What is Medical Malpractice in Utah?

You trust your doctor with your life. You expect hospitals to heal, not harm. But medical mistakes happen every day in Utah, and when they do, lives are destroyed.

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, resulting in injury, illness, or even death to a patient. In Utah, medical malpractice law is governed by the Utah Health Care Malpractice Act, which establishes specific requirements and procedures for these complex cases.

Not every negative medical outcome qualifies as malpractice—medicine isn’t perfect, and complications can happen even with proper care. But when a medical professional’s negligence causes preventable harm, victims deserve justice and compensation.

Common examples of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, medication mistakes, birth injuries, anesthesia errors, and failure to obtain informed consent. Each of these situations can have life-altering consequences for patients and their families.

Recent $6.5 Million Victory: Proving Results in Complex Medical Malpractice Cases

At AVS Law Group, we don’t just talk about fighting for victims—we deliver results. Our recent $6.5 million medical malpractice verdict stands as a testament to our commitment, skill, and relentless advocacy for injured patients. This substantial recovery demonstrates what’s possible when you have experienced medical malpractice lawyers who understand the medicine, know the law, and aren’t afraid to take cases to trial.

Medical malpractice cases are notoriously difficult. Hospitals and insurance companies have virtually unlimited resources and teams of lawyers working to deny or minimize claims. They count on victims giving up or accepting lowball settlements. But when healthcare providers fail in their duty to patients, the consequences can be catastrophic—permanent disabilities, ongoing pain, lost careers, and shattered families. Victims deserve attorneys who’ll fight just as hard for them as the defense fights to avoid accountability.

This significant verdict reflects thousands of hours of investigation, collaboration with leading medical experts, meticulous trial preparation, and skilled courtroom advocacy. It required our attorneys to master complex medical concepts, present compelling evidence to a jury, and overcome the aggressive defense tactics that hospitals employ in high-stakes litigation. Most importantly, it provided our client with the resources needed for ongoing medical care and financial security after suffering devastating harm due to medical negligence.

While we’re proud of this result, what matters most is the difference it made in our client’s life.

That’s what drives us in every case we handle—the knowledge that we’re not just pursuing compensation, but justice, accountability, and the means for our clients to rebuild their lives after medical negligence has torn them apart.

How Do I Know If I Have a Medical Malpractice Case?

This is one of the most common questions we hear from potential clients who suspect something went wrong with their medical care. As experienced medical malpractice lawyers, we know that identifying a valid claim requires examining several key elements.

First, there must be a doctor-patient relationship. You must have hired the healthcare provider, and they must have agreed to treat you. Second, the provider must have been negligent—meaning they didn’t provide care that met the accepted standard for their specialty and circumstances. Third, this negligence must have directly caused your injury. Finally, the injury must have resulted in specific damages, such as physical pain, mental anguish, additional medical bills, or lost income.

At AVS Law Group, our medical malpractice attorneys work with leading medical experts to thoroughly review your case. We examine medical records, consult with specialists in relevant fields, and investigate what went wrong. Our attorney Matt, who spent eight years defending hospitals and physician groups before joining AVS, brings invaluable insider knowledge to every medical malpractice case we handle. This experience allows us to anticipate defense strategies and build stronger cases for our clients.

What Are the Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice?

Medical negligence takes many forms, and knowing them can help you recognize when you’ve been a victim. Surgical errors remain among the most devastating types of malpractice. These can include operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical instruments inside a patient, damaging surrounding organs or tissues, or performing an unnecessary procedure. According to research published in medical journals, surgical errors occur more frequently than many people realize, with studies estimating thousands of preventable mistakes happen annually in U.S. hospitals.

Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis represent another significant category of medical malpractice. When doctors fail to correctly identify conditions like cancer, heart disease, stroke, or infections, patients lose precious time for treatment. For many serious conditions, early intervention dramatically improves outcomes and survival rates. A delayed cancer diagnosis, for instance, might mean the difference between a treatable early-stage cancer and an advanced, potentially terminal disease.

