Paul Heaton’s story became popular in the news because of the positive message it portrays, one of people coming together to help save an injured man. The injured cyclist thanks the “heroes” who saved his life, reports KSL News. Heaton, who is a student at the University of Utah and also a member of the national guard, was lucky indeed when after being hit by a car on his bicycle a couple weeks ago, at least 6 people came to his rescue and lifted the car off of him. Even with the long road to recovery and several serious injuries, doctors expect Heaton to have a full comeback.

In situations where the accident was unintentional, it might be uncomfortable for the injured party to make a claim. Many would never want to “sue” the other driver or their insurance company. However, in situations like this, no one is suing anyone. In fact, insurance companies routinely settle the mass majority of their claims without any legal document ever being filed. Family members often make these claims against another family member, and even one spouse against the other when that person’s actions contributed to the accident happening.

Navigating the field of insurance claims can be confusing. I would recommend that Heaton contact an experienced Utah accident attorney who specializes in auto accident law to find out what remedies may be available to him.

Ron Kramer is an accident and injury lawyer who practices auto accident law throughout the state of Utah.

A 12-year-old girl was taken to the hospital following a Utah bicycle accident in Holladay, Utah on April 18, 2010. According to a report given by The Salt Lake Tribune, the girl was riding with traffic on a street near 1620 East Spring Lane when she was struck by a car. She turned around at around 4:30 p.m. and the vehicle apparently did not see her and ran into her. She hit her head on the pavement and was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. Fortunately, doctors found no evidence of skull fractures but they plan on keeping her in the hospital for observation. The driver of the vehicle was not issued a ticket and it appears the incident was an accident.

I wish this young girl the very best as she recovers.

The Kramer Law Group does not currently represent any of the parties referenced in the article at the time it was written. We have cited and linked to the source of our information. If you were involved in the above incident, or one like it, and have questions about your rights and possible remedies, you may call us or another reputable Holladay , Utah personal injury law firm. Do not act based on the above information without getting a consultation. The best personal injury attorneys will offer a free consultation. We offer a free and confidential consultation to those (and their family members) not substantially at fault in causing their accident. The information and opinions expressed above are provided as a public service and should not be used in place of legal advice from a qualified Utah personal injury attorney.

A car hit an 11-year-old girl who was riding her bike to school in Salt Lake City, Utah on Friday, January 15, 2009. The car slowed down for a brief moment and then kept going. Salt Lake police said the girl was crossing the street at 300 South and West Temple at a crosswalk when the vehicle made a turn and hit her. She was thrown off her bike but suffered only minor injuries.

According to KSL news, a pedestrian at the scene stopped to help the girl get up and made sure she was ok. She was able to ride the rest of the way to school. “She had some bumps and bruises,” said PTA secretary Carley Price who was at the school when the girl arrived. School officials called police and paramedics took the girl to the hospital as a precaution. Police are hoping to locate the person who helped the girl to see if he or she can provide any information about the vehicle that hit the girl.

“The fact that they drove away is appalling,” said Price. “I truly hope that we can figure out who did it. I mean, the fact that you wouldn’t know that you hit such a large bike or a person for that matter is just baffling to me. ” Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at 801-799-3000.

I’m glad that the injuries were minor and the girl seams to be doing ok. I wish her a speedy recovery.

Drivers have a responsibility to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists- especially those crossing at a crosswalk! Utah code 12.76.045A says, “Drivers must yield to pedestrians lawfully within crosswalks, by coming to a complete stop, while a pedestrian is in the vehicle’s travel lane or adjoining lane. Also, when a vehicle is stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross, vehicles approaching from the rear must stop to verify that no pedestrian is within their travel lane or an adjoining lane.” I recommend that this family contact an experienced Utah bicycle attorney who can help them explore all the legal avenues available.

After having his day in court, Utah bicyclist Curtis B. Adams, 27 years old from Parowan, Utah, is now $45 poorer. According to the Herald Journal, Adams contested a ticket he received while he was riding his bike and went to the front of the line where cars had stopped for a red light. He was just parallel with the first car in line. Incidently, this really is a common maneuver that bicyclists (myself included) make upon approaching a backed-up intersection. I think we have all seen this. And it turns out that it is actually a violation of Utah law.

It appears that Adams defense was that everyone does it. This was a no bueno for Judge Cheryl A. Russell, who scolded Adams by telling him that this maneuver was both illegal as well as unsafe. She found him guilty and fined him $45. (By the way, this defense is almost always a loser.)

