Nathan Imes, 28 of Ogden, Utah and Andrea Kaiser, 25 of Clinton, Utah, lost their lives in a fatal, high-speed auto crash. According to KSL News, the two were traveling westbound  at high speeds in a Volkswagen Jetta on I-84. A UHP Trooper clocked the two going 118 miles per hour and gave  pursuit. He quickly lost sight of them, though, due to their high speed. Up ahead, however, he caught up to them after the driver of the Jetta apparently lost control while going around a corner, where the car struck a wall and a guard rail and then rolled, ejecting both Imes and Kaiser from the car. Investigators say that none of them were wearing seat belts.

I offer my sincere condolences to the families of these two crash victims.

Speed obviously kills.  So does not wearing a seat belt (although it may not have helped in this case). It is unknown why the two were traveling so fast. The story doesn’t say that street racing was involved and doesn’t mention whether drugs or alcohol were involved. The whole sad incident seems senseless

The passenger’s family in this case most likely have a claim against the driver’s insurance and possibly their own “under-insured” insurance coverage. The basic PIP (personal injury protection) policy for the two of them should cover at least $1,500 for funeral expenses. Utah wrongful death claims have a shorter statute of limitations of only two years.

Ron Kramer is an Ogden Utah personal injury attorney with offices throughout Utah.

Utah Department of Transportation’s Zero Fatalities campaign brought together the 25 families who lost a child in a car accident, reports Fox13 News. For those who have lost an child in a car accident, it can undoubtedly be a heart wrenching experience, and these family connected in hopes of alerting and educating Utahans be more alert to the dangers of inattentive driving.

My thoughts and prayers are with these families in dealing with their devastating loss.

Although many states have previously required a medical examiner to be at the scene of a fatal vehicle accident, Utah has previously not required one, which is likely to change reports KSL News. “The cause of death is not always apparent,” tell Utah Highway Patrol Maj. Michael Rapich.

Having a medical examiner on the scene of the accident helps Utahns in more than one way. First, they can help put the correct causation to the death, i.e. a toxicology report can help pinpoint whether the death was caused by chemical or natural causes. Second, it can help the family and relatives speed up the legal process. Getting a death certificate and an insurance payout can be a cumbersome process, especially if trying to get the necessary paperwork from a hospital emergency room, which are usually too busy with patients who have not already passed. Having a medical examiner present helps prevent the “legal limbo” that is created with a situation where the proper documentation wasn’t done soon enough, and also helps free up “time and resources at the hospital.”

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, on Wednesday, June 22, a 72-year-old man ran over 4-year-old Cole Mair at 9180 N. 2160 W. in Neola. The driver of the truck had stopped to speak to Cole’s mother as she walked down the side of the road. When he drove away, he didn’t see Cole as he rode his bike in front of the truck and ran over him. Cole was killed instantly.

How horrifying it must have been for this mother as she watched, helplessly, as her child was run over by a truck and be unable to save him. My prayers are with Cole’s family as they mourn his loss in this completely tragic accident.

According to an ABC 4 news report a 12-year-old girl was hit and killed while riding her bike with her 15-year-old cousin on Saturday, June 25, 2011, in Santa Clara, Utah. A Ford Expedition first hit the 15-year-old bicyclist, who was riding in front of her cousin, causing her to fall into a rocky storm drain. Then, the Expedition struck the 12-year-old, causing fatal injuries.

The 15-year-old girl had minor injuries and was treated at Dixie Regional Medical Center. However, according to the report ABC 4 received from officials, the 12-year-old girl died at the scene. The driver of the Expedition had no injuries.

Again, this is another tragic accident that could have been avoided. My heart goes out to the family of the 12-year-old victim during this time. I also hope that the 15-year-old girl that was injured during this tragedy is healing quickly and  isn’t blaming herself.

A multiple-vehicle accident on State Road 201 near 3400 West killed two children Saturday, June 25th around 4:00 pm. A vehicle traveling down SR 201 experienced a mechanical failure according to the Deseret News article and crashed into the concrete barrier. Traffic quickly began to slow down to accommodate the damaged vehicle. That’s when a Volkswagen Jetta changed lanes and a Toyota Tacoma hit it from behind. The two victims, both little girls, were only 1 and 2 years of age. They were transported to the hospital by medical helicopter where they later died. The accident is currently being reviewed by the Office of the District Attorney to see if criminal charges are warranted.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the parents of the two young children who lost their lives in this tragic and preventable accident.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, in an order filed Thursday, the Utah Supreme Court denied a request from Rocky Mountain Utah, Inc., the parent company of Sportsman’s Fast Cash, and Westley Wayne Hill to appeal a previous ruling from 3rd District Court judge, Judge Glenn Iwasaki.  Sportsman’s Fast Cash sold a pistol-grip shot gun to Trolley Square shooter Sulejman Talovic back in 2007.  Trolley Square survivor Carolyn Tuft is suing Rocky Mountain Utah, Inc. for the wrongful death of her daughter, Kristen Hinckley, 15, who was gunned down by Talovic. Three others were wounded in the attack on Trolley Square and four others were killed before Talovic died in a shootout with police. Stacy Hanson, another survivor, is also suing Sportsman’s Fast Cash.

