Getting injured in an accident is overwhelming. You’re dealing with pain, endless medical appointments, and bills that keep piling up. The last thing you want to think about is whether you’re making legal mistakes. But here’s the thing: the mistakes that can affect your personal injury claim in Utah often happen in those first few hours and days after an accident—and they can cost you thousands of dollars.
According to the Utah Department of Transportation, 281 people died on Utah roads in 2024. Behind each of those numbers is a family dealing with unimaginable loss. And for every fatality, countless more people are suffering serious injuries from car crashes, slip and falls, and motorcycle accidents across the state.
At AVS Law Group, we’ve spent years helping injury victims navigate the claims process. We’ve seen how one wrong move can tank an otherwise solid case. So let’s talk about the ten biggest mistakes people make after getting hurt—and more importantly, how you can avoid them.
1. Skipping the Doctor (Or Waiting Too Long to Go)
I get it. You walk away from the accident feeling okay. Maybe a little sore, but nothing terrible. You should save yourself the ER bill and see how you feel tomorrow.
Big mistake.
Insurance companies absolutely love it when people delay medical treatment. Know why? Because it gives them an easy argument: “If you were really hurt, you would’ve gone to the hospital right away.” Even if you wait just a couple of days, they’ll use that gap to question whether your injuries actually came from the accident.
Here’s what most people don’t realize—some of the worst injuries don’t show up immediately. Whiplash can take 24-48 hours to kick in. Concussions might not be obvious until days later. Internal injuries? Those can be silent killers. By getting checked out right away, you create a medical record that directly ties your injuries to the accident. That documentation is everything when it comes to your claim.
2. Talking to Insurance Adjusters on Your Own
Picture this: You’re sitting at home, still shaken up from the accident, when your phone rings. It’s an insurance adjuster. They sound genuinely concerned about how you’re doing. They just need to ask a few quick questions about what happened. Seems harmless, right?
Wrong.
That friendly adjuster? Their entire job is to save their company money. They’re trained in techniques to get you to say things that hurt your case. You might accidentally suggest you were partially at fault. Or downplay how badly you’re hurt. Or contradict something in the police report. And once it’s recorded? That statement lives in your file forever.
This is exactly why we tell people to call us before talking to a
ny insurance company. At AVS Law Group, we handle those conversations for our clients because we know the games adjusters play. We know what information they actually need versus what they’re fishing for. Let us be the buffer so you can focus on healing.
3. Grabbing the First Settlement Check, They Wave at You
When you’re staring at medical bills you can’t pay and missing paychecks because you can’t work, a settlement offer sounds like a lifeline. Insurance companies know this. That’s why they swoop in fast with offers designed to look appealing but actually shortchange you big time.
These early offers might cover what you’ve spent so far, but what about the physical therapy you’ll need for the next six months? What about the fact that you might not be able to go back to your old job? What about the chronic pain you’re going to live with? Those things don’t show up in quick settlement math.
And here’s the kicker—once you sign that release and cash that check, you’re done. Finished. Even if you find out three months later that you need surgery, you can’t come back for more money. Before you even think about accepting a settlement, have someone who knows what they’re doing look at it. We’ve seen too many people sign away their rights for a fraction of what their case was actually worth.
4. Missing Your Deadline to File
Utah has strict time limits on when you can file a lawsuit, and if you blow that deadline, your case is dead in the water. It doesn’t matter how strong your claim is or how badly you were hurt.
For most personal injury cases, you’ve got four years from the accident date under Utah Code § 78B-2-307. Four years sounds like forever, right? Except it’s not when certain situations cut that time way down. Got hurt in an accident involving a city bus or on government property? You’ve only got one year to file a Notice of Claim under Utah Code § 63G-7-402. Medical malpractice? Two years.
At AVS Law Group, one of the first things we do is nail down exactly which deadline applies to your situation. Then we make sure we never get anywhere close to it. Don’t assume you’ve got all the time in the world. By the time you realize you need to act, it might already be too late.
5. Posting Your Life on Social Media
We all do it—share moments from our day on Facebook or Instagram. But when you’re in the middle of an injury claim, your social media becomes a weapon that defense lawyers will absolutely use against you.
That picture of you smiling at your kid’s soccer game? They’ll show it to a jury and say, “Look, they’re not really suffering.” Hit the gym for some physical therapy exercises? They’ll claim you’re not as injured as you say. Even a frustrated post about how long your case is taking can be twisted to make you look bad.
I know it seems paranoid, but defense teams really do scroll through social media looking for ammunition. And those privacy settings? They’re not as private as you think. The safest play is simple: don’t post anything about your accident, your injuries, what you’re doing, or how you’re feeling until your case is completely wrapped up.
6. Not Documenting What Happened
Evidence has a shelf life. Skid marks fade within days. Witnesses move or forget details. Bruises heal. If you don’t capture everything right after the accident, you might lose the proof you need to win your case.
Take photos of absolutely everything—your injuries from different angles, all the vehicle damage, the accident scene itself, weather conditions, road hazards, traffic signals, everything you can think of. Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw what happened. And start keeping receipts for every single penny you spend because of this accident. Medical bills, prescriptions, parking at the hospital, gas to get to appointments—it all counts.