Generally, traffic laws are designed to help make our roads a safer place to drive. This includes the rule that says we shouldn’t pass a stopped car on the right. We all do it, though, when a car has stopped on a two-way road, effectively blocking traffic, and we drive on the shoulder to get around. This makes for good efficiency, but really is not safe if we think about it.

Based on the over 400 comments on KSL, I think this news story has been a good education about this traffic rule and the need to follow it. Who knows but that Mr. Adams could be helping to prevent a very serious Utah bicycle or auto accident by the press that his ticket received. If that is the case, then it will have been worth the embarrassment.

Ron Kramer is a bicycle accident and injury lawyer with offices in Utah, Salt Lake and Weber Counties.

A 12 -year-old boy was hit by a car riding in a crosswalk on Wednesday, September 22, 2009. According to KSL news, this Centerville, Utah bike accident took place at the crosswalk of 400 West and Chase Lane. The driver claims he didn’t see the boy.

“I saw the person over here stop at the stop sign and then come very slowly across the street,” said witness Cyndie Chidester. “I didn’t see any bicycle, driver or anything until something went ‘clunk,’ and I just thought it was a piece of her car or something. So, I don’t know which direction the boy came from or anything. I just saw him laying on the ground.”

Police say the intersection was dark and the boy was wearing dark clothing and investigators are still unsure how fast the boy was riding.  Emergency crews arrived and the boy was airlifted to a nearby hospital. I wish him the very best recovery possible.

As I have discussed before, motorists are required to yield to pedestrians, especially those in crosswalks. This rule could still apply even though the child was riding his bike in the crosswalk. There is a Utah law which states that “the operator of a vechicle shall exercise care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal when necessary and exercise appropriate precaution upon observing any child …” (Utah Code 41-6-80.) If the child was there to be seen, the motorist should have sounded their horn to warn him or her of their presence.

I would recommend that the parents consult with an accident and injury lawyer to investigate the particulars of this case and to advise them of what remedies might be available.

A Park City cyclist is dead after an accident that occurred on Deer Valley Drive near Aerie Drive on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009. Park City police are still unclear of the details but they reported to KSL news that the 22-year-old cyclist and his roommate were on their way home when the man crashed. The roommate was riding in front and didn’t see the accident take place.

The biker who crashed was rushed to University Medical Center, where he died. He wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

I offer my sincere condolences to this family as they mourn this loss. The coming weeks will be undoubtedly difficult, and I wish them the very best during their time of need.

Utah bicycle accidents like this cause us all to reflect on the importance of wearing a helmet. These two young men were traveling home from dinner, probably a short distance from their house. Being an avid cyclist myself, I know it just takes a split-second for disaster to strike. One blow to the head could spell catastrophe. According to the bicycle safety institute website, non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash. Approximately 88% of brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet.

As an accident and injury lawyer, I remind those who ride bikes to use safe biking practices and to always wear a helmet.

The city of Sandy, Utah, released some surprising statistics today, July 31, 2009. According to the city, accidents involving a pedestrian or bicyclist are up by one-third for Sandy’s fiscal year 2008-2009. The number of accidents actually increased from 33 for a one-year period to 44 accidents. Even though the pedestrian and accident rate has increased for this past year, it is still lower than the year 2005-2006 when there were 54 accidents and in 2006-2007 when there were 50.

Sandy City is seeking to call attention to this increase by holding a special ‘Family Night” on Monday to discuss the increase. Additionally, the city will pass out “Share the Road” stickers. Invited speakers include Sen. Wayne Neiderhauser, R-Sandy and Randy Black of the Utah Dept. of Health.

Bicycle and pedestrian safety is certainly an important issue that city leaders are wise to address. Too often, motorists are only looking out for other cars and are not seeing the smaller bicycle, motorcycle or pedestrian. Motorists need to be aware of all those who use Utah’s roads. Kudos to Sandy for raising the public awareness to share the road.

Ron Kramer is a road cyclist who is also a Utah bicycle and pedestrian accident lawyer with offices in Draper, Utah.