Birth injuries caused by medical negligence can affect both mothers and newborns. Oxygen deprivation during delivery can lead to cerebral palsy or other permanent disabilities. Failure to perform a necessary cesarean section, improper use of delivery instruments, or inadequate monitoring of fetal distress can all constitute malpractice. These cases are particularly heartbreaking because they affect the most vulnerable patients and can result in lifelong disabilities requiring extensive care.

Medication errors occur when doctors prescribe the wrong drug or dosage, pharmacists fill prescriptions incorrectly, or nursing staff administer medications improperly. The Institute of Medicine has reported that medication errors harm at least 1.5 million people annually in the United States, making this a critical patient safety issue.

Anesthesia mistakes can be fatal. Too much anesthesia can cause brain damage or death, while too little can result in patients waking during surgery. Anesthesiologists must carefully monitor patients and adjust dosages based on individual factors. Failure to review medical history, improper intubation, or inadequate monitoring can all lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Birth Injury Medical Malpractice

Birth injuries represent some of the most heartbreaking medical malpractice cases our Salt Lake City attorneys handle. When medical professionals fail to properly monitor the mother or baby during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, the consequences can affect a child for their entire life. Cerebral palsy caused by oxygen deprivation, Erb’s palsy from excessive force during delivery, brain damage from delayed cesarean sections, and other birth-related injuries often result from preventable medical errors.

Our medical malpractice lawyers work with obstetric experts to examine whether proper fetal monitoring protocols were followed, if warning signs of distress were ignored, and whether interventions like emergency C-sections were delayed. Whether your child’s injury occurred at University of Utah Hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, or any other Utah healthcare facility, we have the experience to hold negligent providers accountable.

Surgical Error Malpractice

Surgical mistakes should never happen, yet they continue to occur at Utah hospitals and surgical centers. Wrong-site surgeries, where a surgeon operates on the wrong body part or even the wrong patient, are considered “never events” because they should never occur with proper protocols. Retained surgical instruments—when sponges, clamps, or other tools are left inside a patient’s body—can cause severe infections, pain, and require additional surgeries to remove.

Our medical malpractice attorneys investigate surgical errors thoroughly, examining operating room records, surgical checklists, and staff training protocols to identify where negligence occurred and who should be held responsible.

Cancer Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis

Time is everything in cancer treatment. When doctors miss early warning signs, fail to order appropriate diagnostic tests, or misinterpret test results, patients lose critical months or years of treatment time. A delayed cancer diagnosis can turn a treatable Stage 1 cancer into an advanced, terminal Stage 4 disease. We’ve seen cases where breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies were missed despite clear symptoms or abnormal test results.

Our medical malpractice lawyers in Utah work with oncology experts to demonstrate how earlier diagnosis would have improved treatment options and survival rates, proving the devastating impact of diagnostic failures.

Hospital Negligence and Understaffing

Hospital negligence extends beyond individual doctor errors. When hospitals fail to maintain adequate staffing levels, properly train staff, maintain equipment, or enforce safety protocols, patients suffer. Understaffing leads to exhausted nurses missing critical changes in patient conditions. Inadequate supervision allows inexperienced staff to make fatal mistakes. Poor infection control protocols result in preventable hospital-acquired infections.

At AVS Law Group, we investigate systemic hospital failures that contribute to patient injuries, holding these institutions accountable when their policies and practices fall below acceptable standards.

Emergency Room Malpractice

Emergency room physicians face intense pressure and must make quick decisions, but that doesn’t excuse missing obvious symptoms of life-threatening conditions. Heart attacks, strokes, meningitis, and other time-sensitive conditions require immediate recognition and treatment. When ER staff fail to properly triage patients, order necessary tests, or recognize critical symptoms, the results can be fatal.

