Utah is a no-fault state, so the first question after a Salt Lake City crash is not who to sue but whether you are allowed to sue at all. We compared three car accident attorneys in Salt Lake City on Utah State Bar license records, the case types they actually handle, published fee terms, and verified Google reviews, and set out who each one suits and where each falls short.
DJA Editorial · Legal Directory Research
Checked against state bar licensee records, court sources and public review platforms · Last updated September 2026
The short answer
Three firms, each leading for a different kind of Salt Lake City crash. This is a shortlist rather than a ranking, and the firm in the top slot does not have the largest review base of the three.
1
Swenson & Shelley LawFeatured
Best for a crash involving a commercial truck
2
Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers
Best for Spanish speakers and clients who want the named attorney
3
Siegfried & Jensen
Best for a straightforward claim run through a large process
At a glance: Car & Truck Accident Attorneys in Salt Lake City, Compared
| Firm |
Best for |
Focus |
Bar record |
Fees |
Rating |
| Swenson & Shelley Law |
Best for a crash involving a commercial truck and car |
Car, truck, motorcycle and catastrophic injury |
Kevin Swenson, Utah 1990 |
Contingency, no fee unless they win |
5.0 · 26 Google |
| Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers |
Best for Spanish speakers and clients who want the named attorney |
Truck and workers compensation injury |
Brigham Richards, Utah and Nevada |
Contingency, no fee unless they win |
4.7 · 115 Google |
| Siegfried & Jensen |
Best for a straightforward claim run through a large process |
High volume truck injury claims |
Ned Siegfried, Utah 1983 |
Contingency, free case evaluation |
4.8 · 2311 Google |
Car Accident in Salt Lake City: the local picture
$3,000
The threshold before you can sue
Utah is a no-fault state. Your own PIP pays first, and you cannot claim pain and suffering from the at-fault driver until your reasonable medical bills pass $3,000, or the injury involves death, dismemberment, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement. Utah requires only $3,000 of PIP, so many crash victims cross the line and exhaust their coverage in the same week.
33% to 40%
What representation costs
Utah does not cap contingency fees. The common structure is about a third if the case settles before a lawsuit and around 40% once one is filed, with case costs deducted separately. None of the three firms below publishes its percentage, so ask for both numbers and the cost policy in writing before signing.
$20,000
Where you may not need a lawyer at all
Utah small claims handles disputes up to $20,000 through 2029, with no attorney required. If you do file in district court, the fee is $375 for claims of $10,000 or more, and the court waives it for filers on SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or TANF, or at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, using a Motion to Waive Fees.
What clients in Salt Lake City say: Reading the visible Google reviews across these three, the praise is almost never about courtroom skill. It is about someone picking up the phone. Reviewers name the person who kept them updated far more often than they name the attorney, and the firms that get this right get it right consistently. The complaints follow the same pattern in reverse: cases that went quiet, medical bills that grew faster than expected, and confusion about who was actually handling the file. Ask that question first, not last.
How We Choose These Car Accident Attorneys in Salt Lake City
We looked at firms handling car accident claims for Salt Lake City drivers, then compared them on things you can check yourself: the Utah State Bar licence record for the named attorney, the case types the firm actually lists rather than the ones it advertises, whether it publishes fee terms, the offices it staffs in Salt Lake County, and the visible client reviews on Google.
The three are a shortlist, not a ranking, and each leads for a different situation. Firm details come from each firm’s own site, cross checked against Google Business Profile listings, Utah State Bar and directory records, and public court and statute sources. Bar numbers and discipline records we could not confirm during this update are flagged on the page rather than filled in, and no case result or recovery total appears here unless the firm publishes it itself, in which case it is labelled as the firm’s own figure.
1. Swenson & Shelley LawFeatured
Best for a crash involving a commercial truck
★★★★★ 5.0 / 5 · Google · 26 reviews
The pick when the other vehicle was a semi. Co-founder Kevin Swenson spent his early career defending insurance companies before switching to the plaintiff side in 2010, and the firm carries a full trucking section covering carrier liability and the regulations that apply to it. If you are looking for a car accident attorney in Salt Lake City and your crash involved a commercial carrier rather than another commuter, that is a different body of law and this firm works in it.
