Posts Tagged ‘Accident Case’

Increase Your Oklahoma Car Wreck Settlement

January 16th, 2010



Oklahoma Car Accident Victims – Why You Need an Attorney

If you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident, you unfortunately have a lot to deal with on your road to recovery in every way. As is the case with many car accidents, you are probably dealing with physical injuries, emotional trauma, pain and suffering and you face a mounting pile of bills. These bills can be related to your medical care, even if you have insurance coverage and to your automobile, as we are a society that needs our cars to get around, which needs that it either needs to be repaired or replaced.

When faced with this situation, the last thing you should do is attempt to handle it yourself. There are many reasons for this reality which will be discussed below, but the bottom line is that if you or someone you love has suffered through this experience, you need the help of an experienced Oklahoma car accident attorney to make sure that your rights are enforced properly.

Below are a few reasons why you need an attorney to help you through the aftermath of an auto accident:

Reason One – Knowledge

An auto accident attorney who has handled several of these cases will have a full understanding of the law that applies to this situation, to the evidence that may or may not be admissible if the matter must go to trial, and how to deal with the opposite party. Many times, understanding the power of the evidence that will work in your favor can be a factor in coming to a settlement, but only if the other party understands that you have someone working with you who knows this as well.

Reason Two – Negotiating Skill

Before an auto accident case goes to trial, there is almost always a period where the two parties negotiate a settlement to the matter. However, again, you should not attempt to handle this situation yourself, as the other party’s insurance company will doubtlessly employ a team of defense attorney whose mission is simply to limit the amount of liability and pay-out that their client will incur.

Therefore, you need an Oklahoma injury lawyer who will be able to cut through the red tape that’s often in place because of the defense attorneys, and he or she will also be able to pierce through the unfortunate ‘runaround’ that is part of many defense positions. Simply put, an auto accident attorney will likely be able to move towards a solution in a shorter amount of time and also able to negotiate a settlement amount that’s fair for you.

Your Next Step

Finally, as you see, you basically have two choices when you’ve been victimized by an auto accident – attempt to handle the matter yourself and be forced to learn an entirely new language known as ‘legalese’ or retain an auto accident attorney who already has years of training and experience in this regard to handle this situation for you. The defendants will also understand this difference, which is why you need to contact an auto accident attorney as soon as possible to get the process of evaluating and enforcing your rights started.

By: Andrew Sarski

A Car Accident Attorney For Your Personal Injuries

January 15th, 2010



Car accidents are also considered as a personal injury case. You can either file a case against the car manufacturer or against the other party involved to settle your claim. You may not be aware of the legal procedures involved in an accident case. It is, thus, important to hire a car accident attorney to ensure that the process is carried out smoothly.

A car accident attorney is the one who is specialized in this field and is aware of the procedures as well as the loopholes involved in an accident case. An attorney who is specialized in such a field will be of immense help in such situations. These lawyers are licensed to deal with such cases. The details required to file the accident case can be witnesses, details of the guilty party, filing of a police report and other relevant information.

Car owners are usually covered by insurance. Insurance covers personal as well as property damage and the party involved gets the settlement. The cover usually takes care of all the damages but in times where the damage is huge, the car accident attorney plays an important role in getting the desired reimbursement for his client. The lawyer is invaluable, as he is well aware of the legal rules and checks all the options for the best solution.

The reimbursements that a lawyer can fetch for his clients include medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, disability claims, compensation for fractures and also loss of income due to the accident.

Tips

Have a personal injury lawyer who is competent enough in getting your compensation and negotiating the maximum with your insurer as well as with the opposite party’s insurer Choose your lawyer based on his past records so that he can offer you immediate legal guidance The attorney should also have good rapport and communication skills to have comfortable and effective interactions with you and the defendant’s lawyer The car accident lawyer should be a licensed member of the State Bar association

A car accident can take place as a result of any person’s fault. It is important to be honest and open with your attorney in order to get justice for your case. If you do not have an attorney, you can end up making wrong decisions and this can cost heavily on your pocket.

