 years, both measured from when the claim arises (Utah Code 63G-7-402 and 63G-7-403).
The Deadlines Behind an Injury Claim in Utah
Four years is the baseline: Utah Code 78B-2-307 gives most negligence-based injury claims four years from the date of injury. The shorter deadlines below are the exceptions, and they are the ones most likely to catch someone off guard.
Not every claim gets the full four years. Wrongful death is limited to two years from death under Utah Code 78B-2-304, and product liability to two years from discovery of the harm and its cause under Utah Code 78B-6-706.
When the injured person is under 18, Utah Code 78B-2-108 pauses the limitations clock until they turn 18. Claims against a government entity follow their own rules, including a notice requirement, so it is worth asking early rather than assuming.
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Injured on Public Property or by a Government Vehicle?
Suing a public entity in Utah starts with a written notice of claim, and it must be filed within one year after the claim arises. Utah Code 63G-7-402 bars the claim if the notice is late, no matter how strong the underlying case is.
After the notice is filed, the entity must acknowledge it in writing within 60 days, and you generally cannot file suit until 60 days have passed. The lawsuit itself must then be filed within two years after the claim arises (Utah Code 63G-7-403), in district court.
Utah Code 63G-7-401 spells out what a notice must contain (the facts, the nature of the claim, and known damages) and where it must be delivered, which depends on the kind of entity involved: a city clerk, a county clerk, the attorney general for state claims, and so on.
How Utah Weighs Shared Fault
Utah uses a modified comparative fault rule under Utah Code 78B-5-818. Being partly to blame does not automatically end your claim, but you can only recover if your share of fault is less than 50%. At 49%, your recovery is reduced by 49%; at 50% or more, you recover nothing.
Each defendant answers only for the percentage of fault attributed to it, so how fault is divided among everyone involved can change what you are able to collect (Utah Code 78B-5-818).
Where a Clearfield Injury Case Is Heard
Where a case is filed usually depends on where the injury happened or where a defendant lives (Utah Code 78B-3a-201). For an injury in Clearfield, that points to the district court for Davis County, whose county seat is Farmington, in the Second Judicial District.
What Kind of Injury Was It? What Utah Law Says
General deadlines are only the starting point. These are the situations where Utah has something more specific to say.
How long do I have after a car accident in Utah?
You generally have four years from the crash to file a lawsuit. Whether you can seek general damages depends on Utah’s no-fault threshold: death, dismemberment, permanent impairment or disfigurement, a fracture, or more than $3,000 in medical expenses (Utah Code 31A-22-309).
Damage to your vehicle is a separate matter with its own four-year limit (Utah Code 78B-2-307(3)), and Utah’s 50% fault rule applies to the injury claim as well.
Can I sue if I slipped and fell on someone else’s property in Utah?
Possibly. Slip and fall claims are premises-liability negligence claims: the question is generally whether the owner knew, or reasonably should have known, about the hazard and failed to fix it or warn about it. The general four-year deadline applies, and your own share of fault can reduce or bar recovery under Utah Code 78B-5-818.
Your own attention can be raised as a defense. Under Utah Code 78B-5-818, being found 50% or more at fault ends the claim, and lower percentages reduce it.
Who can be responsible when a product injures me in Utah?
Product cases can involve the manufacturer, distributor, or seller, depending on the facts. What is fixed is the timing: two years from discovery of the harm and its cause (Utah Code 78B-6-706).
Keep the product, its packaging, and any receipts, and document the injury. A product that is discarded or repaired can be hard to replace as evidence.
How long do we have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Utah?
Two years from the date of death, under Utah Code 78B-2-304. That is counted from the death itself, not from the earlier injury, and it is shorter than the four-year limit for most injury claims.
If a government entity was involved in the death, a written notice of claim is due within one year (Utah Code 63G-7-402), which is shorter than the two-year wrongful death deadline.
How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Utah?
Utah’s dog bite statute does not set its own filing deadline, so the general four-year limit is the one to plan around. If a public entity was involved, such as a police dog or a city-run animal program, different rules can apply.
Getting medical care promptly matters for your health and your claim, and reporting the bite creates an official record of what happened.
Not sure which situation fits yours? Tell us what happened in Clearfield.
Injury Claims in Clearfield
People in Clearfield deal with the same statewide deadlines as everyone in Utah. What is local is the court: Davis County’s district court, in the Second Judicial District.
Hurt by a doctor or hospital instead? Read about medical malpractice claims in Clearfield.
Nearby cities we also cover: personal injury representation from Salt Lake City.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Utah?
Generally 4 years from the date of injury, under Utah’s general limit in Utah Code 78B-2-307. Wrongful death, product, and government claims have shorter clocks.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim in Utah?
The person’s heirs, or a personal representative acting for the heirs’ benefit, under Utah Code 78B-3-106. The deadline is two years from the date of death.
Where do I send a notice of claim in Utah?
To the office Utah Code 63G-7-401 names for that kind of entity: for example the city or county clerk for local claims, or the attorney general for the state.
What happens if I was partly at fault for my injury in Utah?
Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, as long as your fault is less than 50% (Utah Code 78B-5-818).
How long do I have to sue after a car accident in Utah?
Generally four years from the accident under Utah Code 78B-2-307, or a much shorter notice period if a government vehicle or entity was involved.
Do I need a lawyer for a slip and fall in Utah?
You are not required to have one, but early legal advice helps preserve evidence and clarify deadlines, and a consultation typically costs nothing.
Is there an exception to Utah’s dog bite liability rule?
Yes. An owner is not liable for injury to a trespasser who violated Utah Code 76-6-206(2) if the injury happened on the owner’s private property while the dog was reasonably secured within a fence or enclosure (Utah Code 18-1-1(3)).
What if I did not know a product caused my injury?
The two-year period does not begin until you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, both the injury and its cause (Utah Code 78B-6-706).
Does every Utah county have a district court?
Yes. Utah Code 78A-5-101 places a district court in the county seat of each county.
How soon should I contact an attorney after an injury in Utah?
As soon as you can. Some deadlines, like the one-year notice for government claims, are short, and evidence fades quickly.
Start the Process Now
Several Utah deadlines are much shorter than the four-year rule people expect, especially the one-year notice for government claims, so it helps to know which one applies before decisions get made. There is no requirement to arrive with a plan. Reaching out costs nothing and commits you to nothing, and it is often the fastest way to learn what is still possible.