Identity and footprint
Salt Lake office2150 South 1300 East Suite 530, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Phone(801) 447-5464 for the Salt Lake office, (435) 767-7777 main line
Co-foundersKevin Swenson and Brian Shelley
Named attorneysKevin Swenson, Brian Shelley, Abraham Ivie, Jared Coburn, Carolyn Spilker
Other officesSt. George headquarters, Cedar City, Orem, Phoenix, Boise
States servedUtah, Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada
Practice and scope
Core workCar, truck, motorcycle and catastrophic injury claims
Salt Lake case pagesCar, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, rideshare, bus, brain injury, spinal cord, wrongful death
Trucking depthSeparate sections on truck accident causes, carrier liability, and the regulations that govern commercial drivers
BackgroundKevin Swenson worked as insurance defense counsel before moving to injury plaintiff work in 2010
Published resultsFirm’s own figures include a $6.25 million wrongful death settlement and a $2.2 million trucking settlement
Credentials and licensing
Utah State BarKevin Swenson, bar number 5803, admitted 1990
Law schoolUniversity of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, after a finance degree from Westminster College in 1987
Bar serviceListed on the Utah State Bar CLE Advisory Committee board and the Utah Association for Justice board
Board certificationSwenson states he holds board certification in truck accident law and is currently the only Utah attorney with it
Public disciplineKevin Swenson holds a Distinguished Justice Advocates listing
Fees and consultation
StructureContingency, advertised as no fee unless they win
ConsultationFree, advertised 24 hours a day
What clients say
✓ Fast first response
✓ Attorneys named personally
✓ Referred a caller elsewhere
· Only 26 reviews on this office
Reviewers on the Salt Lake City listing describe getting questions answered before signing, and several name the attorney and staff who handled the file rather than the firm generically. One describes Brian Shelley making calls to find another firm for a case this one does not take. The base is small, so read the reviews individually rather than trusting the average.
Why they fit Salt Lake City: The clearest fit of the three for a commercial trucking crash, where carrier records, driver logs and federal regulation matter more than the usual insurance argument, and Swenson’s insurance defence background is genuinely relevant to how the other side will value your file. The caveat is scale and distance: this is a St. George firm with a Salt Lake City office, the Salt Lake City Google listing carries only 26 reviews, and the truck law board certification is his own claim rather than something we could verify. Ask which attorney is based in Salt Lake City and who would appear if the case is filed here.
2. Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers
Best for Spanish speakers and clients who want the named attorney
★★★★½ 4.7 / 5 · Google · 115 reviews
The smallest practice here and the most personal. Founding attorney Brigham Richards worked as a state-certified court interpreter for Spanish speakers before law school, and the firm runs a separate Spanish-language site rather than a translated page. For anyone hiring a Salt Lake City car accident lawyer who wants the attorney on the phone rather than a coordinator, and who needs the conversation to happen in Spanish, this is the practice on the list built that way.
Identity and footprint
Office5255 S 4015 W Suite 207C, Salt Lake City, UT 84129
Location noteThe 84129 address sits on the west side near Taylorsville, not downtown. Avvo lists the same suite under a Taylorsville address.
