We understand this may be a difficult time for you. Often times there is a lot going on and there are so many questions. It can be tough to know even where to start. Remember we are here to help. Our job is to look after you and your best interests. If we don’t win your settlement, you don’t pay. It’s that simple.
As a personal injury law firm, we strive to provide excellent service to each and every client. It is our belief that it speaks volumes when someone takes the time to recount a positive experience. Below is a letter we recently received from one of our valued clients:
October 1, 2012
RE: Anthony McMullin
The purpose of this letter is my testimony for the excellent legal representation that was provided by McMullin Injury Law, Anthony and his staff with a very special thanks to Kacee.
A friend referred me to Anthony McMullin after he became aware of issues I continued to have a year after surgery. I was injured in a work accident in April 2011 requiring surgeries on both knees. I was unable to return to work because of pain and changes due to the accident. I hesitated to seek legal advice because I refused to take on the roll of “victim.”
On May 25, 2012 I had a conversation Anthony McMullin, which revealed that I was struggling with intense pain. I had followed the surgeon’s regiment of cortisone injections, physical therapy and pain medicine with no relief. Twelve months had past and I became frustrated and unable to walk without severe pain (mostly in my right knee). I fought with spiritual integrity whether to proceed until Anthony shared his wisdom, experience and explained the position of the law for injured workers. At that time, I was unable to drive. Anthony agreed to meet at my home and reviewed the documents that I made available. It was easy for me to begin a trust relationship with him because he represented all the characteristics (communication, prompt response to questions, social grace, respect for my views and concerns, and infinite knowledge of the law.)
Suffice to say that my issues were more than legal they contained a spiritual journey, which Anthony understood. I did not want to take my issues to trial. Frankly, I did not have the energy. I let go of all my concerns, and trusted that the legal team would serve me with integrity and professionalism.
Five months after our first phone conversation my case was settled out of court. This speaks volumes of excellent legal representation.
My heart is full of gratitude and appreciation to McMullin Injury Law for serving my legal needs. I can say without reservation, referring McMullin Injury Law is an honor and a privilege.
I remain appreciative and respectful with kind regards,
S. Robinson
McMullin Injury Law is a proud supporter of local high schools; including, the Cedar High Redmen of Cedar City, Utah. As part of our support, we have made available the t-shirts pictured above. These t-shirts will be thrown out at select sporting events beginning with football. The dates of the games are as follows:
Please support our local high schools and look for your chance to catch a t-shirt sponsored by McMullin Injury Law.
We are . . . In your community, on your side!
At McMullin Injury Law all of the work we do focuses on personal injury law. Ultimately the goal of any personal injury case is to come to a fair and reasonable settlement—an amount of money that will compensate one party for injuries caused by the negligence of another party or parties. We wish we could tell you that coming to a settlement were as easy as making a phone call to the liability adjuster and coming to an agreement over the phone. The truth, however, is that the process of reaching a fair settlement requires meticulous documentation of everything that happens after an accident. And that is where we are able to help someone who has been involved in an accident because we work with injured parties and liability adjusters every day to resolve personal injury cases.
For each client with whom we work, we submit a document known industry-wide as a “Demand” to the insurance company of the at-fault party. The Demand is sometimes referred to as a “Settlement Offer.” That is, it is a document in which the claimant (our client) offers to settle this case for the proposed amount of money. Every Demand we submit is written for that particular client. For that reason, some Demands have pertinent information for that specific case which we don’t have room to describe here, but every Demand includes documentation of the following: an explanation of the facts of the accident, an itemization of all of the special damages, documentation of the pain and suffering our client experienced, and an offer of settlement.
The facts of the accident are clearly explained in a Demand. If a police report was generated, we include it along with any relevant photographs. Included in the facts are a description of the date and time of day of the accident, the names of all parties involved, and a “play by play” of what happened. This set of details is provided in all accident scenarios including dog bites, slip and fall cases, Worker’s Compensation cases (where needed) and car accidents. Essentially we lay out our clients’ cases from the very beginning so all the details are included.
We include an itemization of all of the medical bills to the liability adjuster. If you’ve been injured, you understand that there are multiple medical bills from many providers like the ambulance, the hospital where you were taken (not all people go to the hospital), doctors, physical therapists, radiologists, chiropractors, and other providers. We collect all of the bills from all of the providers and present the total sum to the insurance company. This comprises a list of “special damages,” or damages that in legal terms can be “specially proven” with a bill or a receipt.
