Car Accident Claims in Wyoming
Minimum car insurance in Wyoming, whether the state is no-fault, how fault is shared, and the deadline to sue after a crash.
Short answer: The driver must immediately, by the quickest means available, notify the local police department (inside a city or town) or otherwise the nearest Wyoming Highway Patrol office or the county sheriff, if the crash causes injury or death, or damages a vehicle (other than a bicycle or other… Wyo. Stat. §§ 31-5-1105, 31-5-1107(b)
| Reporting a crash to police | The driver must immediately, by the quickest means available, notify the local police department (inside a city or town) or otherwise the nearest Wyoming Highway Patrol office or the county sheriff, if the crash causes injury or death, or damages a vehicle (other than a bicycle or other human-powered vehicle) so it cannot be driven normally and safely. Wyoming uses this disabled-vehicle test rather than a dollar threshold. If the driver cannot, a capable passenger must give the notice. |
|---|---|
| Crash report to the DMV | Wyoming no longer requires drivers to file their own written crash report; the driver-report provisions were repealed in 2013. Instead, a police officer who investigates a crash causing injury or death, or leaving a vehicle unable to be driven normally and safely, must send a written report to the state highway department within 10 days after the investigation. Source: Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-1106 |
| Leaving the scene (hit and run) | A driver in a crash causing injury, death, or damage to an attended vehicle or property must stop at or as close to the scene as possible and stay until they have given their name, address and vehicle registration number, shown their license if asked (including to police), and given reasonable help to anyone injured, including arranging transport for treatment. Failing to stop or comply after an injury or death crash is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine up to $5,000. Failing to stop after a crash damaging only an attended vehicle or property is a misdemeanor. For an unattended vehicle or property, the driver must stop and either find the owner or leave a secure written note with their name, address and registration number. |
| Minimum car insurance | Owners must keep a motor vehicle liability policy or bond. Proof of financial responsibility means at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in one accident, and $20,000 for property damage. The required policy amounts are set by cross-reference to § 31-9-405(b), which was not separately read. |
| Fault rule (comparative negligence) | Modified comparative fault (51% bar). A claimant can recover if their fault is not more than 50% of the total fault of all actors; damages are reduced by the claimant's percentage of fault. The jury is told the consequences of its fault percentages. Source: Wyo. Stat. § 1-1-109(b)–(d) |
| Deadline to sue for an injury | Four years for an injury to the rights of the plaintiff not arising on contract, which covers most negligence-based injury claims. Assault or battery (other than sexual assault), libel, slander, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment have a one-year deadline. Applying the four-year period to negligence injury claims follows from the statute's text; |
| Deadline to sue for property damage | Four years for taking, detaining or injuring personal property (such as a car), and four years for trespass on real property. |
More Wyoming personal injury & wrongful death
- Deadlines to File an Injury Lawsuit in Wyoming
- Wrongful Death Lawsuits in Wyoming
- Medical Malpractice Rules in Wyoming
- Dog Bite Liability in Wyoming
- Sidewalk and Public Property Falls in Wyoming
- Motorcycle Accident Claims in Wyoming
- Pedestrian Accident Claims in Wyoming
- Bicycle Accident Claims in Wyoming
- Uber and Lyft Accident Claims in Wyoming
- Construction Site Injuries in Wyoming
- All Wyoming personal injury & wrongful death rules
FAQ
When do you have to report a car accident to the police in Wyoming?
The driver must immediately, by the quickest means available, notify the local police department (inside a city or town) or otherwise the nearest Wyoming Highway Patrol office or the county sheriff, if the crash causes injury or death, or damages a vehicle (other than a bicycle or other human-powered vehicle) so it cannot be driven normally and safely. Wyoming uses this disabled-vehicle test rather than a dollar threshold. If the driver cannot, a capable passenger must give the notice.
Do you have to report a car accident to the DMV in Wyoming?
Wyoming no longer requires drivers to file their own written crash report; the driver-report provisions were repealed in 2013. Instead, a police officer who investigates a crash causing injury or death, or leaving a vehicle unable to be driven normally and safely, must send a written report to the state highway department within 10 days after the investigation.
What are your duties after a car accident in Wyoming?
A driver in a crash causing injury, death, or damage to an attended vehicle or property must stop at or as close to the scene as possible and stay until they have given their name, address and vehicle registration number, shown their license if asked (including to police), and given reasonable help to anyone injured, including arranging transport for treatment. Failing to stop or comply after an injury or death crash is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine up to $5,000. Failing to stop after a crash damaging only an attended vehicle or property is a misdemeanor. For an unattended vehicle or property, the driver must stop and either find the owner or leave a secure written note with their name, address and registration number.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Wyoming?
Owners must keep a motor vehicle liability policy or bond. Proof of financial responsibility means at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in one accident, and $20,000 for property damage.
Can you recover damages if you were partly at fault in Wyoming?
Modified comparative fault (51% bar). A claimant can recover if their fault is not more than 50% of the total fault of all actors; damages are reduced by the claimant's percentage of fault. The jury is told the consequences of its fault percentages.
What is the statute of limitations for personal injury in Wyoming?
Four years for an injury to the rights of the plaintiff not arising on contract, which covers most negligence-based injury claims. Assault or battery (other than sexual assault), libel, slander, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment have a one-year deadline.
How long do you have to sue for property damage in Wyoming?
Four years for taking, detaining or injuring personal property (such as a car), and four years for trespass on real property.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.