Some personal injury lawyers are listed online. You need to do a thorough check on their reputation and if there are any recommendation for the listed lawyers. Do not hesitate to go for the best personal injury attorney. You will see that he will turn out to be a blessing for you and take you comfortably through the claim process.

By: Andrina James

Car Accident Lawsuits – Ten Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Case

January 13th, 2010



When involved in an auto accident lawsuit, your day-to-day activities will be scrutinized by insurance adjusters and defense attorneys looking for proof that your injuries are not severe or life-altering enough to recover damages. The following are ten common mistakes victims make that can harm their car accident case.

1. Underestimating insurance companies:

Expect that your auto insurance company and at-fault driver’s insurance company will conduct surveillance and hire investigators to take photos and videos of you at some point during your case. If you have tried to do a task, admit you’ve tried it. Most people will understand if you had a good day, and attempted to do something. But no one understands when an auto accident victim denies something that is later caught on surveillance video.

2. Signing away your rights:

Do NOT sign ANYTHING until you check with your auto accident lawyer. Even seemingly innocent papers such as car damage (mini-tort) releases sometimes have fine print waiving future injury claims or allowing an at-fault insurance company to access your medical records and violate your privacy. Always check with your car accident lawyer first.

3. Talking about your case:

Insurance adjusters, defense lawyers, and sometimes jurors may try one day to contact you. Do NOT talk about your case with ANYONE hired by the at-fault driver or insurance company. If an adjuster wants to ask about your case, have them call your car accident lawyer.

4. Divulging information on Facebook, Twitter and other online forums:

Defense attorneys and insurance adjusters will investigate your MySpace, Facebook and related Web pages, blogs or Twitter accounts – even when set as ‘Private’ – and look for things that can help their case against you. The purpose of this Internet research is to attempt to show that you are not as injured as you claim. So be careful about postings and photos of your activities. Avoid posting new items and remove any items that can be used to discredit you. One example is a truck accident victim who posted pictures of himself skiing on Facebook. Even though the activity occurred before the accident, the mere accusation of fraud by defense lawyers can have an affect on suspicious jurors.

5. Missing doctor appointments:

Do not miss doctor’s appointments. Not going to the doctor may be interpreted as a sign that you are not hurt, or don’t take your case seriously. Listen to your doctors, and follow their advice. It’s very important for you to show that you’re working hard to recover, and keeping appointments is an important part of that.

6. Disposing of important evidence of your injuries:

Save all pill bottles, casts, braces, prescriptions and any other items from your doctors. These will be used to prove you are truly injured.

7. Forgetting to document your injuries:

Anytime you have a surgery or a visible injury, take pictures. Or contact your auto accident lawyer and he will send a photographer to document your injuries before it’s too late. Videos are also great tools to show a jury or an insurance company adjuster just how difficult things have been in the days and weeks following your personal injury or after a surgery. In addition, take pictures of car damage. Crash repair estimates are often misleading and don’t reflect the full amount of vehicle damage.

8. Renewing licenses:

Defense attorneys and their investigators can easily obtain access to commercial driver license (CDL) information from the secretary of state, as well as hunting and fishing license information from the Department of Natural Resources. If you have serious injuries that prevent you from driving a commercial vehicle and/or participating in outdoor activities, do not renew those licenses until you speak with your lawyer first. Evidence showing that you renewed one of these licenses while recovering from your accident may convince a jury your injuries are not as severe as stated.

9. Failing to notify your attorney about job changes and moving:

Anything after your auto accident regarding changes in your job, job duties and salary is very important to discuss with your attorney. Notify your attorney if you are moving, if you have been put on further restrictions at work or have to miss more work due to your personal injuries. The more informed your lawyer is about how your injuries are affecting your job and your life, the better he can work towards obtaining fair compensation for you.

10. Poor communication:

The best way to avoid mistakes in a lawsuit is to maintain excellent communication with your car accident lawyer. There are so many confusing laws that can wreak havoc on an automobile accident case, even when people are trying to be truthful, honest and do the right thing.

The best advice remains the simplest: Call your car accident lawyer if you have a question, and certainly before doing something that can have an important impact on your case.

By: Steve Gursten