The Importance of Seeking Proper Compensation for a Car Accident Injury
To say that getting involved in a car accident is not something that anyone looks forward to, is a gross understatement. Not only does it pose a serious threat to their lives, but it may also cause severe property damage and significant financial losses.
If you ever get involved in one, it’s best to seek professional legal help as soon as possible. On top of the insurance claim, you may also file a claim for personal injury compensation if you sustained serious injuries from the accident.
It’s crucial that you do this immediately too, because you only have a limited period of time to make a claim for compensation. If you were involved in a car accident in Oklahoma, you have two years from the day of the accident to file a case in court. If the other party involved is under government employment, such as a city bus driver for example, then the time frame becomes a lot smaller, too.
Why Make a Claim
You will have to heal from your injuries. During this time you may not be able to report for work. The more serious your injury the more time you might require for healing. Therefore, you will be unable to earn a living. To make matters worse, it is also at this time when you will need to spend a considerable sum for medical treatment. These treatments and any tests and medication prescribed do not come cheap.
Your being laid up on a hospital bed also causes complications with your family finances, especially if you are the breadwinner. Then there is also the property damage angle. Your car may need either repairs or a replacement. Even if your car only needs repair, you will need a temporary replacement for your use.
For all of these, you deserve to be properly compensated. These details will be essential to any claim you need to file before the courts.
How Your Lawyer Can Help
Getting help from a professional personal injury lawyer such as those from LIttle, Oliver & Gallagher is an important step to take in your claim for compensation. These lawyers are well-versed in local car accident laws, from the prescription period to the computation for damages, and the application of Comparative Fault laws.
Your lawyer, therefore, has the best perspective in terms of determining the odds of your claim getting a favorable resolution. Medical claims, pain and physical suffering, disability and disfigurement, and even loss of social experiences are all valid grounds to make a claim. With a lawyer helping facilitate your claims before the court, you can have a better chance of successfully getting proper compensation.
Take Note of the Prescription Period
According to Oklahoma laws, you have until two (2) years from the date of the accident to take action against the other party for the injuries and damages you sustained from the accident. If the concerned party happens to be the state, i.e. the other vehicle that you got into a crash with turned out to be the city bus, you can expect to have a much shorter prescription period. Whatever the case, you should act faster if you expect to be compensated.
If you are not mindful of the prescription period, you will miss out on the chance to have your day in court. Between filling out the right forms and gathering all the pertinent documents, it can be easy to miss deadlines. Your lawyer can help you stay on top of these things.
Computation for Damages
You can file for economic or non-economic damages, or both. An economic damage pertains to the expenses incurred for the repair or replacement of your car or property, as well as your medical and legal costs. Non-economic damages pertain to the intangibles, such as psychological and emotional trauma that you incurred due to the accident.
The Comparative Fault law also applies, so if you are found to also be somewhat liable for the accident, then the computation for your liability will be duly deducted from the damages that should have been awarded to you in full by the other party.
A lawyer can help you organize whatever it is you need to be able to prove your case, and thus get the compensation properly due you. For this, you need the services of an experienced and knowledgeable car accident lawyer.
For more information contact one of our highly qualified Attorneys in the Oklahoma City area call (405) 253-4478 or our main office in Ardmore (580) 798-0447.
Sources:
Tips for Settling a Car Accident Claim. NOLO.
Insurance Claims After an Accident:The Basics. FindLaw.