Experienced PI Attorneys in St. George, Utah

Whenever you get hurt and the cause is because of someone else’s negligence, you have a “personal injury” claim. Some of the most common personal injury lawsuits are auto accident cases, but there are many other kinds of accidents that are considered personal injury related, including:

• Product Liability (injury from a harmful product)
• Medical Malpractice (injury caused by a doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider)
• Slip and Fall (injury because of unsafe conditions or another’s inattentiveness to safety)

What Can a Personal Injury Attorney do to Help?

A personal injury attorney is one who is dedicated to the welfare of injured persons. A personal injury (PI) attorney will fight for your rights and stand up for you in every way permitted by the law to ensure that you are fairly treated and receive the right compensation.

Personal injury cases are unique. Your settlement will depend on your specific circumstances. It takes experience and the support of a great team to win a case. Therefore, choosing a PI attorney to work with is something to be taken seriously. It is critical for you to work with someone that you are comfortable with. Your attorney must have your best interests in mind through the entire process.

How do I Find the Right PI Attorney for Me?

Before hiring a personal injury attorney, you should always check his or her previous records. An attorney’s credibility can be reviewed through the number of cases he or she has had and their success ratio. Even details such as time taken to resolve previous cases should be looked into.

Call (435) 652-9000 for Your St. George Personal Injury Attorney

If you live in St. George, Utah, there is one personal injury law firm that has enough experience and motivation to make sure that your rights are upheld and your privacy is preserved.

Dixon, Truman, Fisher & Clifford are dedicated St. George personal injury attorneys. As seasoned PI attorneys, we know the law and have strong relationships with the St. George court system and prosecutors alike.

A St. George personal injury attorney at Dixon, Truman, Fisher & Clifford treats each client as an actual human being with real problems. We have families and understand the importance of keeping our loved ones safe. Let us show you how we reflect that in the legal world.

Another Tragic Semi-Truck Accident Killing Two People on I-15

On Sunday, July 19, 2010, Russell W. Welsh and Emelda Welsh, of Finleyville, Pennsylvania were tragically killed when, according to news reports, a driver of a semi-truck traveling northbound at a high rate of speed failed to see that the traffic had slowed and swerved into the Southbound lane, killing Russell and Emelda Welsh. 

This tragic accident happened on I-15, in Southern Utah, near Pentura in Washington County. Our heartfelt condolences go to the Russell and Emelda Welsh family. 

 According to one news report, officials believe that the driver of the semi-truck was not paying attention to existing traffic conditions.  Because this accident involved a semi-truck, a post-accident drug test should be performed pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR 382.303, which provides, in relevant part:

“(a) As soon as practicable following an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle operating on a public road in commerce, each employer shall test for alcohol for each of its surviving drivers:  . . .   (2) Who receives a citation within 8 hours of the occurrence under State or local law for a moving traffic violation arising from the accident, if the accident involved:  (i) Bodily injury to any person who, as a result of the injury, immediately receives medical treatment away from the scene of the accident; or  (ii) One or more motor vehicles incurring disabling damage as a result of the accident, requiring the motor vehicle to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other motor vehicle.   (b) As soon as practicable following an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle operating on a public road in commerce, each employer shall test for controlled substances for each of its surviving drivers:  . . .  (2) Who receives a citation within thirty-two hours of the occurrence under State or local law for a moving traffic violation arising from the accident, if the accident involved: (i) Bodily injury to any person who, as a result of the injury, immediately receives medical treatment away from the scene of the accident; or (ii) One or more motor vehicles incurring disabling damage as a result of the accident, requiring the motor vehicle to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other motor vehicle.” 

In any accident involving a semi-truck, immediate action should be taken to prevent destruction or loss of the following important information: 

            1.         The truck driver’s complete employment file, including but not limited to his or her qualification file and all incident reports involving the driver.

            2.         The truck driver’s logs and other driving records.

            3.         Any and all pre and post-accident drug tests administered to the driver – DOT regulations require mandatory drug testing under certain circumstances.

            4.         Any and all compliance audits involving the driver and the trucking company.

            5.         Any satellite tracking information relating to the truck and its whereabouts.

            6.         Any and all information contained in or from on-board data recorders, such as ECM units, also called black boxes, inclinometers, etc.

             7.         Records of any and all communications between the truck driver and his employer or any other person at time periods relevant to the collision.