Keep documenting as time goes on, too. Take photos showing how your injuries look as they heal (or don’t heal). Keep a journal about your pain levels and what you can’t do anymore. Track every day you miss work. This creates a complete picture of how the accident turned your life upside down. Our team at AVS Law Group can walk you through exactly what kind of documentation will be most helpful for your specific situation.
7. Changing Your Story
Your version of what happened needs to stay consistent. When what you told the police officer doesn’t match what you told your doctor, or what you said to the insurance company contradicts the accident report, defense attorneys see an opening. They’ll use those inconsistencies to argue that you’re either lying or confused about what actually happened.
I’m not saying you need to have a perfectly rehearsed script. Just be honest and accurate from the beginning. If you’re doing exercises your physical therapist prescribed and someone might see you and think you’re just working out, be upfront about it. If you realize you got a detail wrong, correct it immediately instead of letting the mistake sit there.
The goal is straightforward honesty without oversharing unnecessary details. Make sure the information you do provide lines up across all your statements and records. Even innocent contradictions can blow up your credibility.
8. Trying to Handle Everything Yourself
A lot of people think they can manage their own injury claim, especially if the accident seems straightforward. What they don’t realize is that insurance companies have entire departments full of adjusters and lawyers whose only job is paying out as little as possible. You’re bringing a knife to a gunfight.
Here’s something important: AVS Law Group doesn’t charge you anything upfront. We work on contingency, which means we only get paid if we win your case. Our trial lawyers—including our Salt Lake City Wrongful Death Lawyer team—have taken thousands of cases through litigation and trial. Insurance companies know our reputation, and that matters when it’s time to negotiate. Check out our successful case results if you want to see what we’ve done for people in your shoes.
9. Not Understanding How Utah Handles Fault
Utah has a tough rule when it comes to fault: if you’re found to be 50% or more responsible for the accident, you get absolutely nothing. Zero dollars. And even if you’re less than 50% at fault, whatever money you’d get is reduced by your percentage of blame. That’s Utah’s modified comparative negligence law.
This is why insurance companies and defense lawyers work overtime trying to pin blame on you. They’ll dig for anything—proof you were distracted, evidence you were going even slightly over the speed limit, suggestions that you didn’t maintain your car properly. Even something as innocent as saying “I’m sorry” at the accident scene can get twisted into you admitting fault.
Understanding these rules and building a case that minimizes any blame on you can be the difference between a solid settlement and getting nothing. Want to see how AVS Law Group handles car accident cases when fault is being disputed? We know how to navigate these situations.
10. Only Thinking About Right Now
When you’re in pain and worried about money, it’s natural to want immediate relief. But if you settle your case based only on where you are today, you’re probably making a huge mistake. A lot of injuries don’t show their true colors until months or even years down the road.
That back pain might get worse and need surgery eventually. What seems like a mild concussion could turn into ongoing cognitive problems. You might discover you can’t return to the career you had, which affects your earning power for decades. The emotional trauma from a serious accident can linger for years.
Here’s what you need to remember: once you sign that settlement release, you’re done. You can’t come back later when things get worse and ask for more money. That ship has sailed. This is why at AVS Law Group, we bring in medical experts who can look beyond today and project where you’re likely to be in the future. We value your case based on what it’s actually worth in litigation, not just whatever number the insurance company throws out before you file a lawsuit.
Your Personal Injury Questions Answered
- How long do I have to file a claim in Utah?
Usually four years, but government claims need to be filed within one year, and medical malpractice cases have a two-year window. The specific deadline depends on your situation, which is why talking to someone early matters. - What’s this comparative negligence thing mean for me?
Basically, if you’re half or more to blame for the accident, you get nothing. If you’re less than half to blame, you get something—but it’s reduced by your fault percentage. So if you’re 30% at fault and awarded $100,000, you actually get $70,000. - Do I really need a lawyer if it was just a fender bender?
Even minor-looking accidents can cause injuries that don’t show up right away. Plus, insurance companies routinely lowball people who don’t have lawyers. At minimum, get a free consultation to understand what your case might actually be worth. - What’s this contingency fee thing?
It means you don’t pay us anything upfront. Not a dime. We only get paid if we win your case, and then our fee comes as a percentage of what we recover for you. No win, no fee.
Why is AVS Law Group the Right Choice for Your Personal Injury Case?
Look, we’re not like other personal injury firms that rush through cases just to get to the next one. We’re trial lawyers with decades of combined experience who actually value cases based on what they’re worth in litigation—not just whatever the insurance company wants to pay before a lawsuit gets filed.
Insurance companies know that our attorneys have litigated thousands of cases and aren’t afraid to go to trial. That reputation matters when we’re negotiating on your behalf.
If you’ve been hurt, contact AVS Law Group for a free consultation. We handle everything from wrongful death claims to truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, and more throughout Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, and all across Utah.
Call us today at 801-876-7771. Let’s talk about your case.
