PERSONAL INJURY DEMAND LETTER — UTAH

FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY — UTAH R. EVID. 408 PROTECTED

HEADER INFORMATION

SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

Date: [__/__/____]

FROM:
[________________________________]
Attorney at Law
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Facsimile: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
Utah State Bar No.: [________________________________]

TO:
[________________________________]
Claims Adjuster / Claims Department
[________________________________] Insurance Company
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

RE: PERSONAL INJURY DEMAND

I. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

This letter constitutes a formal demand for compensation on behalf of our client, [________________________________] ("Claimant"), for personal injuries and damages sustained as a direct and proximate result of the negligence of your insured, [________________________________] ("Tortfeasor"), on [__/__/____] in [________________________________], Utah.

This firm represents Claimant in all claims arising from this incident. Direct all communications to this office.

This demand is protected under Utah R. Evid. 408.

UTAH IS A NO-FAULT STATE: Under Utah Code Ann. § 31A-22-309, Utah operates as a no-fault auto insurance state. A tort claim may be pursued only when the claimant meets the serious injury threshold: medical expenses exceeding $3,000, or the injury involves permanent disability, permanent disfigurement, dismemberment, or death. Claimant has met this threshold as detailed herein.

COMPARATIVE FAULT: Utah applies modified comparative fault with a 50% bar (Utah Code § 78B-5-818). A plaintiff 50% or more at fault is barred from recovery. Utah has abolished joint and several liability — each defendant is liable only for its own percentage of fault.

II. NO-FAULT THRESHOLD ANALYSIS

Utah PIP Threshold (Utah Code Ann. § 31A-22-309)

Claimant has met the no-fault threshold required to pursue a tort claim against the tortfeasor:

☐ Medical expenses exceed $3,000 — Total medical expenses: $[________________________________]
☐ Permanent disability — [________________________________]
☐ Permanent disfigurement — [________________________________]
☐ Dismemberment — [________________________________]
☐ Death — Not applicable

PIP Benefits

III. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. Pre-Incident Conditions

On [__/__/____], at approximately [____] [a.m./p.m.], Claimant was [________________________________] at or near [________________________________], Utah.

Weather: [________________________________]
Road conditions: [________________________________]
Lighting: [________________________________]
Traffic: [________________________________]

B. The Incident

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

C. Emergency Response

☐ Police called — Report No.: [________________________________]
☐ EMS responded — Report No.: [________________________________]
☐ Ambulance transport to [________________________________]
☐ Self-transport to [________________________________]
☐ Photographs taken
☐ Witness statements obtained

D. Witnesses

E. Police Report

Officer [________________________________], [________________________________]:
- [________________________________]
- [________________________________]

☐ Citations to tortfeasor: [________________________________]
☐ No citations to Claimant

IV. LIABILITY ANALYSIS UNDER UTAH LAW

A. Negligence Standard

1. Duty of care owed by tortfeasor
2. Breach of the standard of care
3. Proximate cause connecting breach to injuries
4. Actual damages suffered by Claimant

B. Tortfeasor's Acts of Negligence

☐ Failure to maintain proper lookout
☐ Failure to yield right of way
☐ Following too closely (Utah Code § 41-6a-711)
☐ Distracted driving / texting (Utah Code § 41-6a-1716)
☐ Excessive speed (Utah Code § 41-6a-601)
☐ Failure to obey traffic signals
☐ Improper lane change
☐ DUI (Utah Code § 41-6a-502)
☐ Reckless driving (Utah Code § 41-6a-528)
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Modified Comparative Fault (Utah Code § 78B-5-818)

Utah's system provides:

• Plaintiff is barred if found 50% or more at fault
• If less than 50% at fault, recovery is reduced by the plaintiff's percentage
• The trier of fact determines each party's percentage of fault

Claimant bears NO fault. The tortfeasor is 100% responsible.

D. Pure Several Liability (Utah Code § 78B-5-820)

Utah has abolished joint and several liability:

• Each defendant is liable only for damages proportional to that defendant's percentage of fault
• No defendant can be held liable for another defendant's share
• This is pure several liability — one of the most defendant-friendly regimes in the nation

E. Negligence Per Se

Applicable statutory violations:
- Utah Code § [________________________________]: [________________________________]
- Utah Code § [________________________________]: [________________________________]

V. INJURIES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT

A. Summary of Injuries

Primary Diagnoses:
- [________________________________]
- [________________________________]
- [________________________________]

B. Injury Checklist

☐ Traumatic brain injury / Concussion
☐ Cervical spine injury
☐ Thoracic spine injury
☐ Lumbar spine injury
☐ Shoulder injury
☐ Knee injury
☐ Hip injury / fracture
☐ Rib fractures
☐ Extremity fractures
☐ Facial lacerations / scarring
☐ Soft tissue injuries
☐ Nerve damage / radiculopathy
☐ PTSD / anxiety / depression
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Treatment History

D. Diagnostic Imaging

E. Surgical Procedures

F. Prognosis

Treating physician [________________________________]:
- [________________________________]
- MMI: ☐ Reached [__/__/____] ☐ Not yet reached
- Impairment rating: [____]%
- Future treatment: [________________________________]
- Future medical costs: $[________________________________]

VI. DAMAGES CALCULATION

A. Economic Damages (No Cap)

B. Non-Economic Damages

Utah Non-Economic Damages: Utah does not impose a general cap on non-economic damages in standard personal injury cases. A cap applies only in medical malpractice cases under Utah Code § 78B-3-410 (adjusted for inflation). There is no cap on non-economic damages for auto accident or general negligence claims.