             8.         Maintenance records, pre-trip inspection reports, post-trip inspection reports and annual inspection reports for the truck involved in the collision.

             9.         Any and all incident reports relating to the truck driver.

             10.       Any and all incident reports relating to the trucking company.

             11.       Any and all trip receipts, weight tickets, bills of waiting and other operational documents relating to the trip the driver was on when the collision occurred.   

             12.       The truck driver’s cellular phone records for several days before the collision.

Texting while driving is a huge concern to law enforcement officials as they have seen car accidents due to those texting while driving increase. Here is a story about Continue Reading »

St. George, UT, November 9, 2009 — St. George attorneys, Bryce Dixon and Ron Truman, of Dixon, Truman, Fisher & Clifford. P.C., spent a week in a Salt Lake City federal courtroom trying to get justice for their clients, Jim and Colleen Spahr. Jim Spahr was injured when he walked into a hole left in the parking lot of the Rodeway Inn in Springdale, Utah. At about 6:00 a.m. on the morning of October 4, 2006, Jim Spahr left his hotel room with a small cooler to get some ice before he checked out of the hotel. Jim walked with his small cooler from his hotel room directly toward the office.

There was no moon that morning, but there was a little light coming from the windows of the buildings. Although it was still dark outside, the hotel had already turned off the exterior parking lot lights. As Jim was walking towards the office, he took a step on what he thought was black top, but there was nothing there. Jim fell six feet and landed on his left knee on some pieces of concrete left at the bottom of a culvert inlet. The force tore Jim’s patellar tendon into two pieces. The patellar tendon is the large tendon that attaches your kneecap to your shinbone. Jim incurred medical expenses of approximately $31,000 in connection with this injury to his knee. Because the hotel owner and its insurance company refused to accept any responsibility for this incident, Jim and Colleen Spahr were forced to file a lawsuit against the Rodeway Inn.

When the Rodeway Inn was constructed, the owner built a culvert to allow the natural drainage to continue its flow across the hotel’s property. However, the hotel owner left a 6-foot deep hole on one side of the culvert open. The hole was partially in the parking lot and partially on the lawn. The hotel refused to accept any responsibility for Jim’s injuries and made many excuses why it should not be held accountable, including the excuse that the large hole in its parking lot was not a danger to its guests even in the dark.

The twelve person jury unanimously disagreed with the hotel, concluding that the hotel was 99% at fault and Jim was only 1% at fault. The jury awarded Jim and Colleen a total of $450,000, of which $40,000 was for Colleen’s lost of consortium.

The possibility of being injured by another in an accident is exponentially higher in a city like Las Vegas. With the combination of alcohol and driving, Las Vegas tops the charts for accidents. Clark County has over 8,000 DUI arrests every year, in conjunction with its share of automobile accidents and fatalities. In addition, Las Vegas has gridlock streets with stoplights posted every mile, as well as the heavy use of cell phones in automobiles. Consequently, this all equates to negligent driving and reckless car crashes. To avoid traffic due to these accidents, check out http://www.nvdpspub.gov/nhp/roadhazard.aspx before your commute.

Remain as calm as possible.

Call the police, even if the accident is minor.  File a complete report with the police.

Get the names, contact information and insurance information of the other drivers.  A car description and license plate number are also helpful.

If a camera is handy, photograph the scene.  Limit your discussion of the accident to the police and insurance agents.  Be truthful.  Only sign documents for them.

Notify your insurance agent immediately after the accident, even at the scene with police present if possible.

Seek medical attention. Naturally, your health and safety should be your first concern and your top priority.  If you are injured, get immediate medical help from a qualified doctor. Don’t delay.  It is a good idea to have a card with relevant medical information for you and your family in your car.

Seek legal counsel.  It is a good idea to talk to an attorney shortly after your accident. An attorney can help you deal with the difficult insurance issues and help you obtain and preserve valuable evidence that will increase the value of your claim.  Your initial consultation with an attorney will be free of charge if someone else caused your injury.  You have absolutely nothing to lose, but much to gain.

