The trauma of an accident can be devastating. However, the legal challenges of an accident injury claim really begin after the incident—when medical bills start arriving, work becomes difficult or impossible, insurance adjusters begin asking questions, and you realize that your physical recovery is only one part of the problem.
The Orem personal injury lawyers at Parker & McConkie help people throughout Utah County who have been injured because another person, company, or organization failed to act responsibly. Whether the injury happened in a collision on University Parkway, a crash along I-15, a fall at a shopping center near University Place, or a workplace incident at one of Orem's growing commercial developments, the consequences can impact you long after the accident scene has been cleared.
Many people assume insurance companies will handle things fairly. Unfortunately, that is not always how the process works.
Insurance carriers are businesses. Their goal is often to resolve claims quickly and for as little money as possible. Before accepting the insurance company's version of what your claim is worth, it makes sense to understand all of your options.
At Parker & McConkie, we help injured Utah residents understand their rights, evaluate their claims, and pursue compensation when someone else’s negligence causes harm.
Why Injury Claims Become Complicated So Quickly
Most personal injury cases seem straightforward at first. Someone causes an accident. Someone gets hurt. Insurance should pay. In reality, disputes often begin immediately.
A driver may deny fault. A business may claim it had no knowledge of a dangerous condition. An insurance company may question the severity of injuries. A medical provider may disagree with another provider's diagnosis. Witnesses may provide conflicting accounts.
At the same time, as an injured accident victim, you are likely trying to manage medical appointments, employment concerns, family responsibilities, and financial pressures. We know the legal issues can quickly become more complicated than most people expect.
If you were injured because someone else acted carelessly or negligently, reach out to our compassionate and skilled injury lawyers for a free consultation before making major decisions, giving a recorded statement, or accepting a settlement offer. Call us now at (801) 845-0440.
Why Injured Orem Residents Choose Parker & McConkie After a Serious Accident
When selecting a personal injury attorney, results matter. Experience matters. Just as importantly, so does the ability to move a case from investigation through negotiation and, if necessary, courtroom litigation.
At Parker & McConkie, we have spent decades representing injured Utah residents in a wide range of personal injury matters and achieving multi-million-dollar results. While past results do not guarantee future outcomes, our track record shows our dedication to protecting our clients’ futures.
Clients often choose our firm because:
- We have more than 45 years of experience handling serious injury claims throughout Utah.
- We investigate cases thoroughly rather than relying solely on police reports or insurance company findings.
- We understand how to evaluate long-term damages, not just immediate expenses.
- We negotiate directly with insurance companies and defense attorneys.
- We prepare cases for litigation when settlement discussions fail to produce reasonable results.
Many firms focus heavily on case intake and settlement negotiations. While settlement is often the preferred outcome, not every case settles fairly.
When necessary, our attorneys can file lawsuits, conduct discovery, take depositions, retain expert witnesses, present evidence at trial, and ask a jury to determine appropriate compensation. Our determination often influences negotiations long before a case reaches a courtroom.
The Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Personal injury law covers a broad range of situations where negligence causes injury. The personal injury team at Parker & McConkie represents clients in matters involving:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian injuries
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Premises liability claims
- Slip and fall accidents
- Construction accidents
- Product liability claims
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death cases
While every case is different, they all share a common question: Did another party's conduct contribute to the injury? The answer to that question often determines whether compensation may be available.
What Makes a Strong Personal Injury Claim?
Some people believe that suffering an injury automatically creates a legal claim. The truth is slightly more nuanced. A successful personal injury claim generally requires evidence showing that another party's actions—or failure to act—caused harm.
How We Establish Liability
The first issue is determining who bears responsibility for your accident. In some cases, the answer is obvious. A distracted driver runs a red light and causes a crash.
In other cases, liability may be unclear or disputed. Multiple parties may share responsibility, or the evidence may not provide an easy answer. Our attorneys work to gather documentation, witness statements, photographs, surveillance footage, expert opinions, and other evidence to help establish how the incident occurred.
Connecting the Injury to the Event
Insurance companies often accept that an accident occurred but question whether it actually caused the claimed injuries. Medical documentation becomes especially important here.
Records, diagnostic testing, treatment recommendations, and physician opinions can help us demonstrate how the accident led to your injuries and why you have the legal right to request damages.
Demonstrating Damages
A personal injury claim must also show how the injury affected the person's life. Your damages claim may include medical expenses, lost earnings, physical limitations, emotional consequences, future treatment needs, and other financial losses.
Who May Be Financially Responsible For Your Injuries?
Many people assume the individual who caused the accident personally writes a check. That rarely happens. Instead, compensation often comes from insurance coverage.
Depending on the circumstances, potential coverage may involve:
- Automobile liability insurance
- Commercial insurance policies
- Homeowners insurance
- Business liability coverage
- Professional liability insurance
- Product liability insurance
- Umbrella policies
One of the most important parts of an injury case is identifying every available source of insurance to maximize the total amount of coverage. The first insurance policy identified after an accident may not be the only coverage available.
What Compensation Can You Request In Your Orem Accident Claim?
