What must plaintiffs establish to succeed in a fraud claim in Utah?

To succeed in a fraud claim in Utah, plaintiffs must establish several key elements: there must be a false statement made by the defendant, an intent to deceive, reliance on that false statement by the plaintiff, and actual damages resulting from that reliance. These elements work together to demonstrate that the plaintiff was misled in a way that caused harm.

The false statement is the foundation of the claim; without it, there can be no fraud. The intent to deceive shows that the defendant's actions were not simply a mistake but rather a deliberate effort to mislead the plaintiff. Reliance is crucial because it proves that the plaintiff believed the false statement, which led them to take certain actions or refrain from actions that they otherwise would have done. Finally, demonstrating that there are damages is essential, as the law requires that harm be suffered as a result of the fraud. If any of these elements are missing, a fraud claim is unlikely to succeed.