Were you injured in an accident in Oklahoma City? If another person’s negligence caused the accident, you could seek financial compensation through a personal injury claim. Accidents often involve injuries, medical bills, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses connected to the accident. It is important to know your legal rights and pursue compensation if you experience financial hardship due to an accident.
What is the timeline of a personal injury case in Oklahoma City, OK? The overall time frame will depend on the facts of the accident, your injuries, property damage, and other monetary costs involved. Some cases can be complex and time-consuming, and others could be more simple.
Steps Involved In an Oklahoma Personal Injury Case
Personal injury claims in Oklahoma City involve several different steps. Each case is unique, and your timeline will depend on the facts involved. Common stages of a personal injury case include:
- An accident occurs;
- Law enforcement investigates the cause of the accident;
- Victims get medical help for their injuries;
- A personal injury lawyer investigates the incident and collects evidence;
- Your attorney negotiates with the insurance company to work on a settlement;
- Your lawyer files a personal injury lawsuit if the insurer does not offer a fair settlement;
- Both sides to the lawsuit exchange documents and evidence;
- Negotiations and mediations take place during the case;
- The case goes to trial if the parties cannot reach a settlement.
Below, we’ll discuss some of these steps in more detail.
The Accident Happens
Any kind of accident will be a shocking experience for those involved. Nobody expects to become an accident victim. Car accidents, truck accidents, slips and falls, workplace accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, construction accidents, and all varieties of accidents can cause personal injury. Accidents will require medical attention and can cause you to miss work.
Getting Medical Help
If you’ve been in an accident, you need to seek medical treatment. Even if you don’t think you were seriously hurt, you should get checked out. Some injuries, like concussions and internal bleeding, might not be noticeable to you right away. Make sure to get any follow-up treatment your provider recommends and take any medication prescribed. This is important not only for your health but for a potential personal injury claim.
Getting Legal Help
Personal injury lawyers in Oklahoma City will typically work on a contingency basis, meaning you would not have to pay legal fees upfront. You should not let costs get in the way of talking to a lawyer as soon as possible. Obtaining skilled legal advice early in the process will help you pursue the financial recovery you deserve after a serious accident.
Having a lawyer at your side will help you negotiate with insurance companies to maximize your potential settlement. Insurers will tend to delay, deny, or minimize claims when an accident victim pursues the claim on their own. Experienced lawyers know how to get tough with insurers when they try to play games.
Collecting Evidence
Evidence in a personal injury case can include:
- Photos
- Video recordings
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Physical evidence
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Expert witness reports and testimony.
Evidence plays a crucial role, even before a personal injury case goes to trial. An experienced personal injury lawyer will thoroughly review all evidence to boost your claim at every stage in the process.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If your claim is not settled through an insurance claim, your lawyer will take your case to court. The statute of limitations for a personal injury case in Oklahoma is two years from the date of an accident in most cases. If you miss this deadline, you could lose your right to seek damages in court. Your personal injury lawyer will make sure all deadlines are met in your case. Even though you have two years to file, it often helps to file a claim sooner. This way, witness memories are still fresh, and evidence is easier to obtain and preserve.
Discovery in a Personal Injury Case
During a personal injury case, both sides will share what is known as “discovery.” Discovery can include documents, photographs, video footage, names of witnesses, expert reports, and other information to explain what happened and who was at fault. Discovery can also help show how strong your claim is and why you deserve a substantial settlement payout.
Settlement and Mediation
Settlement talks and mediation are involved in most personal injury cases. Mediation is a meeting that takes place out of court to go over all the issues and seek a resolution. At any point during a personal injury case, attorneys for both sides can agree to a settlement. Almost 95% of personal injury cases settle while a case is pending–meaning that the case does not go to trial.
Trial
The case will go to trial if it does not settle. During a personal injury trial, your lawyer will use evidence and witness testimony to explain why the other party was legally liable for your injuries. They will also seek to prove you deserve the financial payment you are requesting. In a jury trial, jurors will rule on the case based on the evidence admitted during the trial. Experience counts in these situations–you need a personal injury lawyer with a strong track record of success in jury trials.
Contact an Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence in Oklahoma, you should not bear the financial burden of the accident. The Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers at Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers have helped thousands of clients just like you get the financial recovery they need after a serious accident. Contact our law office today at (405) 497-0480 to schedule a free consultation.