We factor in our clients’ pain and suffering and a corresponding settlement amount to the liability adjuster as well. Understandably, it is impossible to attach a dollar amount on anyone’s level of suffering, but we include a reasonable amount with justification why we seek that amount.
The “Offer of Settlement” is the amount of money that is being proposed to settle a case. Think of it as our client essentially saying, “I offer to settle this case for this amount of money.” The settlement offer included in the Demand is derived not only based on your injuries and medical bills but also after we research what amounts have been awarded for similar types of cases both in and out of court. We are prepared to negotiate on behalf of our clients when necessary. It is important for you to know that we do not work for the insurance companies. We work for our clients, and represent their interests.
We do not send a “one size fits all” Demand when settling our clients’ cases. While each Demand includes a description of the facts of the accident, a detailed description of that specific client’s medical treatment, an itemization of the medical bills as well as an explanation of the amount demanded for pain and suffering, we include pertinent information that is relevant only to that case. Sometimes that includes a legal theory of liability. Sometimes we cite relevant statutes that apply in that situation. A great deal of time and attention is given to each Demand.
At our office we are skilled at documenting facts of an accident, understanding the law and applicable statutes as they pertain to specific accidents, and presenting a Demand to the liability insurance company so that your case can get settled. If you or someone you know has been involved in any kind of a personal injury accident, contact our office at (435) 673-9990 for a free consultation. We can show you your options and answer your questions.
At McMullin Injury Law, we are…In Your Community and On Your Side.
Let’s say that you’re driving to an appointment down a busy surface street and for a reason unknown to you, traffic comes to a stop. While you’re waiting for the cars to begin moving again, the driver of the vehicle behind yours notices the slowdown a little too late and screeches to a halt. Unfortunately, despite the fact that he slammed on his brakes, he still ends up rear-ending your car although the damage is, in your estimation, not too bad. Owing to the backup in traffic, the fact that you’re in a hurry, and that the damage appears to be minimal, should you call the police?
The answer is yes, you should call the police despite thinking you shouldn’t. The “minimal damage” scenario is the most common reason we hear when we learn that the police weren’t called to the scene of an accident. Basically, people don’t call the police because they think that their accident is not worth the officers’ time. We respectfully disagree. Calling the police to the scene of the accident will help you later because the report that is generated lists all of the parties involved, verifies insurance coverage, describes the accident conditions, and often designates the at-fault driver(s).
Who was involved? A police report is a document where all of the information about an accident is recorded. The investigating officer(s) will gather the names, ages, and contact information of each person—including passengers—involved in the crash. If witnesses are around, they may be interviewed and often are asked to fill out a separate witness statement wherein they write what they observed.
Obtaining verification of driver license and insurance coverage is another reason to call the police. As the officer gets the names and contact information of each of the involved parties, he or she also verifies that each driver has a valid driver license and the required automobile insurance. If the investigation reveals that someone’s license is not valid or a vehicle is not properly insured, appropriate action and penalties are initiated by the officer. The license plate and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of each involved car are also recorded in the report.
A description of accident conditions is yet another valuable result of having a police report. Not only does the report give a description of the vehicles, but it also is the repository of specific facts about the accident. For example, the police report includes documentation of weather and road conditions, road hazards, the date and time of day that the accident took place, the speed limit, and the estimated speed of the vehicles involved at the time of impact. The report further has a place for a diagram of the accident scene. The officer can manually draw out the scene and include a caption of the description of the accident below the diagram. This description essentially becomes a synopsis of the events leading up to the crash; it also shows a diagram of where the vehicles involved came to rest after impact. Sometimes photographs are taken by the officer at the scene and those, too, are included in the police report.
Who was the at-fault party? Most of the time the police report description assigns fault to a specific party or parties. If specific traffic laws were violated, they are listed and a description is given as to who was cited or given a ticket for causing an accident. These valuable details are considered by insurance adjusters when determining liability.
We recommend that you get a copy of the police report after an accident and keep it for your records. It is usually available from the police or highway patrol department five to seven days after an accident. You will be charged a small fee for the copy.
If you or someone you know was involved in a vehicle accident and needs help obtaining a copy of the police report, contact our office at (435) 673-9990 for a free consultation. We are familiar with the importance of this document and can order one for our clients.
At McMullin Injury Law we are… In Your Community and On Your Side.