Phone801-810-9999, answered 24 hours
LanguagesEnglish and Spanish, with a separate Spanish-language site
Practice and scope
Core workInjury claims only, no other practice areas
Sub practicesCar, truck, motorcycle, rideshare, pedestrian, premises liability, nursing home, wrongful death
Workers compensationHandles workers’ compensation alongside injury work, which matters if you were driving for work when the crash happened
Credentials and licensing
LicensedUtah and Nevada
Federal courtsU.S. District Court for the District of Utah and for the District of Nevada
Law schoolArizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2012, after a Spanish degree from Utah Valley
Before law schoolState-certified court interpreter for Spanish speakers
Fees and consultation
StructureContingency, described as no payment unless the case is won
ConsultationFree; phone answered 24 hours
What clients say
✓ Case manager keeps clients updated
✓ Spanish spoken with family
✓ Attorney answers calls and texts
✗ One account of a dropped case and a lien
· 115 reviews, mid sized base
The praise is unusually specific. Reviewers name the case manager, Ricardo, repeatedly, and several mention him translating for a Spanish-speaking parent. Brigham Richards is described as answering directly. Against that, one detailed review describes a case dropped after roughly fifteen months with a lien claimed on any later settlement and raises concern about medical billing. That is one account, but the subject is worth putting to the firm before you sign.
Why they fit Salt Lake City: The right call if you want the attorney rather than a department, and the clear pick if the claim needs to be handled in Spanish, since that capability here is a former court interpreter rather than a translation line. Two things to go in knowing: the office is on the west side rather than downtown, and a small practice has limited room if your case turns into heavy litigation. Given the billing complaint in the reviews, ask specifically who arranges your medical treatment and what happens to those bills if the firm later withdraws.
3. Siegfried & Jensen
Best for a straightforward claim run through a large process
★★★★½ 4.8 / 5 · Google · 2311 reviews
The volume operation, and the one with by far the deepest review record in the city. Founded in 1990 and now running two Salt Lake offices plus branches across Utah, Idaho, and Washington, the firm handles car accident claims in Salt Lake City at a scale nothing else on this list approaches. That scale is the product: intake, medical records, lien negotiation, and insurer correspondence are all handled by staff who do only that.
Identity and footprint
Main Salt Lake office5664 S Green St, Salt Lake City, UT 84123 (firm site and Google)
Downtown office32 Exchange Pl #301, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Phone(801) 266-0999
Founded1990, by Ned Siegfried and Mitch Jensen
LanguagesEnglish and Spanish, with a full Spanish-language site
Practice and scope
Core workInjury claims, weighted heavily toward motor vehicle collisions
Salt Lake case pagesCar, truck, motorcycle, bus, bicycle, pedestrian, electric scooter, dog bite, catastrophic injury, brain injury, spinal cord, wrongful death
Mountain casesCarries separate skiing and snowmobile pages, relevant if the crash happened in one of the canyons
Credentials and licensing
Ned SiegfriedUtah State Bar since 1983, JD from Brigham Young University 1983, BA University of Utah 1980 (firm bio)
Mitchell JensenJD, Pepperdine 1981; admitted in Utah and California
Named attorneysTodd Bradford, Luke Peterson, Ned Siegfried, C. Ryan Christensen, Caitlin Benson, Clayton Firth, Clint McAdams, JD Lewis, Mark Taylor, Randal G Payne, Spencer Calveard, Zane Christensen
Fees and consultation
StructureContingency, described as nothing out of pocket (firm site)
ConsultationFree case evaluation, by phone or form, answered around the clock
What clients say
✓ Largest verified review base here
✓ Organized, regular check-ins
✓ Staff named warmly and often
· Attorneys rarely named
· Rating covers the main office listing
At 2,311 reviews this is the deepest record on the list, and the tone is consistent: clients describe an organised process, regular contact, and staff who explain insurance and billing clearly. What stands out on a close read is who gets thanked. Reviewers name coordinators and case managers far more often than attorneys, which is what handling this volume looks like from the client side.
Why they fit Salt Lake City: The strongest choice if your claim is reasonably clear and you want it moved through a system that has done it tens of thousands of times, with the largest verified review base and the longest history in the city. The honest trade off sits in those same reviews: at this volume your daily contact will be a case manager rather than an attorney, and the firm’s headline figures on cases handled and success rate are its own numbers with no independent check available. Ask at the consultation which attorney is assigned to your file and who takes it over if it has to be filed.
What to check before hiring a Car Accident Attorney in Salt Lake City
✓ Look up the licence yourself, it takes two minutes
The Utah State Bar runs a free licensee search showing bar number, admission date, current status and any public discipline. Search the individual attorney who will handle your file, not the firm name. None of the three firms here publishes bar numbers on its site, so this is on you.