The count down to the 2009-2010 school year has begun for residents of Washington County and we want to remind you of a few safety tips. Each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital ERs for playground-related injuries, many of these could have been prevented with the proper supervision. Remind your children about playground/recess safety, if they know the rules prior to playing, they are less likely to get hurt. Talk to your school to make sure your child is properly supervised during outdoor activities. It’s ok to ask questions like, What is your schools policy on recess? What’s the student to child ratio outdoors? What polices are in place if there is an emergency? If you don’t like the answers you receive, get involved, join the PTA ,School Safety Council or other groups and help make positive changes. Remember it will still be hot outside when school resumes, sunscreen might be in order, have your child drink plenty of water, remind them to test the temperature of the playground with a finger, prior to placing their body on a hot surface. Recess and outdoor play is meant to be enjoyed, let’s make sure our children our supervised and safe.

Traffic accidents in St. George do not seem to decline as temperatures rise. The following information was obtained from The Spectrum, a local publication that focuses on southern Utah news.
July 14, 2009
A traffic accident with injuries was reported Tuesday on the 2200 South block of River Road.

A traffic accident with damages was reported Tuesday on the 2200 South block of River Road.

A traffic accident with injuries was reported Tuesday near the intersection of South Mall Drive and 2000 East.

A traffic accident with damages was reported Tuesday on the 2800 South block of 60 East.

July 15, 2009
A traffic accident with injuries was reported Wednesday on mile marker 12 of Interstate 15.

A traffic accident with damages was reported Wednesday on the 100 South block of Bluff Street.

A traffic accident with injuries was reported Wednesday near the intersection of Bluff Street and St. George Boulevard.

July 16, 2009
A traffic accident with injuries was reported Thursday near the intersection of South Honey Locust Circle and East Elder Circle.

July 17, 2009
A hit and run traffic accident was reported Friday on the 600 South block of Bluff Street.

July 20, 2009
A traffic accident with injuries was reported Monday on the 1700 East block of 280 North.

Please use caution while driving. IF you are injured in an accident please call Dixon Truman & Fisher 435-652-9000, for your Free Consultation

Dixon Truman Fisher and Clifford promote the use of approved safety devices for children.  Always securely place children in proper child restraint seats.
This story in the St. George Spectrum reemphasizes the importance of that.

CEDAR CITY – A fatal crash involving three vehicles on I-15 at mile post 42 led to two deaths and six people injured early Sunday morning.
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Driver Juan Garcia, 29, of Hesperia, Calif., was traveling southbound on I-15 at 4:05 a.m. with Chantel Manuel, 22, Olegario Angulo, 31, Zapatista Angulo, 3, and Assata Angulo, 5 months, all of Los Angeles, when Garcia swerved to the left to avoid a deer, according to a Utah Highway Patrol report.

Garcia’s 1993 Range Rover rolled several times and both children, not restrained in their car seats, were ejected from the vehicle, according to the report.

Olegario Angulo was seatbelted but sustained fatal head wounds from the roof and door of the vehicle, according to the report. Assata Angulo also died after suffering head injuries.

Manuel suffered injuries to the lower torso and Garcia to the head and arms, both later taken to Valley View Medical Center.

Mario Mendez, 67, of Vista, Caif., was driving a 2006 Toyota 4-Runner southbound when he saw the debris in the road but not the Range Rover, which did not have lights on, and hit it on the front right while swerving into the emergency lane, according to the report.

Mendez told UHP he got out and tried to warn oncoming traffic of the crash, but a third vehicle, driven by Jennifer A. Jordan, 47, of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., did not see the Rover and hit its side.

Jordan’s 2003 Toyota Tacoma spun around into the emergency lane and came to rest facing east next to Garcia’s vehicle, according to the report.

Jordan suffered a broken ankle and was LifeFighted to Intermountain Medical Center. Her son, Jeremy, 20, who suffered bruises and abrasions, was taken to VVMC and later IMC to be with his mother.

Testimonial from Tyler Zuehles Continue Reading »

Prevention

June 24, 2009

By nature, accidents are unintentional. That’s not to say that accidents are always unavoidable.

Regardless of our precautions and preparations, there will always be true accidents — things that happen that are not preventable. So what do you do when an accident occurs?

“Examine the injury. If it is isolated and not too critical, you may be able to treat it at home, or immobilize it and transport the victim to help,” said Dixie Regional Medical Center emergency department physician Dr. Gordon Larsen. “Remember though, some serious problems can be present but not visible.”

Sometimes it is best to call for an ambulance.

