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Your Sundance Personal Injury Attorney
After an injury, ordinary life gets heavy. There are appointments to keep, bills arriving, and a claim that nobody explained to you. If another person’s carelessness hurt you in Sundance, it is reasonable to want a clear picture before you decide anything.
This page is general information, not legal advice. NeedAnAttorney.net matches people with attorneys and does not represent anyone. The legal points below come from Wyoming’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
What To Ask Before You Choose An Attorney In Sundance
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is four years (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (W.S. 1-1-109).
- Any ceiling. Ask whether anything caps what you could recover. The Wyoming Constitution says no law may limit the damages for causing injury or death (Wyoming Constitution Article 10, section 4(a)).
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Common Kinds of Injury Claims
Vehicle crashes
Vehicle injuries start with the same few steps: medical care first, then photographs of the scene, names and numbers of anyone who saw it, the other driver’s insurance information and any estimates for repairs.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
A collision on foot or on a bicycle is easy to dispute afterward. Record where it happened, what the road and signals were like, and who saw it, and keep any damaged clothing, helmet or equipment.
Falls and unsafe property
Slips, trips and falls come from spills, uneven surfaces, poor lighting and broken stairs. What matters is who controlled the place and how long the problem was there, so document the hazard and tell the owner or manager promptly.
Wrongful death
When a death is caused by someone else’s wrongful act or neglect, the claim works differently from an injury claim. Wyoming law requires a wrongful death action to be brought by the wrongful death representative for the exclusive benefit of the beneficiaries (W.S. 1-38-102). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
Injured in Sundance? Get matched with an attorney now.
When You Were Partly At Fault
Wyoming uses a modified comparative fault rule. According to W.S. 1-1-109, a claimant whose fault is not more than fifty percent of the total can still recover, and the award is reduced by the claimant’s percentage. If a jury found you 30 percent at fault for a $100,000 loss, the award would be reduced by $30,000.
Each defendant is liable only for its own share of the total fault, and the jury is told the consequences of the percentages it finds. Because fifty percent is the dividing line, the share assigned to you is worth arguing about.
Is There A Limit On The Award?
The Wyoming Constitution addresses damages directly. It provides that no law shall be enacted limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the injury or death of any person (Wyoming Constitution Article 10, section 4(a)). An award for your medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering is therefore decided by the facts, not by a legislative ceiling.
The exception is a claim against a governmental entity. W.S. 1-39-118(a) limits liability to $250,000 per claimant and $500,000 per occurrence, with exceptions that depend on the entity’s insurance.
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
Civil actions for an injury to the rights of the plaintiff that do not arise on a contract and are not covered by a more specific rule must be brought within four years after the cause of action accrues (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)). A wrongful death action must be commenced within two years after the death (W.S. 1-38-102). Because one rule is twice as long as the other, the type of claim decides the date, so ask about it in your first conversation.
If you were a minor or under another legal disability when the claim arose, W.S. 1-3-114 allows three years after the disability is removed or any other statutory period, whichever is greater. That rule does not cover claims about licensed or certified health care services.
What The Other Driver’s Policy Must Cover
Wyoming’s financial responsibility law sets the minimum for an owner’s liability policy at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $20,000 for property damage (W.S. 31-9-405(b)). A crash with several injured people can use up those limits quickly.
That is why other coverage matters. Before you accept a payment, ask your attorney to check for every policy that might apply, yours included.
Where Treatment and Court Happen in Sundance
For Census purposes Sundance is part of Crook County. According to the court locator of the Wyoming Judicial Branch, the District Court of the Sixth Judicial District sits in Sundance, at 309 Cleveland, Sundance, WY 82729. On the state’s list of designated trauma centers, Sundance is shown with Crook County Medical Services District, designated a Trauma Receiving Facility.
Keep copies of everything the hospital or clinic gives you, ask for an itemized bill, and note each appointment as it happens. If you moved between facilities, collect the records from each one.
Beginning Your Case Review In Sundance
Use the form at the top of the page to tell us what happened. We connect you with an attorney who takes injury cases in the Sundance area. There is no charge to submit it, and submitting it does not hire anyone.
While you wait, write down what happened and when, who saw it, what treatment you have received and how many days of work you missed. Put bills, letters and insurance messages in one folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I save for my claim?
Save treatment records and bills, photographs, the report number if there is one, pay stubs that show lost work, estimates for repairs, and every letter or email from an insurance company.
Can I talk to the other side’s insurance company?
You can, but you do not have to give a recorded statement right away. It is fair to say you are getting advice first.
Are there special steps for claims against the government?
There are. The itemized written claim must be presented within two years of the act, error or omission (W.S. 1-39-113(a)), and the action follows within one year after filing the claim (W.S. 1-39-114).
What should I do right after being hurt?
Get medical care, report the incident to the police or the property owner as appropriate, photograph the scene and your injuries, and write down what happened while you remember it.
What is the Wyoming statute of limitations for an injury claim?
Generally four years (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)). For a wrongful death, the limit is two years from the date of death (W.S. 1-38-102(d)).
Does Wyoming bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
Not unless your share is more than fifty percent. At fifty percent or less you can recover, reduced by your share (W.S. 1-1-109(b)).
Is there a limit on damages for an injury in Wyoming?
No statutory ceiling applies to ordinary injury or death claims, because Article 10, section 4(a) of the Wyoming Constitution forbids one. Governmental entities are the exception, with limits in W.S. 1-39-118(a).
How much liability coverage must a Wyoming driver carry?
The minimums for an owner’s policy are $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $20,000 for property damage (W.S. 31-9-405(b)).
Serving Injured Clients Across Wyoming
People are hurt in every part of Wyoming. These pages cover other communities.
