Insurance companies have spent millions of dollars to generate myths about how lawsuits are out of control and responsible for all of America’s ills.  The facts tell a much different story.

Myth: The number of lawsuits filed is skyrocketing.

The number of tort (personal injury) cases has been declining for years.  According to the National Center for State Courts, tort cases accounted for just 4.4 percent of all civil cases filed in 2008, and declined by 25 percent between 1999 and 2008.  Tort filings in state courts decreased by six percent between 2007 and 2008.

According to the Justice Department under President George W. Bush, the number of federal tort cases resolved in U.S. District Courts fell by 79 percent between 1985 and 2003.  In 1985, 3,600 tort trials were decided by a judge or jury in U.S. District Courts. By 2003, that number had dropped to less than 800.¹

Additionally, the most recent statistics from the Administration’s Bureau of Justice Statistics show the number of tort trials at the state level has decreased. These statistics were compiled as part of the Bureau’s survey of state civil justice systems in the nation’s largest 75 counties. Among these counties, the number of tort trials decreased 31.8 percent between 1992 and 2001. ²

1. "Federal Tort Trials and Verdicts, 2002-03”, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 8/17/05

2. "Civil Trial Cases and Verdicts in Large Counties, 2001”, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 4/04

George Tait Law is a law firm and its lawyers represent injured people and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City. George Tait Law and its attorneys are licensed to practice law only in the State of Utah and maintain offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. No attorney client relationship is established by simply visiting this website.

On Thursday March 3, 2011 the Salt Lake Tribune reported a man was driving north on 550 West in Provo when he drifted into the south-bound lane crashing head-on with another vehicle.  In total four vehicles were involved in the crash.  Three women were seriously injured.  The man was allegedly drunk.  The man was being held at Utah County Jail charged with DUI, driving without insurance, driving with a suspended driver license and other violations, including driving intoxicated with a minor in the car.

Because this driver that clearly caused the crash was not insured where do the injured women get the money to compensate them for their injuries?  The answer is sometimes heartbreaking and can serve as a lesson for the rest of us.

The three women might turn to their own insurance called uninsured coverage.  Uninsured coverage is what you purchase yourself in the anticipation of a crash just like this - where the other driver is not insured.  In other words you insure yourself against the person who causes the crash just in case he is not carrying any insurance coverage.  Each of these women would turn to their own coverage if they have it or a family member's coverage if they are in a home of a properly insured.

When insurance companies sell insurance they often will allow the purchaser to waive the uninsured coverage.  This is a mistake - you should never waive uninsured coverage and in fact should purchase as much as you can afford. This is especially true now because with tough economic times many people are driving their vehicles without insurance coverage and you need to be prepared for this eventuality just like the women in the case above.

George Tait Law and its lawyers are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well. George Tait Law and its attorneys are licensed to practice law only in the State of Utah and maintain offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. No attorney client relationship is established by simply visiting this website.

One moment all seems fine with you, your family and friends. Then you are in that terrible crash. Car accidents are one of the most devastating events than can permanently alter your life trajectory.

Instead of being the breadwinner and stalwart of your family you might find yourself dependent on others for even your own basic needs. Your career might be a forgotten dream, that promotion put on hold or that all-important project melts away.

You now have another occupation. You are now a full-time medical patient recovering from a serious car wreck. You are worried – worried about the finances – worried if you will recover – worried about being the man or the woman you were before the crash.

Car accidents can be devastating and send your life into a tailspin. I wish I could wave a wand and fix all the damages that occur – both physical and mental. I wish I could fix all of the injuries brought about by the crash and make sure the insurance companies look after you the way they promised to. I do not have a magic wand.

What I do have is the law and the courts. We are fully vested in making sure that the insurance companies pay what they should to compensate you fairly and fully for the harms and losses caused to you by the other driver.

This is our first blog of what will be many posts of car accidents in and around Utah. We will be looking at the causes of car crashes and how the law is used to compensate car accident victims.