If you have had a car accident and were not at fault, at some point in time, you will need to make sure that the culpable driver’s insurance company clearly understands the nature of your injuries and damages and the value of your claim.
If you have hired an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer to represent your interests with regard to the claim, your attorney will send out a demand letter to the insurance company outlining your damages and the value of your claim. A demand letter can be very effective in bringing a resolution to your claim.
FAQ: Your Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyer’s Demand Letter
A well-drafted demand letter outlines all of the injuries and damages that you may be compensated for under the law that will be made part of the claim. The letter will usually cover the issue of fault for the accident.
Sometimes, the issue of fault is very clear. For example, if you were stopped at a stoplight and a car rear-ended you, the other driver would be entirely at fault.
You may still recover damages in Oklahoma, as long as you were not more that 50% at fault in the accident. (Okla. Stat. tit. 23 §§ 13-14)
The demand letter that your Oklahoma City car accident lawyer sends to the insurance company will cover the issue of fault.
A Demand Letter Can Persuade an Insurance Company to Resolve Your Claim
The letter will also cover the issue of damages. Under Oklahoma law, an injured party can recover damages for both physical and mental/emotional pain and suffering from the time of the accident and into the future, medical bills and charges, ambulance charges, any hospitalization, and the like.
An injured party can also recover any wages lost as a result of the accident, from the time of the accident and into the future, the value of all physical property damaged or lost as a result of the accident, and all associated costs involved, such as a rental car while your car is being repaired.
Hopefully, your injuries in this accident are not severe. The nature and extent of your injuries will be fully outlined in the demand letter. For example, is the duration of the injury short or long term? Is the injury permanent? Is there any disfigurement associated with the injury?
Your Oklahoma City car accident lawyer will outline all relevant facts in the demand letter. The letter will apprise the insurance company of the facts that they will be faced with at a later trial.
The letter may often act as an inducement to the insurance company to settle the case early rather than spend the time and money to fight the case at trial.
Free Consultation: Oklahoma City Personal Injury Attorney
If you are the victim of a car accident, contact a qualified Oklahoma City personal injury attorney to evaluate your case.
For a free, no-risk consultation with the Personal Injury Law Office of Oklahoma City, call today: 405-716-4878 (716-HURT).
If you prefer, you may send your question via e-mail using the form at the top right of this page. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.