How Long Do Truck Accidents Take to Settle In Salt Lake City?

Posted on July 17, 2025

All traffic accidents are terrifying and painful when they cause injuries, but an accident involving a large commercial truck is uniquely traumatic. Trucks can outweigh cars by as much as 76,000 pounds when fully loaded.

If you’ve suffered injuries in a Salt Lake City truck accident, you may already be facing significant distress from painful injuries and the resulting economic losses. You may even be facing disability and an uncertain future. Understanding how long it might take to settle your Salt Lake City truck accident claim can help you begin moving forward from the accident.

Understanding the Timeline for a Utah Truck Accident Claim

No two truck accidents have the same consequences for those involved, particularly injury victims. For this reason, no two truck accident claim processes are the same or take the same amount of time. However, understanding how the truck accident claim process proceeds can help an injury victim know what to expect.

First, a truck accident claim begins at the scene of the accident when the police file an accident report. This becomes key evidence in the claim, along with any photos, videos, and eyewitness statements collected by the authorities or the injury victim.

Then, when a truck accident victim goes to the hospital, their medical records and bills become critical evidence that their injuries occurred in the accident, the extent of the injuries (brain damage or spinal cord damage for example), the effect of the injuries on the victim’s earning ability, and their prognosis for recovery.

Once a truck accident victim reports the accident to their insurance company, it’s time to hire a truck accident attorney and file a claim.

How Long Will My Truck Accident Claim Take In Utah?

After hiring a Salt Lake City personal injury lawyer, your attorney will begin handling all communication with the trucking company and their insurer. Then, they will conduct an independent investigation into all aspects of the truck accident to determine the cause of the accident, the negligence that led to it, the correct liable party or parties, and the appropriate insurance company. The amount of time this takes depends on the complexity of the accident and the availability of evidence.

After documenting compelling evidence of liability, your attorney will review your medical records and consult with medical experts to calculate your full economic damages and an appropriate amount of compensation for pain and suffering. If you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury with disability, disfigurement, or other permanent consequences, the attorney may seek additional compensation.

Negotiating a Settlement With the Insurance Company

After your attorney completes the investigation, they compile their findings and send a demand package to the insurance company. Typically, a period of negotiations then takes place between your lawyer and the insurance adjuster. Complex cases may require one or more mediation meetings between all involved parties seeking a mutually agreeable settlement.

Most truck accident claims end with a settlement from the insurance company. In a Utah truck accident claim, the entire process, from the date of the accident to resolution, typically ranges from six months to four years.

If the insurance company fails to offer an ample settlement, the case may proceed to court for litigation. In this case, the lawsuit petition must be filed within four years of the accident date under Utah’s statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. Fortunately, most cases are resolved before Utah’s generous statute of limitations expires.