Utah law provides special protections for emergency room care under Utah Code 58-13-2.5. To prove ER malpractice, you must present “clear and convincing evidence” rather than the standard “preponderance of evidence” used in other medical malpractice cases. This higher standard recognizes the chaotic nature of emergency medicine.

However, this doesn’t give ER doctors a free pass. When ER staff miss obvious symptoms of heart attacks, strokes, or other life-threatening conditions, they can still be held accountable. Our medical malpractice attorneys understand these elevated standards and know how to build cases that meet the “clear and convincing” evidence threshold required for emergency room negligence claims.

Utah Medical Malpractice Laws: What You Need to Know

Utah has some of the most complex medical malpractice procedures in the nation, which is why working with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer is essential. The Utah Health Care Malpractice Act establishes strict requirements that can make or break your case if not handled properly.

Statute of Limitations

Time is critical in medical malpractice cases. Under Utah Code Section 78B-3-404, you generally have two years from the date you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) your injury to file a lawsuit. But Utah also imposes a four-year statute of repose, meaning no lawsuit can be filed more than four years after the malpractice occurred, even if you didn’t discover the injury until later.

There are limited exceptions to these rules. Cases involving foreign objects left in the body or fraudulent concealment by healthcare providers may have different timelines. Don’t wait to consult with a medical malpractice attorney—every day that passes brings you closer to losing your right to seek compensation.

Pre-Litigation Panel Requirement

One of Utah’s unique requirements is the mandatory pre-litigation panel review. Before you can file a medical malpractice lawsuit in court, you must first submit your claim to a review panel through the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. This panel typically includes a healthcare provider in the same specialty as the defendant, an attorney, and a lay member.

You must file a request for this panel review within 60 days after serving notice of your intent to sue. While the panel’s findings are non-binding, this process adds time and complexity to medical malpractice claims in Utah. Our attorneys at AVS Law Group handle all aspects of this process, ensuring every procedural requirement is met while advocating for your interests.

Damage Caps

Utah law caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life) at $450,000 in medical malpractice cases. This cap was established in 2010 and, notably, hasn’t been adjusted for inflation since then. There is no cap on economic damages, though, which include medical expenses, lost wages, and other financial losses that can be calculated with specificity.

How these caps affect your potential recovery requires sophisticated legal analysis. At AVS Law Group, we work to maximize your compensation within Utah’s legal framework, ensuring you receive every dollar you deserve for both economic and non-economic damages.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer?

We understand that after suffering from medical negligence, the last thing you want is another financial burden. That’s why AVS Law Group handles all medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing upfront—no retainer, no hourly fees, no consultation charges.

We only get paid if we win your case through settlement or trial verdict. Our fee is a percentage of your recovery, so our interests are directly aligned with yours. We’re motivated to secure the maximum possible compensation because we only succeed when you do. Plus, we advance all costs associated with investigating and litigating your case, including expert witness fees, medical record review costs, and court filing fees. If we don’t win, you don’t owe us anything for these expenses.

This contingency fee structure levels the playing field, allowing ordinary people to go up against powerful hospitals, insurance companies, and medical corporations without shouldering the financial risk.

Why AVS Law Group Is Different: We Fight for Full Value, Not Quick Settlements

Most personal injury firms follow the same playbook: send a demand letter, accept whatever the insurance company offers, settle fast, move on. They churn through cases quickly because they lack the litigation experience or willingness to actually fight.

We’re different. We don’t resolve cases quickly just to get out of them. We value each case based on its full litigation potential—not simply what an insurance carrier offers before filing a lawsuit. When insurance companies know your attorney will actually go to trial, they pay more. Our recent $6.5 million medical malpractice verdict proves we mean it.

Allred Vogt & Stuart has experienced trial lawyers who’ve taken thousands of cases to litigation and recovered significant settlements. We handle medical malpractice, car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, wrongful death claims, and other personal injury cases. The difference? We prepare every case like it’s going to trial—because it might.