My thoughts and prayers are still with the families of the Trolley Square shootings.

Federal law prohibits the sale of a pistol-grip shotgun to anyone under 21.  However, the issue being raised during this case is whether the weapon sold to Talovic qualified as a pistol-grip under the law. According to the pawnshop’s attorney, the weapon has a removable pistol grip and is designed and intended to be used with a shoulder stock, making it a shotgun.

According to reports by the Greenfield Reporter of Greenfield, Indiana, and 2News in Salt Lake, a 27-year-old female died in a four-car crash at 5400 South and 2700 West on June 30th. Both reports state that a 35-year-old man, driving a silver Hyundai, veered off 5400 South and crashed into another car, starting the chain-reaction crash. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. The female victim was in one the last cars hit in the accident and died on scene due to her injuries.

Traffic was blocked at 5400 South in both directions and 2700 West was only opened in the southbound lane. This caused traffic to back up for hours.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the victim in this accident. Not only could her death have been prevented if this man had not been driving erratically, but also if he had not been under the influence of alcohol.

Robert D. Benson, 48 years old of Tooele, Utah, has died as a result of injuries suffered when he hit a mini van that had suddenly pulled out in front of him. According to KSL News, this motorcycle accident happened early on May 13, 2011 at the intersection of State route 36 and Canyon Road. The 17-year-old driver of the minivan for some unknown reason failed to yield and pulled out directly in front of the northbound motorcyclist. No one in the minivan experienced significant injuries. The accident is still under investigation and possible charges against the driver are pending.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this motorcycle rider for what sounds like a completely preventable collision.

A driver in Utah has a duty to yield to oncoming traffic before they pull out into the street. Motorists on our roads have to be able to trust that other drivers will follow the rules of the road and practice defensive driving. If they fail to do so, our community becomes a more dangerous place to live.

Based on the news story, it sounds like the driver of the motorcycle is innocent in this fatal accident. Assuming that’s the case, the family of the deceased is now left with what sounds like a wrongful death claim against the driver of the mini-van. In claims involving at-fault drivers under the age of 18, the owner of the vehicle is also legally liable for this collision happening.

Milton Patterson was hit by a car on October 23, 2009, when he was run over in West Jordan, Utah, following a car wreck. According to KSL News, Milton Patterson was driving a van on Bangerter Highway when he was rear ended by Ronald Torres when he stopped for a red light near 4700 South. Patterson then did what many would do after such a wreck, he got out of his car to inspect the damage.

Unfortunately, Torres made a decision to flee the scene and so he backed his car up to clear the scene of impact and then surged forward, striking and dragging the more than 350 pound Patterson in the process. Torres, when he was caught, claimed that he didn’t know he had struck Patterson. He was merely fleeing the scene, he told the police. Horrifically, Patterson died a week later due to complications from the severe brain injury, facial fractures and respiratory problems he developed from this Utah hit and run crime. Justice finally caught up with him at a sentencing hearing held in Salt Lake City on April 25, 2011.

Judge Robin Reese didn’t buy Torres’ story that he didn’t know he had struck this innocent motorist. This Third District Court judge told the defendant: “It’s hard for me to believe that you didn’t understand you’d made contact with him.” He then sentenced Torres to the maximum time allowed for a conviction of failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death, a 3rd degree felony, which is 0-5 years. Torres was also ordered to serve one year for negligent homicide, a class A misdemeanor, in connection with this fatal accident. The defendant was additionally ordered to pay $7,000 in restitution and any outstanding medical and funeral expenses as well as any potential therapy the family might receive.

I personally think this man got off easy for what he did. His conduct of leaving the scene was both intentional and reckless. I really hope the family has pursued a civil action against Torres for their profound loss.

Ron Kramer is a Utah wrongful death attorney and auto accident lawyer practicing in Salt Lake City and throughout the state of Utah.