Visitor Question

Injured jumping off the back of my friend’s parked truck…

Submitted By: Jeff (Murray, UT USA)

I was cleaning snow out of the bed of my friend’s truck. When finished, it was difficult to get back on the ground, as the truck has no tailgate. So I jumped into the snow and tore the ligaments and cartilage in my knee. I might need surgery. This happened in Denver, CO a few days ago.

I was thinking about moving there, so the truck was put into my name as a gift. Is there any way I can get medical coverage for my injuries? Is this a homeowners claim or auto insurance claim? Thanks for any info you can give.

Disclaimer: Our response is not formal legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information provided. Do not rely upon the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site, when deciding the proper course of a legal matter. Always get a personalized case review from a local attorney.

Answer

Dear Jeff,

You will have much better luck filing a homeowners claim than you would filing an injury claim under your friend’s automobile liability policy. To be compensated for an injury under the homeowners claim you would not need to prove your friend was negligent. Instead, you would only have to prove the injury occurred.

The State of Utah follows the No-Fault rule. That means drivers injured in car accidents must turn to their own insurance companies for compensation even if it is clear the other driver was negligent.

With that said, you will not be covered under your auto policy on the gifted truck, as the injury occurred before the truck was transferred into your name.

Learn more here: Homeowner's Insurance Injury Claims

The above is general information. Laws change frequently, and across jurisdictions. You should get a personalized case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

Find a local attorney to give you a free case review here, or call 888-972-0892.

We wish you the best with your claim,

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