Matt’s Insider Advantage: 8 Years Defending the Other Side

No other medical malpractice firm in Utah can offer this: Our attorney Matt spent eight years defending hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies before switching sides to represent injured patients.

He knows exactly how defense attorneys think. He knows their arguments before they make them. He knows where the weaknesses are. He’s seen their playbook—because he used to run it. When hospitals see Matt on the other side, they know they’re not dealing with an attorney who’ll accept a lowball offer.

We Value Cases at Trial, Not at Quick Settlement

Other firms calculate what they can settle your case for in 90 days. We calculate what it’s worth at trial. That’s usually a very different number.

Insurance companies make money by paying as little as possible. When your attorney signals they’ll settle fast, insurers lowball the offer. But when your attorney has a proven track record of taking cases to verdict—and winning—the calculation changes. That’s leverage. And leverage equals better results for you.

Proven Trial Experience That Insurance Companies Respect

At AVS Law Group, our attorneys have obtained numerous successful jury verdicts, including recent substantial recoveries in complex medical malpractice litigation. Jeremy has secured verdicts in catastrophic personal injury, brain injury, and wrongful death cases. Parker has successfully litigated hundreds of cases. As a firm, we’ve taken thousands of cases to litigation—actually litigated them through discovery, depositions, motions, and trial preparation.

This trial experience matters during settlement negotiations. Defense attorneys know we’re not bluffing when we say we’re ready for court. This often leads to better settlement offers because they want to avoid the risk of a jury verdict.

Thorough Investigation: We Build Trial-Ready Cases

Because we value every case at its trial potential, we prepare every case like it’s going to court:

• Obtaining and reviewing all relevant medical records
• Consulting with medical experts to establish standard of care breaches
• Investigating hospital policies and procedures
• Reviewing staffing records and training documentation
• Identifying all potentially liable parties
• Building comprehensive evidence packages

Our attorneys have extensive knowledge of medical standards across specialties, allowing us to identify negligence that less experienced lawyers might miss.

Client-Focused Representation

You’re not just a case number at AVS Law Group—you’re a valued client whose recovery and well-being are our priority. We understand the emotional and physical toll medical negligence takes on victims and families, and we handle every case with the compassion and respect you deserve.

What Compensation Can I Recover in a Medical Malpractice Case?

What can you actually recover in a medical malpractice case? While every case is unique, compensation generally falls into several categories. Our recent significant verdicts and substantial settlements illustrate how significant these recoveries can be when cases are properly prepared and aggressively pursued.

Economic Damages

Your measurable losses include all medical expenses—past and future. Hospital bills, surgeries, rehab, medications, equipment, home care, ongoing treatment. For severe injuries requiring lifetime care, these costs can hit millions.

You’ll also recover for wages you’ve already lost and your reduced earning capacity going forward. Permanent disabilities that prevent you from returning to your career or limit your work capacity? Those get compensated too.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages in Utah are capped at $450,000, but they matter. Physical pain from your injuries and the treatment required. Emotional trauma—anxiety, depression, PTSD, psychological impacts of medical negligence. Activities you can no longer participate in. Impact on your relationship with your spouse when injuries affect intimacy, companionship, or your ability to fulfill marital roles.

Our medical malpractice lawyers work with economists, life care planners, and other experts to ensure we capture the full extent of your damages. We fight to maximize your recovery within Utah’s legal framework.

How Long Does a Medical Malpractice Case Take?

This is another common question from potential clients, and the honest answer is: it depends. Medical malpractice cases are among the most complex types of personal injury litigation, and they typically take longer than standard car accident or slip-and-fall cases.

The pre-litigation panel process alone can take several months. After you file your notice of intent, you have 60 days to request the panel hearing. The actual hearing may be scheduled weeks or months later, depending on the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing’s calendar. Following the hearing, the panel issues findings, though these are non-binding.

