If you were a pedestrian hit by a car in Utah, the single most important thing you can do right now is get medical attention, even if you feel fine. Then call 911 if no one has yet, stay at the scene if you are able, avoid admitting fault, and document the crash if you can. Those steps protect both your health and your ability to recover compensation later.
This page is written for Utah pedestrians who have been struck by a vehicle and are now dealing with injuries, medical bills, lost time, and insurance questions, whether you are reading from the curb, from a hospital bed, or from home days later with little memory of what happened. It explains what to do immediately after the accident, why prompt treatment matters, how to preserve evidence, when and how to report the crash in Utah, what to expect from insurance adjusters, how PIP and uninsured motorist coverage may apply, what changes in a hit-and-run case, and the filing deadlines and next legal steps that can affect your claim.
By acting on what follows, you protect:
Every minute matters after a pedestrian crash. Here is what to prioritize, in order.
1. Get to safety. If you can move without worsening a spinal injury or other trauma, get out of the roadway to avoid further injury from oncoming traffic. Both parties involved in an incident must prioritize safety and call emergency services.
2. Call 911. Call 911 immediately after a pedestrian accident. When police arrive, an officer will document the scene and generate a police report. That report becomes a critical piece of evidence for any pedestrian accident case later. Do not skip this step even if the driver offers to “work it out” privately.
3. Seek emergency medical attention. Tell the paramedics everything you feel, no matter how minor. Adrenaline floods your system after a traumatic impact, and it can mask pain from broken bones, internal bleeding, spinal injuries, and even traumatic brain injuries. Pedestrians face a 50 percent risk of death at 42 mph impact speed, and at 50 mph that risk climbs to 75 percent. Even at lower speeds, leg fractures are common in pedestrian accidents due to the point of impact, and internal injuries can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
4. Do not negotiate or admit fault. Do not apologize to the driver, do not say “I should have been paying attention,” and do not agree to skip the police report. Anything you say at the accident scene can be used by the driver’s insurance company to reduce or deny your claim.
5. Collect evidence if you can. Collecting evidence and witness information is crucial after a pedestrian accident. If you are physically able:
If you cannot do any of this because of your injuries, that is addressed below.
Seek medical attention even if you feel okay after being struck. This is not overcaution. It is how you protect yourself from injuries that take hours or days to reveal themselves.
Traumatic brain injuries may not show symptoms for 24 to 72 hours. A pedestrian who walks away from a crash feeling “shaken but fine” may develop headaches, confusion, or cognitive problems two days later. Spinal cord damage, internal bleeding, and soft tissue injuries follow a similar pattern of delayed onset. Delaying medical treatment creates a gap in your medical record that an insurance adjuster will use to argue your injuries were not caused by the crash.
A medical evaluation does two things at once: it catches conditions that could become emergencies, and it creates documentation linking your pedestrian injuries directly to the collision. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan, attend every follow-up appointment, and keep records of emergency room visits, imaging, physical therapy, and any referrals to specialists.
Long-term disability can alter a person’s mobility and independence after an accident. Financial strain can arise from medical treatment, rehabilitation, and lost wages. Psychological impacts of pedestrian accidents can include PTSD and severe anxiety. The sooner those conditions are documented, the stronger your position when you seek compensation for medical bills, future medical expenses, lost income, and emotional distress.
Document the scene with photos if physically able. Specifically:
Get witness contact information before they leave the scene. People disperse quickly, and witness statements can be the difference between a successful claim and a denied one.
This section is for the reader who woke up in a hospital room, or who is reading this from home days later without a single photograph. You are not out of options.
You can still build a strong pedestrian accident case without scene photos. The crash report, medical records, surveillance footage, and witness statements gathered after the fact are all admissible and persuasive.
Utah law requires that crashes involving injury or death be investigated and reported by law enforcement. When you call 911, that process begins automatically. The responding officer will complete a crash report and file it with the Department of Public Safety.
You do not need to file a separate report yourself if officers responded to the scene. But you do need to obtain a copy of that report for your own records and for any insurance or legal claim that follows. Request it as soon as possible. Drivers may also face criminal charges or civil liability after pedestrian accidents, and the police report captures the officer’s initial findings about driver negligence, distracted driving, speeding, or impairment.