A bicyclist was hit by a delivery truck as he was making his way up Little Cottonwood Canyon on July 28, 2009. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the bicyclist, David Kelley, 37 of Draper, was a ways up Little Cottonwood Canyon, around 8200 East, when this bike accident happened. According to reports, the truck driver was in the right lane in a passing zone when the mirror on his truck clipped David Kelley. The impact caused him to lose control of his bike and tumble 20 feet down an embankment. Kudos to the driver who stopped to help Kelley out. Emergency help was subsequently summoned and Kelley was flown by helicopter to the University Hospital in critical condition. He is said to have spine, neck and head trauma, broken bones and internal injuries. Like most cyclists who bike Little Cottonwood, Kelley was wearing a helmet. The truck driver was cited for driving too close to a bicyclists.

Best wishes go out to David Kelley for a speedy recovery. From the sound of his injuries though, it sounds like he’ll be out the rest of the biking season. Possibly longer.

I personally have biked up Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s a very steep climb, one of the steepest, sustained climbs I have ever done. The climb is considered by some to rival routes taken by pros such as Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France. The Tour of Utah will be charging up this stretch in August toward the finish line at Alta Ski resort. The parts of the road going uphill where there are passing lanes are some of the steepest, with grades approaching 12 percent. This canyon ride, while challenging, is also a dangerous one because of the absence of a shoulder for the great majority of the stretch. The absence of a meaningful shoulder affects both the downhill ride, and in this case, the uphill ride. The peppering of “share the road” signs in this canyon, unfortunately, does not insulate riders from motorists who do not move over at the site of bicyclists.

In this case, although the sun was said to be in the driver’s eyes, it is still the duty of every driver to be able to see the road ahead before traveling down or up it. More specifically in this case, Utah motorists are required to follow the three-foot passing rule, which states: “An operator of a motor vehicle may not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly operate a motor vehicle within three feet of a moving bicycle, unless the operator of the motor vehicle operates the motor vehicle within a reasonable and safe distance of the bicycle.” Utah Code section 41-6a-706.5. Since the driver’s mirror hit Kelley, the driver was obviously less than three feet from Kelley and in violation of this safety rule.

Legally speaking, David Kelley has a pretty good case against the truck driver. Since it sounds like this was a commercial delivery vehicle, there should be a larger insurance policy that could provide benefits and compensation to Kelley from what I would consider to be a completely avoidable bike accident. I would recommend that David or his family contact an experienced Utah bicycle accident lawyer to get more details on the remedies he has following this serious bike crash.

A 58-year-old man is listed in extremely critical condition after being hit by a car while riding his bike on Monday, June 22. KSL News reports the female driver and the bicyclist were both headed in the same direction near 1350 South and Main Street. Police say the woman was having a severe diabetic problem and hit the cyclist without even knowing what she had done. Police stopped her car a few blocks down the road and discovered that she was in diabetic shock.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

The driver and the cyclist, now identified as Sidney Mabine of Salt Lake, were taken to the hospital. The driver was treated and released but Mabine remains in critical condition. Authorities attribute the crash to the drivers medical condition so there will be no charges filed against her.

Best wishes to Mr. Mabine as he begins what sounds like will be a difficult recovery.

Legally speaking, even though the crash may have been brought on by a medical condition, it was the driver’s actions that caused it to happen. Often, those with medical conditions, have advance notice of it and the problems that those medical conditions can cause. For example, a diabetic may know that they are prone to blackouts. Given this, they should expect that they could have a blackout behind the wheel. Certainly, a woman in the driver’s condition with this type of condition is a greater risk to others than someone without this condition. I would recommend that Mr. Mabine contact an experienced Salt Lake City bicycle accident attorney to find out what remedies he has available to him. From the sounds of it, he should be able to make claims against the driver and possibly against his own insurance company, if he had coverage.

Two women are recovering after being hit while riding their bicycles in two separate incidents, reports the KSL news. The first Utah bicycle accident occurred near 600 South and 200 West at about 3 pm on Monday, May, 25.  A driver was leaving the parking lot and hit the biker who was riding on the sidewalk. The biker was not wearing a helmet and was taken to the hospital in serious condition. The driver was cited for improper lookout.

Less than an hour later, a second female cyclist was hit by a vehicle as she rode through the intersection of 700 South and 1100 East. The driver made a rolling stop through the stop sign and hit the cyclist in the intersection. The cyclists sustained minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle  was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign.

Both bicyclists have a claim against the insurance companies of the vehicles that hit them. Obviously, vehicles are required to obey traffic laws and yield to bicyclists as if they were another vehicle. In turn, bicyclists agree to obey the same traffic laws as vehicles. I recommend the bikers contact an experienced bicycle attorney in Utah that will help them receive compensation for their accidents