Top-Rated Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyers

If you have been in a car accident, you likely know how many tasks and details must now be taken care of. Car accident victims often feel confused and unsure about their next steps. Below are a few of the most immediate things that need to be done after a car crash.

1. Call the emergency line – The very first thing you need to do if you have been in a car wreck is to dial 911. The 911 operator knows who needs to be dispatched to the scene. These emergency responders are likely to arrive at the scene: the police, fire department and emergency medical technicians. You are required to remain at the scene of the accident until the police who arrive clear you to leave. It is a good idea to exchange contact information with the other driver, but the police report should also have that information if you were unable to get it.
2. Keep track of medical expenses – If you have to see the doctor due to car accident injuries, you will need to keep any medical bills and documents you are given. These will become very important to your auto insurance provider and to your personal injury attorney, should you hire one.
3. Obtain the police report – Another important document you will need to collect is the police report. The police report will have information in it that your insurance company will use to decide if you were at fault. Police are taught to immediately begin taking notes of the scene when they arrive. They talk to witnesses, both drivers involved in the automobile accident, and take pictures of the scene and of both vehicles.
4. Call your insurance company – You will need to begin the process of filing a car accident claim as soon as possible. Your insurance company will need the documents you have collected as well as any other evidence you may have collected.
5. Consider hiring a personal injury attorney – If you have been involved in a car accident, you may want to consider hiring a car accident lawyer. There are many details and important deadlines to keep track of during an already stressful time. Make sure you do not miss anything by using LegalFinders to connect you with a law firm that best fits your needs.

These are only a few of the steps you need to take after an auto accident. For some people, the accident may not be serious and can be over pretty quickly. However, if someone has died or serious injuries were involved, or if there is extensive property damage and a vehicle needs significant repairs the process can take much longer.

One of the most important things you need to take care of after a car accident is to get checked out by a doctor. Sometimes there are injuries that can occur that you may not notice until a later time because adrenaline often masks pain. Most emergency room doctors are familiar with certain injuries that can happen due to a car accident. The following are some of the most commonly experienced injuries:

• Bumps and bruises
• Scrapes and cuts
• Burns
• Soft tissue damage
• Whiplash
• Concussions
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Spinal injuries
• Brain injuries
• Death

If you have been in a collision, make sure you get checked out as soon as possible. Doctors do not mind checking you out. It is better to go and know that nothing is wrong, than to skip the medical care and miss something very serious. If you decide to hire a personal injury attorney, make sure you retain your medical records that apply to the accident. These can be important when building your personal injury case.

Everyone understands what a hectic and chaotic time the period after an accident can be. Your normal schedule is now confused, you may have experienced injuries that need care and time to recover from. You may not have been able to attend work for a while and have lost wages because of this accident. There are now looming deadlines to contend with on top of everything else. This is where hiring a personal injury lawyer can greatly benefit you.

Car accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys have decades of experience dealing with the legal system and insurance companies. They are very aware of the statute of limitations that you have to comply with in order to preserve your claim and they are familiar with specific Oklahoma car accident laws. They have necessary knowledge and skills to make sure that you receive not just fair compensation but the maximum compensation available.

They often work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they do not get paid unless you win your personal injury case. This is often a relief for those that are struggling with being able to afford an attorney. You can trust car accident attorneys to handle the legal side of things so that you can begin to move on and recover from this auto accident. LegalFinders can help you find top rated trial lawyers in the OKC area or anywhere else in the state.

Another very important step to take after being involved in a car accident is to contact your insurance company. Most people dread this phone call, believing it is going to be monotonous and stressful. While there is no way to confirm that you will have a smooth process, the following things can make your phone call easier:

• Have all of your insurance information available, including your insurance policy number which can be found on a bill or on your account.
• Have any documents regarding medical attention you received, including the emergency room bill or a bill from your primary care physician if emergency care was not sought.
• Have any evidence you may have gathered handy, this includes copies of pictures, videos, property damage repair bills and statements from witnesses of the accident if there were any.
• The police report, which will provide key details that your insurance company will need in order to determine who is at fault.

Once your insurance provider has received your information, they will then dispatch an insurance adjuster to investigate on the insurance company’s behalf. They will go directly to the car accident site if possible, even if the wreckage is cleared there can still be visible tire marks or damage to surrounding property. They will also examine the vehicles involved for any damage and speak to both drivers. If there were witnesses to the car accident, they will speak with them as well in order to gain a clear understanding of what took place.

After they have concluded their investigation, they will give their findings to the insurance company. The company will then calculate what they deem to be a fair settlement offer. If you feel that this offer does not reflect the damages that have accumulated, you can dispute and negotiate the claim amount. It can help to hire a personal injury attorney if you need to file a bad faith claim against your insurance company. This states that you believe the insurance company is behaving with gross negligence regarding your claim by not paying the amount that is duly owed under the policy coverage according to the extent of your losses.

While dealing with insurance companies can be stressful, it is important to get started on your car accident claim or personal injury claim as soon as possible in order to receive your settlement offer.

No, Oklahoma is not a no-fault insurance state. In the state of Oklahoma, they use “modified comparative negligence”. Basically, if you are considered at fault for any portion of the wreck, you may not be compensated unless it is less than the amount of damage the other driver is responsible for. Your compensation may be reduced by the percentage that you are found to be responsible.

In Oklahoma all motorists are required to carry liability insurance at the very least. Underinsured or uninsured motorists can face a $250 fine for not being able to show proof of insurance. This also means that injury victims may have to go to court in order to receive compensation that is usually covered mostly by insurance companies.

A statute of limitation is the amount of time from the date of the accident that a person or a family member has to file a suit or a claim with the court. These are very strict and rigid deadlines. If you miss the window of opportunity for filing, you do not get another chance. To make sure you do not miss out on these time limitations, use LegalFinders to find a personal injury lawyer today.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident, according to Oklahoma personal injury law you have up to two years from the day the accident occurs to file a claim to recover for the losses from the accident. In the tragic event that someone dies either at the scene of the crash or later on as the direct result of injuries sustained in the crash, the deadline for filing a wrongful death case is two years from the date of the death.