C. Total Damages Summary

VII. INSURANCE COVERAGE ANALYSIS

A. Tortfeasor's Liability Coverage

Utah Auto Insurance Minimums (Utah Code § 31A-22-304, effective Jan. 1, 2025):
- $30,000 per person / $65,000 per accident bodily injury
- $25,000 property damage (30/65/25)
- PIP required: minimum $3,000

B. Claimant's UM/UIM Coverage

C. PIP Coverage (No-Fault)

VIII. PREJUDGMENT INTEREST

Under Utah Code Ann. § 78B-5-824, prejudgment interest is available on special damages (medical expenses, lost wages) at 7.5% simple interest per annum from the date of the occurrence.

Requirement: The plaintiff must tender a qualifying offer of settlement to be eligible for prejudgment interest. This demand letter constitutes such an offer.

IX. PUNITIVE DAMAGES

Applicability (Utah Code § 78B-8-201)

Punitive damages require proof by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's conduct was "knowing and reckless."

Utah-Specific Rules:
- Punitive damages determination must be made in a separate proceeding on defendant's motion
- 50% of punitive damages exceeding $20,000 must be paid to the state General Fund
- The plaintiff retains the first $20,000 plus 50% of any amount over $20,000

☐ Punitive damages sought: [________________________________]
☐ Punitive damages not sought at this time

X. SETTLEMENT DEMAND

SETTLEMENT DEMAND: $[________________________________]

Terms:

1. Payment within thirty (30) days of receipt
2. Certified funds to [________________________________], Attorney Trust Account
3. Full and final release upon payment
4. Inclusive of all tort claims arising from the incident
5. Excludes first-party PIP and UM/UIM claims
6. This offer serves as a qualifying settlement offer for prejudgment interest purposes under Utah Code § 78B-5-824

XI. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Statute of Limitations

Under Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307, the SOL for personal injury is four (4) years.

Reservation of Rights

Claimant reserves all rights, including filing suit, amending damages, pursuing punitive damages, pursuing UM/UIM claims, seeking prejudgment interest, and all other remedies under Utah law.

XII. MEDICAL RECORDS AND EXHIBITS INDEX

☐ Emergency department records
☐ Ambulance / EMS report
☐ Hospital records
☐ Primary care records
☐ Specialist records
☐ Physical therapy records
☐ Mental health records
☐ Surgical records
☐ Imaging reports
☐ Prescription records
☐ Medical narrative report
☐ Itemized bills
☐ PIP payment documentation
☐ EOBs
☐ Employer wage verification
☐ Tax returns
☐ Police report
☐ Photographs (scene, vehicle, injuries)
☐ Witness statements
☐ Property damage documentation

XIII. SIGNATURE

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
Attorney for Claimant
Utah State Bar No.: [________________________________]

[________________________________]
Firm Name
[________________________________]
Address

Telephone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

XIV. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

Utah Statutes

• Utah Code § 78B-5-818 — Modified comparative fault (50% bar)
• Utah Code § 78B-5-820 — Pure several liability (no joint and several)
• Utah Code § 78B-2-307 — Statute of limitations (4 years)
• Utah Code § 78B-2-304 — Wrongful death SOL (2 years)
• Utah Code § 78B-5-824 — Prejudgment interest (7.5% on special damages)
• Utah Code § 78B-8-201 — Punitive damages (clear and convincing; 50% to state)
• Utah Code § 78B-3-410 — Med mal non-economic damages cap
• Utah Code § 78B-3-106 — Wrongful death
• Utah Code § 31A-22-304 — Auto insurance minimums (30/65/25 eff. 2025)
• Utah Code § 31A-22-309 — No-fault PIP threshold ($3,000)

Key Utah Principles

• Modified comparative fault with 50% bar (barred if 50%+ at fault)
• No-fault state with $3,000 PIP threshold to sue in tort
• Pure several liability — no joint and several liability
• No general cap on non-economic damages (cap only in med mal)
• Prejudgment interest at 7.5% on special damages (requires qualifying offer)
• Punitive damages: 50% of amount over $20,000 to state fund
• Auto minimums: 30/65/25 (effective Jan. 1, 2025)
• 4-year statute of limitations for personal injury

This template does not constitute legal advice and must be reviewed by a licensed Utah attorney before use.