Things to look for include:

• Injuries or pain in the chest, abdomen, or head.
• Trouble breathing.
• Excessive bleeding.
• Loss of consciousness, even if it is only temporary.
• Patient is confused or shows signs of shock (pale, lightheaded, nauseated).

Read more tips about preventing accidents in the Living Well column in Thursday’s Southern Utah Life, a section of The Spectrum & Daily News. Story from The Spectrum.com

Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P.C. offers client relief

St. George, Utah, June 17, 2009 – Being injured in an accident, or losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, is difficult enough without suffering additional injury at the hands of your own attorney. According to recent new releases, Attorney Matthew T. Graff has been “charged with two recent second-degree felony counts of unlawful dealing of property by a fiduciary.”

Apparently, two of Matthew Graff’s former clients are accusing him of “depositing their lawsuit settlement checks worth more than $1 million.” Matthew Graff was released from jail after posting bail only to be arrested again on Monday, June 15th, on charges “of communication fraud, theft of more than $5,000 and issuing a bad check with an amount more than $5,000.”

Because of these allegations against Matthew Graff, a trustee has been appointed to distribute files back to the approximate 500 former and current clients of Matthew Graff. Like the court appointed trustee, the attorneys at Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P. C. are concerned about the welfare of these clients.

Ron Truman, at Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P.C. said, “he is concerned about those families and individuals who may have been injured by the actions of Matthew Graff.” That is why his firm is willing to step in and help out where they can. The attorneys at Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P.C. are willing to help these abandoned clients by reviewing their files, free of charge, to evaluate the status of their personal injury claims.

If you were injured at the hands of someone else and would like a free review of your file, you can contact the attorneys at Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P.C. for a free initial consultation. The attorneys at Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P.C. can be found at www.InjuredByAnother.com. Dixon, Truman & Fisher, P.C. is an AV rated law firm which means that they have demonstrated the highest level of legal ability and ethics.

For more information contact:

Contact: Ron Truman
Telephone: 435-652-9000

Dixon, Truman, Fisher & Clifford obtained a $275,000.00 settlement from the Washington County School District for the injuries sustained by an 11 year old boy while playing a game of tug-of-war during P.E. The school teacher had pitted all of the fifth grade girls against all of the fifth grade boys in one massive game of tug-of-war. Unfortunately, our 11 year old client had wrapped the rope around his arm before the tug-of-war game began. The teacher failed to notice this and failed to monitor and stop the game notwithstanding screams for help. This incident broke all three bones in our client’s arm, caused significant muscle damage and resulted in compartment syndrome. Before we were hired by our client, the school district was not willing to assume responsibility for this incident.”

3/25/09

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Wednesday on the 3800 South block of River Road.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Wednesday on the 1000 East block of St. George Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Wednesday on the 700 South block of Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Wednesday on the 100 East block of St. George Boulevard.

3/26/09

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Thursday on the 200 North block of Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Thursday on the 800 North block of 3050 East.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Thursday on the 2000 East block of Red Cliffs Drive.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Thursday near the intersection of St. George Boulevard and Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Thursday near the intersection of Mall Drive and Red Cliffs Drive.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Thursday on the 2800 South block of 60 East.

3/27/09

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday on the 1900 West block of Sunset Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Friday on the 1400 East block of St. George Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday on the 2800 East block of 750 North.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Friday on the 2000 West block of Sunset Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday near the intersection of North Lava Cove Drive and West Little League Drive.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday on the 500 North block of Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday on the 700 South block of River Road.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday near the intersection of Bluff Street and Airport Road.

3/30/09

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday near the intersection of South Bluff and Main streets.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 400 South block of 300 East.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday near the intersection of Dixie Downs and Sunset Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 1400 East block of St. George Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 800 West block of Telegraph Drive.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 700 East block of St. George Boulevard.

3/31/09

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Tuesday on northbound Interstate 15 near mile marker 12.

4/6/09

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Monday on the 500 North block of Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 300 North block of Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 1200 North block of Bluff Street.

4/7/09

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Tuesday near the intersection of East Brigham Road and South River Road. {Probably our potential client – Dave McLellen}

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Tuesday on the 100 North block of 1000 East.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Tuesday on the 1000 North block of Bluff Street.

4/8/09

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Wednesday on the 1000 East block of St. George Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Wednesday on the 700 South block of Bluff Street.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Wednesday near exit 6 of Interstate 15, southbound.

