Instantly Connect For Your Personal Injury Consultation When Filling Out Form
Ready to talk to someone about what happened in Orem? The form above connects you directly, no need to read everything below first.
Your Orem Personal Injury Attorney
An injury in Orem can leave you sorting out bills, pain, and paperwork before you have had a chance to catch your breath. The rules that decide how long you have and what you can recover are written down, and they are clearer than most people expect. Below you will find the key Utah deadlines at a glance, how claims against a city, county, or the state are handled differently, and what happens when fault is shared. A local attorney familiar with Orem and Utah’s courts can tell you which of these rules apply to what happened to you.
Utah Injury Deadlines at a Glance
- Standard injury claims get 4 years from the date of injury, per 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.
- Defective products: 2 years from when you discovered, or should have discovered, both the harm and its cause (Utah Code 78B-6-706).
- If a public entity is involved: 1 year to file a written notice of claim, then 2 years to file suit, both counted 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.
Wrongful death claims get two years from the date of death under Utah Code 78B-2-304, and product liability claims get two years from discovery of the harm and its cause under Utah Code 78B-6-706. Both are shorter than the general limit.
Injuries to children are treated differently. Utah Code 78B-2-108 keeps the clock from running during minority, though a claim involving a government entity follows its own rules and is worth raising with an attorney right away.
Injured in Orem? Get matched with an attorney now.
Claims Against a City, County, or the State
Claims involving public entities are the big exception to Utah’s four-year rule. A written notice of claim must be filed within one year after the claim arises, or the claim is barred (Utah Code 63G-7-402).
Once notice is filed, you generally wait 60 days before filing suit, and the entity must acknowledge the notice in writing within that period. The suit must be started within two years after the claim arises, and it goes to district court (Utah Code 63G-7-403 and 78A-5-102).
Knowing who to notify matters as much as when. The rules in Utah Code 63G-7-401 name a different office for each kind of entity, and each entity files its own designated address for receiving notices.
Utah's 50% Fault Rule
Utah’s rule, in Utah Code 78B-5-818, lets you recover as long as the fault of those you are seeking recovery from exceeds your own. A person found 30% at fault recovers 70% of the damages; a person found 50% at fault recovers nothing.
Fault can also be assigned to someone who is immune from suit or who is not a party to the case, which shapes how the percentages are compared (Utah Code 78B-5-818 and 78B-5-819).
The Court Behind Your Orem Claim
Utah injury lawsuits are filed in district court, the state’s trial court of general jurisdiction, with a district court in the county seat of every county (Utah Code 78A-5-101). Orem is in Utah County, part of Utah’s Fourth Judicial District, and the Utah County seat is Provo.
Your Situation and the Utah Rule That Applies
General deadlines are only the starting point. These are the situations where Utah has something more specific to say.
I was hurt in a car crash in Orem, what happens next?
Start by knowing that Utah’s no-fault rules apply. Your PIP benefits come first, and a lawsuit for general damages needs one of the listed injuries or more than $3,000 in medical expenses (Utah Code 31A-22-309). Fault still matters: at 50% or more, Utah Code 78B-5-818 bars recovery.
PIP benefits are paid monthly as expenses are incurred, and an insurer that pays late owes interest at 1.5% per month (Utah Code 31A-22-309(5)).
Do I need a lawyer for a slip and fall in Utah?
You are not required to have one, but many people talk with an attorney early because the property owner’s insurer will already be building its side, and photos, video, and witnesses are easiest to gather right away. Slip and fall cases are ordinary negligence claims with a four-year deadline, and the 50% fault rule applies to your own share.
Evidence matters most early on. Photographs of the spot, the incident report, and the names of anyone who saw what happened all help show what the owner knew.
Can I sue over a defective product that hurt me in Utah?
Yes. Utah’s product liability deadline is two years from when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, both the harm and what caused it (Utah Code 78B-6-706). That discovery language matters when the link between an injury and a product only becomes clear later.
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.
Who can file a wrongful death claim in Utah?
The person’s heirs, or a personal representative acting for the benefit of the heirs, may bring the action (Utah Code 78B-3-106). The deadline is two years from the date of death (Utah Code 78B-2-304).
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.
Do I have to prove the dog had bitten before to have a dog bite case in Utah?
No. Under Utah Code 18-1-1, the owner or keeper is liable regardless of whether the dog is vicious or mischievous or the owner knew it. There is a narrow exception for a trespasser injured on fenced private property, and shared fault can still reduce damages under Utah Code 78B-5-818.
Getting medical care promptly matters for your health and your claim, and reporting the bite creates an official record of what happened.
Ready to talk it through? Get matched with an attorney in Orem.
What Is Local About an Orem Claim
For residents of Orem, the practical local points are simple: Utah’s deadlines apply as written, and a lawsuit is usually filed in the Utah County district court, whose county seat is Provo.
For injuries caused by medical care, see medical malpractice help in Orem.
Nearby cities we also cover: our coverage in Pleasant Grove, personal injury representation from Highland.
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.
Does the wrongful death clock run from the injury or from the death?
From the date of death, under Utah Code 78B-2-304, which can be later than the date of the original injury.
Which court hears a claim against a Utah government entity?
The district court has original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions under the Governmental Immunity Act (Utah Code 78A-5-102).
Can I recover if I was 40% at fault in Utah?
Yes. At 40% fault your damages are reduced by 40%, because your fault is still below the 50% line (Utah Code 78B-5-818).
When can I sue for pain and suffering after a Utah car accident?
When you have death, dismemberment, permanent disability or impairment based on objective findings, permanent disfigurement, a bone fracture, or more than $3,000 in medical expenses (Utah Code 31A-22-309).
What should I do right after a slip and fall in Utah?
Get medical care, photograph the spot, report the fall in writing to the owner or manager, and collect witness names. Then consider talking to an attorney before giving a recorded statement.
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)).
Can I sue the maker of a defective product in Utah?
A product liability claim can be brought under Utah’s product liability law within two years of discovery (Utah Code 78B-6-706); an attorney can identify the right defendants.
How many judicial districts does Utah have?
Eight, each covering several counties (Utah Code 78A-1-102).
Do I have to decide right away whether to hire an attorney?
No. An initial conversation does not commit you to anything, though reaching out sooner helps preserve evidence while Utah’s deadlines are running.
Start the Process Now
Photos, records, and witness memories are easiest to gather early, and Utah’s clocks keep running whether or not you are ready to act. You do not have to know exactly what to ask. A short conversation with a real person, at no cost and with no obligation, is usually the clearest way to find out where things stand.
