Utah injury rights, deadlines, and help

Are you in an emergency right now?
Check yourself and others for injuries, breathing, and bleeding.
Call 911 if anyone is hurt or the road is not safe.
Move away from traffic if you can do it safely.
Get medical care even if you feel fine. Some injuries hide for days.
This page is for after you are safe.

This page covers Utah injury deadlines and what to do right now. We are the injured person's advocate. We connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours, so you get the full settlement your recovery deserves. Always free. Talk to an advocate. We usually reply within minutes, at most one business day.

The deadlines that matter in Utah

Personal injury lawsuit: 4 years. Utah gives you four years from the date of injury to file most personal injury lawsuits. This is called the statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit). Four years sounds generous, but shorter clocks hide inside it, especially for work injuries and government claims. The rule is Utah Code 78B-2-307. Read the statute.

Work injury, telling your employer: 180 days. Your workers' compensation claim is barred unless your employer or the state Division is notified within 180 days after the injury. Do not wait anywhere near that long. Report the same day, in writing, so there is no argument later. The rule is Utah Code 34A-2-407. Read the statute.

Work injury, filing the formal application: 6 years. If a dispute arises, you can file an application for hearing with the Division of Adjudication up to six years from the date of the accident. Death benefit claims are much shorter, generally one year from the death. The 180-day notice above is still the first hard deadline. The rule is Utah Code 34A-2-417. Read the statute.

Injured by a government entity: 1 year. Under Utah's Governmental Immunity Act, you must file a written notice of claim within one year after the claim arises. This applies to the state and to local entities like cities, counties, and school districts. You can sue only after the claim is denied. This one-year notice is far shorter than the four-year lawsuit deadline, and missing it usually ends the claim. The rule is Utah Code 63G-7-402. Read the statute.

Warning: don't wait! The 4-year lawsuit clock is a trap: the 1-year government notice and the 180-day work-injury notice hide inside it, so people relax, and waiting kills cases. The longer you wait, the fuzzier memories get and documents get lost. Collect and save what you can, then talk to an advocate immediately. And important: medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines and extra requirements. Do not assume the standard rule covers a hospital or doctor case.

Protect your case

Report the injury the same day. At work, tell your supervisor and follow up in writing.
Write down what happened. Date, time, place, names of witnesses, and photos if you can take them.
If any government property, vehicle, or employee was involved, mark the one-year notice deadline now. It arrives long before the lawsuit deadline.
Talk to an advocate at WeHelpInjured. It is free. Talk to an advocate.

If this feels like a lot, you are not alone.

Talk to an advocate.

Never do these

Never give a recorded statement to an insurance company, even your own. Talk to an advocate first.
Never admit fault or say "I'm sorry" about the injury. Stick to facts only.
Never sign a release or accept a first settlement offer without talking to an advocate first. A quick release can end your claim forever, even if your injury turns out worse than anyone thought.
Never post about the injury or your recovery on social media. Insurers use these posts against you.

Common situations in Utah

Hurt at work

Utah separates two steps. Step one is the 180-day notice to your employer or the Division. Step two is the formal application for hearing, with its six-year outer limit. The long second clock lulls people.

If the insurer stops paying, disputes your treatment, or pressures you back to work too soon, do not wait years to act. Evidence fades, witnesses move, and doctors' memories blur. Report on day one, and get help at the first sign of a dispute.

Hurt on the road

Car crash claims follow the four-year lawsuit deadline. Utah uses a modified comparative fault rule: you recover only if your own fault is less than 50 percent, and your recovery shrinks by your share. At exactly 50 percent, you recover nothing. The rule is Utah Code 78B-5-818. Read the statute.

Because your recovery turns on fault percentages, be careful what you tell adjusters, and get advice before any recorded statement.

Hurt on someone's property, including dog bites

Utah has one of the clearer dog bite laws in the country. The owner or keeper is liable for injuries their dog causes, regardless of whether the dog was ever vicious before or whether the owner knew of any danger. There are exceptions, including police dogs doing their work and trespassers entering a secured enclosure. The rule is Utah Code 18-1-1. Read the statute.

For falls and other property injuries, the four-year deadline and the fault rule above apply.

Speed helps insurers, not you. A release you sign days after a fall can cover injuries "known and unknown," forever, even ones a doctor has not found yet. People who settle fast and sign broad releases have later discovered much more serious injuries, needing surgery well beyond what the settlement covered. Courts still hold them to the release they already signed.

The lesson is simple. Never sign a release days after an injury, because your body has not finished telling you how badly you are hurt. An advocate on your side early helps you slow down at the moments that matter.

What we can help with

We are on your side, and only your side. We help injured people in Utah:

Understand which deadlines apply to your situation, in plain language
Figure out what to report, to whom, and in writing
Spot the short clocks hiding inside the long ones, like the one-year government notice
Know what records, bills, and letters to keep so nothing gets lost
Connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours, so you get the full settlement your recovery deserves

We do not charge injured people anything. Ever. We explain your rights and options in general terms and connect you with licensed professionals for legal advice.

Talk to an advocate. Share your story in a few sentences and we will help you understand your next step. Start the form or open the chat.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-08-17

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.

Injury types we cover in Utah

Pick what happened to see what applies.