✓ Get both fee percentages in writing
Utah Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c) requires a contingency agreement to be in writing and to state the percentage. Ask for the pre-suit rate and the post-filing rate, whether it rises again at trial, and whether the fee is calculated on the gross settlement or after costs come out. The difference between those last two is real money.
✓ Ask who advances case costs and what you owe if you lose
Filing fees, medical records, accident reconstruction and outside opinions are separate from the attorney fee and are usually advanced by the firm then reimbursed from your settlement. Ask what happens to those advanced costs if there is no recovery. Firms answer this differently and it is rarely on the website.
✓ Check whether your PIP is exhausted and whether you clear the threshold
Your own PIP pays the first $3,000 of medical bills regardless of fault. Until your reasonable medical expenses pass $3,000, or the injury is permanent or disfiguring, you cannot claim pain and suffering from the other driver at all. Any attorney worth hiring will tell you where you sit on that line at the first call.
✓ Ask who actually handles the file day to day
At a high volume firm the person you speak to weekly is usually a case manager rather than an attorney. That is not a problem in itself, and the reviews suggest the good ones do it well, but you should know it going in. Ask for the assigned attorney’s name and what triggers them getting personally involved.
✓ Do not let the deadline slide, and check it if a government vehicle was involved
Most Utah injury claims must be filed within four years of the crash under Utah Code 78B-2-307. A claim involving a government vehicle, a UTA bus or a city or state employee follows a much shorter notice deadline than the ordinary four years, so raise that at the first call rather than after the fact.
Car Accident Attorneys in Salt Lake City: frequently asked questions
How much does a car accident attorney cost in Salt Lake City?
Nothing upfront. Utah injury attorneys work on contingency and Utah does not cap the percentage. The common structure is about a third of the recovery if the case settles before a lawsuit and around 40% once one is filed, with case costs deducted separately. None of the three firms on this page publishes its percentage, so ask for both figures and the cost policy in writing.
Utah is a no-fault state, so can I still sue the other driver?
Yes, once you clear the threshold. Your own PIP pays the first $3,000 of medical bills regardless of fault. Under Utah Code 31A-22-309 you can pursue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering only once your reasonable medical expenses exceed $3,000, or the injury involves death, dismemberment, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement. Emergency treatment and imaging often cross that line quickly.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Utah?
Four years from the date of the crash for most injury claims, under Utah Code 78B-2-307. Wrongful death and claims involving a government vehicle follow different and shorter timelines, so confirm yours early. Practically, waiting is costly regardless of the deadline, because vehicle data is overwritten, witnesses move and memories fade.
What if I was partly at fault for the crash?
Utah uses modified comparative fault. Your recovery is reduced by your share of the blame, and if you are found 50% or more at fault you recover nothing. This is why an insurer does not need to prove you caused the crash to cut its exposure, only that you contributed. Expect the other side to argue for a percentage rather than for total fault.
What if the other driver had no insurance or only the minimum?
Utah raised its minimum liability limits on 1 January 2025 to $30,000 per person, $65,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage, up from 25/65/15. A serious injury will exhaust that quickly, which is when uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy matters. Check your declarations page for UM and UIM limits before you assume the minimum is the ceiling.
Is my claim too small to need a lawyer?
Possibly. Utah small claims handles disputes up to $20,000 through the end of 2029 with no attorney required and a simplified procedure. On a clear liability claim with modest bills, a contingency fee may cost more than representation adds. Filing in district court costs $375 for claims of $10,000 or more, and the court waives that fee for filers who qualify on income or benefits.
DJA Editorial
Legal Directory Research
Compiles Distinguished Justice Advocates city guides from state bar licensee records, court and statute sources, and publicly visible client reviews. Firms appear as a shortlist rather than a ranking. Figures a firm publishes about itself are labelled as such, and anything that could not be verified is flagged on the page rather than estimated.