Every injury affects people differently. A broken wrist may be inconvenient for one person and career-changing for another. A back injury may heal within months for one person while creating lifelong limitations for someone else.
For that reason, compensation is based on the specific facts of each case rather than a predetermined formula. In general, damages may include past medical expenses, future treatment costs, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, physical pain, emotional distress, disability, disfigurement, and the loss of the ability to engage in activities that once brought enjoyment and independence.
The most significant mistake many injury victims make is focusing only on current bills. Our claims account for all losses, including current expenses and future consequences.
The Insurance Company Won’t See Your Claim the Same Way You Do
One of the biggest surprises many injury victims encounter is learning that the insurance company does not automatically agree with their assessment of the case. These companies are for-profit businesses, and some only focus on their bottom line, not on the needs of injured people.
Insurance adjusters may question:
- Whether your treatment was necessary
- Whether the injuries are as severe as claimed
- Whether future medical care is likely
- Whether your lost income was actually caused by the injury
- Whether you share some fault
Sometimes these disagreements are reasonable. Other times, they are simply part of a strategy to reduce the value of the claim. That is why it is so important to let us evaluate any settlement offer based on actual evidence rather than insurance assumptions.
What Happens If Settlement Negotiations Fail?
Many people wonder whether hiring a lawyer means they will automatically end up in court. The answer is no. Most personal injury cases eventually settle out of court.
However, settlement is not always possible or reasonable at the beginning of a case. Sometimes an insurance company disputes liability. Sometimes the parties disagree about damages. Sometimes additional evidence is needed before meaningful negotiations can occur.
When settlement discussions reach an impasse, litigation may become necessary. This is when you definitely need a skilled attorney in your corner, fighting for your rights.
Filing a Lawsuit
A civil lawsuit allows our attorneys to use formal legal tools that are not available during ordinary insurance negotiations to build your case. These tools may include:
- Depositions
- Document requests
- Subpoenas
- Written discovery
- Expert testimony
Through this process, we often uncover information that was previously unavailable.
Presenting the Case at Trial
Although most cases resolve before reaching trial, preparation matters. Insurance companies know which firms are willing to present cases to juries and which firms will eventually buckle and settle.
At Parker & McConkie, we prepare cases as though they may ultimately be presented in court. If negotiations fail to produce a reasonable result, our attorneys are prepared to advocate for clients before a judge or jury.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Utah?
Most Utah personal injury claims are governed by a four-year statute of limitations. However, exceptions exist, so it’s imperative to speak with our lawyers as quickly as possible to know the deadlines that control when your lawsuit must be filed.
Claims involving government entities, wrongful death, and certain product liability matters may involve different deadlines and procedural requirements that may be substantially shorter than the general four-year window of opportunity.
Waiting too long can also create practical problems even before a statute of limitations expires. Evidence disappears. Witness memories fade. Surveillance footage gets erased.
Speaking with our attorneys sooner rather than later gives us the best opportunity to preserve important evidence and protect your rights while the legal clock is ticking.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Orem Personal Injury Attorney?
At Parker & McConkie, we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no upfront attorney fees, no retainer, and no hourly legal bills during the case.
We receive a fee only if we recover for you through a settlement or verdict. Our fee is calculated as a percentage of the award, so you don’t pay out of pocket.
We use this arrangement because it allows all injured people in Orem to pursue legal representation regardless of their current financial situation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orem Personal Injury Claims
Should I talk to the insurance adjuster after an accident?
You should be careful. Insurance adjusters often request a recorded statement shortly after an accident, while you are still recovering and before the full extent of your injuries is known. What you say may later be used to challenge your claim. Before you provide detailed information or sign anything, talk to our team for free.
What if I don't feel seriously injured right away?
Some injuries take time to become apparent. Concussions, neck injuries, back injuries, and soft tissue damage may not produce immediate symptoms. Always seek a prompt medical evaluation to help identify your injuries early and also create important documentation for a future claim.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partly responsible?
Possibly. Utah follows a modified comparative fault system, which allows an injured person to still recover damages even if they share some responsibility for the incident.
The final amount of your award may be reduced by your percentage of fault, but as long as you were not 50% or more at fault, you can still request payment.
What should I bring to an initial consultation?
Any information you have available can be helpful, including accident reports, photographs, insurance information, medical records, correspondence from insurance companies, and documentation of lost income. Even if you do not have all of these items, our attorneys can often help obtain them.
Speak With an Orem Personal Injury Lawyer at Parker & McConkie Today
After an injury, it is easy to feel like the insurance company controls the process. However, you have legal rights, and your options may be broader than you realize.
At Parker & McConkie, we help injured people throughout Orem and Utah County evaluate claims, investigate accidents, negotiate with insurers, and pursue litigation when necessary. Whether your case involves a vehicle collision, a serious fall, a defective product, medical negligence, or another preventable injury, our team can help you understand the paths available to you.
Before accepting a settlement offer or assuming the insurance company has evaluated your claim fairly, have a free conversation with a legal team that handles these cases every day. Call Parker & McConkie at (801) 845-0440 to discuss your situation and learn how Utah law may apply to your case.