House of Representatives State of Utah




         UTAH STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX . 350 STATE CAPITOL

Figure

Graphic file number 0 named letter~1.jpg with height 78 p and width 81 p Left aligned
         P.O. BOX 145030 . SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5030 . (801) 538-1029         February 23, 2009

Mr. Speaker:

    The Business and Labor Committee reports a favorable recommendation on H.B. 192, PERSONAL INJURY JUDGMENT INTEREST, by Representative J. Dunnigan, with the following amendments and recommends it be placed on the Consent Calendar.


1.    Page 1, Lines 9 through 17 :    

             9          This bill amends the

{   date that a plaintiff may claim   }        the       interest        rate       on      {   special   }        personal injury       damages      {   , and

             10      defines interest as simple interest and not compounded interest  
}
.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          
{   .    requires interest accrued on special damages to be simple interest, not compound

             14      interest; and  
}

             15          .    changes the
{   date from which   }        rate of       interest      {   is accrued for special damages from the date of

             16      the occurrence of the act giving rise to the cause of the action to the date that the
             17      damage was actually incurred.  
}
  on damages for personal injury actions.      


2.    Page 2, Lines 28 through 44 :    

             28          78B-5-824. Personal injury judgments -- Interest authorized.
             29          (1) In all actions brought to recover damages for personal injuries sustained by any
             30      person, [resulting from or occasioned by the tort of any other person, corporation, association,
             31      or partnership, whether by] caused by the negligence or willful intent of [that other] another
             32      person
{   [   } , corporation, association, or partnership      {   ]   }      {   or entity   } , and whether the injury was fatal or

             33      otherwise, the plaintiff in the complaint may claim interest on special damages actually
             34      incurred
{   [   } from the date of the occurrence of the act giving rise to the cause of

action      {   ]   } .


             35          (2) It is the duty of the court, in entering judgment for plaintiff in that action, to add to
             36      the amount of special damages actually incurred that are assessed by the verdict of the jury, or
             37      found by the court, prejudgment interest on that amount calculated at
{   the legal rate, as defined

             38      in Section 15-1-1  
}
  7.5% simple interest per annum       ,      {   [   } from the date of the occurrence of the act giving rise to the cause of action

             39      to the date of entering the judgment,
{   ]   } and to include it in that judgment.

             40          
{   (3) Interest claimed on any special damage shall be computed from the date the damage

             41      was actually incurred.
             42          (4) Interest under Subsections (1) and (2) shall be simple and not compounded.  
}

             43          
{   [   } (3)      {   ]   }      {   (5)   } As used in this section, "special damages actually incurred" does not include

             44      damages for future medical expenses, loss of future wages, or loss of future earning capacity.


    Respectfully,

    James A. Dunnigan
    Committee Chair
Voting: 14-0-0
4 HB0192.HC1.wpd 2/24/09 7:19 am phildean/AMN ECM/JDH


Bill Number
Action Class
Action Code

*HB0192*
*H*
*HCRAMDCON*

HB0192
H
HCRAMDCON