After a pedestrian accident, the at fault driver’s insurer will contact you, sometimes within hours. Insurance adjusters are trained to resolve claims quickly and for as little money as possible. Here is how to handle that contact.
Do not give a recorded statement. You are not legally required to provide one to the driver’s insurance company. A recorded statement locks you into descriptions of your injuries before you know their full extent. Saying “I feel okay” on a recording two days after the crash can undermine months of medical treatment for head injuries or spinal injuries diagnosed later.
Do not accept a quick settlement. Early offers almost never account for the full scope of medical expenses, lost wages, physical therapy, future medical expenses, or emotional distress. Once you accept, you give up the right to pursue compensation for anything discovered afterward.
Do not discuss fault. Stick to basic facts: the date, time, and location of the crash. Do not speculate about what happened or whether you could have done something differently.
Do not post about the crash on social media. Insurance adjusters routinely review claimants’ social media accounts. A photo of you smiling at a family event can be twisted into evidence that your injuries are not serious. Keep your accounts private and post nothing about the accident, your injuries, or your activities while a claim is open.
If you are unsure what to say to an insurance adjuster, the safest approach is to provide only your name, contact information, and the police report number, then direct further questions to your pedestrian accident attorney.
One of the most stressful parts of a pedestrian accident is figuring out who covers hospital bills and medical care while the claim is still unresolved.
In Utah, auto insurance policies are required to include Personal Injury Protection, commonly called PIP. Under Utah Code section 31A-22-307, PIP provides no-fault benefits, meaning it pays regardless of who caused the crash. Injured pedestrians are covered under PIP even though they were not inside a vehicle.
PIP benefits under Utah law include:
PIP is designed to cover immediate medical bills and lost wages, but in serious injuries the limits can be exhausted quickly. Once PIP runs out, or for damages PIP does not cover such as pain, suffering, and emotional distress, you may need to file a claim against the at fault driver’s insurer.
Utah requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $65,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. If the driver’s coverage is not enough, or if they carried no insurance at all, your own auto insurance company’s uninsured motorist coverage may apply.
For a deeper look at how pedestrian accident settlements work in Utah, speak with a pedestrian accident lawyer who can evaluate the full value of your claim.
A hit and run adds urgency to an already traumatic situation. If the driver fled after striking you:
Pedestrian accident victims in hit and run cases can still pursue a claim. The police report, your medical records, and any available surveillance footage establish the facts of the crash even without identifying the driver.
Utah’s statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is four years from the date the injury occurred, under Utah Code section 78B-2-307. Wrongful death claims carry a shorter two-year deadline. Missing either deadline can permanently bar you from filing a pedestrian accident lawsuit.
Four years may sound like a long time, but evidence degrades, witnesses move, and surveillance footage gets overwritten. The sooner you gather evidence and begin the claims process, the stronger your case.
Get to safety, call 911, seek immediate medical attention even if you feel fine, do not admit fault, and document everything you can at the accident scene. If you were unable to document anything, request the police report and medical records as soon as possible. In some states, including California, the law may presume driver fault in pedestrian accidents, especially when pedestrians crossing in a crosswalk are involved.
Yes. Traumatic brain injuries, internal injuries, and spinal injuries may not produce obvious symptoms for hours or days. A medical evaluation creates the documentation needed to connect your injuries to the crash and protects you from being told later that your injuries were pre-existing.
If there is injury, death, or significant property damage, Utah law requires law enforcement to investigate and file a crash report. Calling 911 initiates that process. You should always report a pedestrian crash to police, even if your injuries seem minor at first.
Provide your name, contact information, and the police report number. Do not give a recorded statement, do not speculate about fault, and do not accept a settlement offer without understanding the full extent of your injuries and losses. Even where fault presumptions exist, avoid arguing fault directly with the insurer.
Report the hit and run to police immediately. Document everything you remember. Check whether you or a household member has uninsured motorist coverage, which may cover your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages when the driver cannot be identified.
The general statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Utah is four years. Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years. Acting promptly preserves evidence and strengthens your claim.
If you were hit by a car as a pedestrian in Utah, take these steps now:
Robert DeBry & Associates handles pedestrian accident cases across Utah. If you have questions about your situation, contact us for a free consultation.
This is general information, not legal advice.