If your case proceeds to litigation, the discovery phase—where both sides exchange information, take depositions, and retain experts—can last a year or more. Medical malpractice cases require extensive expert testimony, and coordinating schedules with multiple medical experts adds time. Depositions of treating physicians, defendant healthcare providers, and expert witnesses must be scheduled and conducted.

Some cases settle before trial, which can save time. If your case goes to trial, expect several more months for trial preparation and the trial itself. Medical malpractice trials often last multiple days or even weeks, depending on the complexity of the medical issues and the number of experts testifying.

Despite these timelines, don’t let them discourage you from pursuing justice. The investment of time is worth it to hold negligent providers accountable and secure the compensation you need for your recovery. At AVS Law Group, we move cases forward as efficiently as possible while ensuring thorough preparation that maximizes your chances of success.

Time Is Critical: Why You Must Act Now

If you believe you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice, time is not on your side. Utah’s statute of limitations gives you only two years from when you discovered your injury to file a lawsuit. Once that deadline passes, even the strongest case becomes worthless.

Beyond the legal deadline, several practical reasons make early action critical:

Evidence disappears. Memories fade, witnesses become unavailable, and medical records can be lost or destroyed after certain retention periods. Hospital surveillance footage may be recorded over, and staff members may move to different facilities. The sooner you consult with a medical malpractice lawyer, the sooner we can begin preserving crucial evidence.

Medical experts need time. Establishing the standard of care and how it was breached requires detailed analysis of medical records, research into applicable medical literature, and careful consideration of the specific circumstances. This process can’t be rushed.

Pre-litigation requirements add time. With the mandatory panel review and other procedural steps required in Utah, you need to factor in additional months beyond typical litigation timelines.

Your injuries may still be evolving. We need to know the full extent of your injuries and future medical needs to value your case appropriately. But you can’t wait until you reach maximum medical improvement to consult an attorney—you need legal guidance early to ensure your rights are protected.

Don’t wait.

The sooner you act, the stronger your case becomes.

Serving Medical Malpractice Victims Throughout Utah

AVS Law Group represents victims of medical negligence throughout the state of Utah. Our Salt Lake City office serves clients from all surrounding areas, and we handle cases involving incidents at hospitals and healthcare facilities across the state.

Areas We Serve:

• Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County
• Provo, Orem, and Utah County
• Ogden, Layton, and Davis County
• West Jordan, Sandy, and South Jordan
• Murray, Midvale, and Draper
• American Fork, Lehi, and Pleasant Grove
• Bountiful, Kaysville, and Farmington
• St. George and Washington County
• Logan and Cache County

No matter where in Utah your medical negligence occurred, AVS Law Group has the resources, medical expert network, and trial experience to fight for your rights and secure maximum compensation.

Statistics That Highlight the Need for Accountability

The scope of medical errors in America is staggering. Research published in the Journal of Patient Safety estimates that between 210,000 and 440,000 hospital patients suffer some type of preventable harm that contributes to their death each year. If accurate, this would make medical errors the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease and cancer.

In Utah specifically, sentinel events (medical errors resulting in death, physical injury, or psychological injury) have shown concerning trends. Reports indicate Utah hospitals have recorded increasing numbers of serious preventable errors, including surgical mistakes, wrong-site procedures, and medication errors.

These statistics underscore why holding negligent healthcare providers accountable matters. Medical malpractice lawsuits don’t just provide compensation to individual victims—they also create pressure for systemic improvements in patient safety. When hospitals face financial consequences for preventable errors, they invest in better training, improved protocols, and enhanced oversight.

Understanding the Standard of Care

A central concept in every medical malpractice case is the “standard of care.” But what does this actually mean? The standard of care refers to the level and type of care that a reasonably competent healthcare professional, with similar training and experience, would provide under similar circumstances in the same community or medical specialty.