-A hit and run traffic accident was reported Wednesday on the 1000 North block of 1725 West.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Wednesday on the 2400 South block of River Road.

4/9/09

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Thursday on the 900 East block of St. George Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Thursday on the 2600 South block of 1100 West.

4/10/09

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Friday near the intersection of 100 West and North Dixie Drive.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday on the 100 West block of Tabernacle Street.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Friday on the 600 East block of 700 South.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Friday on the 1000 East block of St. George Boulevard.

-A traffic accident with damages was reported Friday on the 100 South block of Bluff Street.

-A hit and run traffic accident was reported Friday near the intersection of West Tabernacle Street and Main Street.

-A traffic accident with injuries was reported Friday near mile marker 3 on the northbound side of Interstate 15.

- HURRICANE – A two-vehicle traffic accident near the Washington County Fairgrounds resulted in the death of a St. George man Friday afternoon, according to a Hurricane Police Department spokeswoman. Spokeswoman Nancy Perkins said the 45-year-old man was killed when the Dodge truck he was driving westbound on state Route 9, on the hill between the fairgrounds and the Coral Canyon turnoff, veered across traffic into the eastbound lanes of travel at about 3 p.m. Perkins said an eastbound truck pulling a trailer attempted to avoid a collision with the Dodge but the man driving the truck over-corrected, resulting in a head-on collision, according to witness statements. Perkins said the victim was not wearing a seat belt and was partially ejected from the truck. The victim has been identified but his identity won’t be released until next of kin are notified, some time today. The driver was the lone occupant of the vehicle. The driver of the eastbound vehicle, Nicholas Novak, 24, was reportedly walking around when emergency crews arrived on the scene. His passenger, 32-year-old John Bunderson, 32, had to be extricated from the wreckage. He was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George in serious condition, Perkins said. Perkins said both Bunderson and Novak were wearing seat belts. . . . Perkins said the incident is still under investigation but didn’t expect to issue any citations.

Please use caution while driving, if you happen to be injured by another. Please call Dixon Truman Fisher and Clifford, St. George’s Personal Injury Attorneys.

“Doing what matters most for business.”

This week’s luncheon will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at the Best Western Abbey Inn
The luncheon will be held from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm. Lunch is served promptly at 11:45. Please arrive early to be seated by 12:00 noon. The luncheon cost is $13.00 per plate. The public is invited. The luncheon topic this week is Workplace Violence, presented by the Dove Center. For more information, contact Susi at 435-628-1650 ext. 3.

The Luncheon Sponsor this week is Dixon, Truman, Fisher & Clifford, PC

Dixon, Truman, Fisher and Clifford began in 1994 when Bryce Dixon and Ron Truman became partners in Las Vegas. They opened their St. George office in 1997 with Nathan Fisher. They have presently ten lawyers in the two offices. Mostly they practice in commercial and personal injury cases. Their commercial department includes real estate litigation, collection, real estate development and land use planning, in the service of banks and numerous construction contractors.

Home Builders Counsel

Nathan Fisher is the counsel for Southern Utah Home Builders Association. In the area of personal injury three lawyers are members of the exclusive Multi-million Dollar Advocates Forum. They have successfully litigated serious fire injury and truck injury cases, taking on some of the largest corporations in the world.

The St. George Police Department reports that a traffic accident with damages was reported Monday near the intersection of South Bluff and Main streets.

• A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 400 South block of 300 East.
• A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday near the intersection of Dixie Downs and Sunset Boulevard.
• A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 1400 East block of St. George Boulevard.
• A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 800 West block of Telegraph Drive.
• A traffic accident with damages was reported Monday on the 700 East block of St. George Boulevard.

Use caution when out on the roads of St. George.
If you’ve been injured by another, contact Dixon Truman and Fisher at 435-652-9000

With good weather approaching St. George Utah, the roads will be filled with more Continue Reading »

Facts about fall-related Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in Utah:
Continue Reading »

Whenever you are hurt and the cause is someone’s negligence, you have a “personal injury” claim. The most common personal injury lawsuits are auto Continue Reading »

There are several St. George Utah attorneys but the majority of them have not been around for a long time. Dixon Truman Fisher and Clifford have been in St. George Utah since 1980. Continue Reading »

Is using a cellular telephone while driving similar to driving drunk?
Is it necessary for the government to ban the use of cellular telephones while driving? Continue Reading »