This standard isn’t one-size-fits-all. An emergency room physician making split-second decisions under pressure is held to a different standard than a specialist conducting a scheduled, non-emergency procedure. A board-certified neurosurgeon is held to a higher standard for brain surgeries than a general surgeon.

Establishing the standard of care requires expert testimony from medical professionals in the same specialty as the defendant. These experts review the medical records, research current medical literature, and provide opinions on whether the defendant’s care fell below the accepted standard. At AVS Law Group, we work with top medical experts across specialties to ensure we can clearly demonstrate how the standard of care was breached in your case.

Types of Healthcare Providers Who Can Commit Malpractice

Medical malpractice isn’t limited to doctors. Any healthcare provider who fails to meet their professional standard of care can be held liable. Surgeons, primary care physicians, specialists (cardiologists, oncologists, obstetricians, etc.), emergency room doctors, radiologists, anesthesiologists, and psychiatrists all can commit malpractice in their respective roles.

Nurses, including registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and licensed practical nurses, must meet nursing standards of care. Pharmacists can be liable for filling prescriptions incorrectly or failing to identify dangerous drug interactions. Physical therapists, dentists, chiropractors, and other licensed healthcare professionals also have professional standards they must meet.

Hospitals and medical facilities can be held liable for the negligence of their employees under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior. They may also face direct liability for negligent hiring, inadequate supervision, insufficient staffing, or failure to maintain proper equipment and facilities.

At AVS Law Group, we identify all potentially liable parties to ensure maximum compensation for our clients. This comprehensive approach often reveals multiple sources of liability that less thorough investigations might miss.

How AVS Law Group Has Helped Utah Families

Our commitment to justice for medical malpractice victims is reflected in our results. Most recently, we secured a $6.5 million verdict in a medical malpractice case—a result that demonstrates our ability to take on complex cases and win substantial compensation for our clients. This significant victory reflects the dedication, expertise, and aggressive advocacy we bring to every case.

Beyond this significant result, we’ve consistently recovered millions of dollars for clients who suffered due to substandard medical care. In wrongful death cases arising from medical negligence, we’ve secured substantial settlements for grieving families who lost loved ones to preventable medical errors.

Our broader track record in personal injury litigation demonstrates our ability to handle the most challenging cases. Our attorneys have successfully litigated hundreds of cases involving catastrophic injuries, brain trauma, and wrongful death. We’ve secured numerous jury verdicts and life-changing settlements that have helped clients rebuild their lives after devastating injuries.

These results don’t happen by accident. They reflect our strategic approach, thorough preparation, skilled negotiation, and willingness to take cases to trial when necessary. While past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, they demonstrate the level of dedication and expertise we bring to every case.

Medical Malpractice Wrongful Death Claims in Utah

When medical negligence results in the death of a loved one, the pain is immeasurable. No amount of money can bring them back, but pursuing a wrongful death claim ensures accountability and provides financial security for surviving family members who’ve lost critical support.

Utah law (Utah Code 78B-3-106) allows immediate family members to file wrongful death lawsuits when medical malpractice causes death. Eligible parties include spouses, children, parents, and anyone who was financially dependent on the deceased. If no immediate family exists, extended family members may have the right to pursue a claim.

What You Can Recover in a Wrongful Death Case

Wrongful death claims arising from medical malpractice can include compensation for:

Economic Damages:

• Loss of financial support and future earnings the deceased would have provided
• Medical expenses incurred before death
• Funeral and burial costs
• Loss of benefits (health insurance, pension, retirement accounts)

Non-Economic Damages:

• Loss of love, companionship, comfort, and society
• Loss of guidance, care, and protection
• Emotional pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium for surviving spouses

Utah’s $450,000 cap on non-economic damages applies to wrongful death cases, but there is no cap on economic damages. For families who’ve lost a primary earner, economic damages can be substantial.

Time Limits for Wrongful Death Claims

You have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Utah. This deadline is strict, and missing it means losing your right to seek compensation entirely. Given the complexity of these cases and the time needed to investigate, it’s critical to consult with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.

The Challenges of Wrongful Death Cases

Wrongful death claims arising from medical negligence are among the most challenging cases in personal injury law. You’re not just proving malpractice—you’re also establishing the value of a human life, calculating future earnings, and demonstrating the impact on surviving family members. These cases require:

• Extensive medical expert testimony to prove negligence caused death
• Economic experts to calculate lost earnings and benefits
• Life care experts for cases involving young children
• Compassionate attorneys who understand the emotional toll on families

At AVS Law Group, we’ve handled numerous wrongful death cases arising from medical negligence, including delayed cancer diagnoses, surgical errors, medication mistakes, and hospital negligence that resulted in preventable deaths. We understand the devastating loss families experience, and we fight to ensure that negligent healthcare providers are held accountable while securing the compensation families need to move forward.

If you’ve lost a loved one due to suspected medical malpractice, we encourage you to contact us for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll review what happened, explain your legal rights, and help you understand whether you have grounds for a wrongful death claim.

Frequently Asked Questions from Medical Malpractice Victims

Q: Will my healthcare provider know I’m investigating a malpractice claim?

A: Once you serve the notice of intent to sue, yes. Utah law requires you to provide healthcare providers with 90 days’ notice before filing a lawsuit. Your initial consultation with us is completely confidential, though.

Q: Can I sue a government hospital like the University of Utah Hospital?

A: Yes, but different rules apply. Government entities have special protections under governmental immunity laws, including shorter statutes of limitations—sometimes as brief as one year. This makes immediate legal consultation even more critical for government hospital cases.

Q: What if I signed consent forms before my treatment?

A: Signing consent forms doesn’t give healthcare providers a free pass to commit malpractice. Consent forms typically acknowledge general risks of a procedure, not negligence. If you weren’t properly informed of risks (lack of informed consent) or if the provider was negligent, you may still have a case.

Q: Can I file a medical malpractice claim for emotional distress without physical injury?

A: Generally, Utah law requires physical injury as a basis for medical malpractice claims. That said, certain situations involving psychiatric care or intentional infliction of emotional distress may not require physical injury. Consult with our attorneys to discuss your specific circumstances.

The Path Forward: How to Get Started

If you believe you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice, taking the first step toward justice begins with a conversation. Here’s what you can expect when you contact AVS Law Group:

Free Consultation: We’ll listen to your story, ask relevant questions, and review any documentation you can provide. This initial consultation is completely free and confidential with no obligation.

Case Evaluation: If your case warrants investigation, we’ll obtain your medical records and have them reviewed by appropriate medical experts. We’ll assess the strength of your claim and explain your legal options clearly.

No Upfront Costs: Remember, we work on a contingency fee basis. You don’t pay anything unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all case costs, including expert fees.

Comprehensive Representation: If we take your case, we handle everything—gathering evidence, consulting experts, negotiating with insurance companies, navigating the pre-litigation panel process, and, if necessary, representing you in court.

Personalized Service: Throughout the process, you’ll have direct access to your attorney. We return calls promptly, answer questions thoroughly, and keep you informed of all developments.

Medical malpractice has already disrupted your life. Don’t let complex legal procedures and intimidating insurance companies prevent you from seeking justice. Let the experienced medical malpractice lawyers at AVS Law Group fight for you.

Contact AVS Law Group Today

Allred Vogt & Stuart
257 East 200 South, Suite 1075
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Phone: (801) 876-7771

We serve medical malpractice victims throughout Utah, including Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, and all surrounding areas. Whether your injury occurred at University of Utah Hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, or any other Utah healthcare facility, we’re ready to fight for you.

Free Consultation | No Fees Unless We Win | Available 24/7 for Urgent Cases

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and help you understand the best path forward. Medical negligence has already taken too much from you—don’t let it also take your right to justice.