How Can an Attorney Help with My Oklahoma City Car Accident Claim?

Suffering an injury in a car accident is never easy. Even if you believe the injury to be minor, just the stress of a car accident can be overwhelming. There is so much to take care of following a crash, including dealing with insurance companies, talking to doctors, getting repair estimates, and having the vehicle repaired based on your schedule – not to mention losing time from work.

An Oklahoma City car accident attorney from Cunningham & Mears can help you through the entire process so you can focus on recovery. No matter the severity of the crash, you should always speak with a personal injury attorney about the incident. You never know if you have the basis for a claim or not until you speak with an attorney. A skilled attorney can help with all aspects of your case, including the following.

Perform a thorough investigation of the accident

One of the most important aspects of working with an Oklahoma City car accident attorney is that he will perform a thorough investigation of the crash that left you injured. Relying on the insurance company’s findings or the police report is not in your best interest. There is no guarantee that these entities thoroughly reviewed all of the evidence surrounding the crash.

Experienced attorneys will use all of their resources to investigate your crash, including doing the following:

• Taking photos and video of the accident scene and surrounding areas
• Having a trusted mechanic inspect your vehicle’s damage
• Reviewing your medical records
• Talking to witnesses
• Acquiring video footage from local businesses
• Talking to medical experts about your injuries

Examine medical records, emotional state, and finances

An attorney, while not a doctor, can help review your medical records following your car accident. Medical records help prove you were treated by a doctor after an accident. Avoiding medical treatment will only hurt your accident claim. Even if the doctor comes to the conclusion that you are not seriously injured, having a record of seeing a doctor will work to your advantage.

An attorney will also examine your emotional health following an accident. If you have been stressed, depressed, and anxious since the accident, the attorney will encourage you to speak with a therapist.

After an accident, your attorney will also examine your finances. Depending on the severity of your injuries, your finances might take a serious hit. If you are unable to work because of your injuries, you will no longer be able to earn a living to support yourself and your family. You can quickly go into debt having to use credit cards to buy food, clothes, and pay the bills.

Further, debt collection does not stop when you are injured in an accident. An experienced attorney knows how to use the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to protect you from debt collectors while you focus on recovering from your injuries.

Discuss your legal options

Your car accident lawyer will also sit down with you to have an honest discussion about your legal options. You should not blindly file a lawsuit without knowing your chances of securing a successful outcome. Once the attorney reviews all the aspects of the crash, they can then provide an honest assessment of where your claim will might go if you move forward. An attorney will also provide you with a potential timeline of the case and all legal options on the table.

File the necessary paperwork in a timely fashion

The days and weeks following a car crash are stressful and include communicating with insurance companies, police departments, auto shops, and other entities. You will need to acquire a police report, file forms with your insurance company, and seek estimates for repairs on your car.

If you decide to file a claim, the amount of paperwork increases because it adds other lawyers and the court to the equation. An Oklahoma City car accident attorney will make sure that all of the required paperwork is filed with the appropriate parties by the right deadlines so you do not miss out on the opportunity to recover compensation for your injuries.

Handle all communications on your behalf

Having to deal with insurance companies, doctors, mechanics, and other people following a car accident adds a lot of undue stress to your situation. An experienced car accident attorney takes on all of these communications for you. No longer will you have to speak to an insurance adjuster by yourself, or answer questions from an investigator. An attorney will send letters, answer calls, and initiate queries on your behalf.

Prepare the case for settlement negotiations

Personal injury attorneys have no problem negotiating a settlement on the behalf of their clients out of court. Most car accident claims will be resolved via settlement negotiations, but it is not required. At Cunningham & Mears, we prepare for all car accident claims to go to trial. Because of this, we make it easier to negotiate beneficial settlements on behalf of our clients.

Represent you at a car accident trial

In the event that we cannot come to a settlement agreement with the other party involved in the crash, we will represent you at trial. The most common reasons why car accident cases go to trial include the following:

• Insurance companies challenge the amount of liability their driver had in the crash
• The insurance company challenges the severity of your injuries
• The insurance company challenges the amount of damages you suffered in the crash

Our attorneys are always prepared to fight for your rights if the claim winds up going to court.

Were you or a loved one injured in a car accident? The Oklahoma City car accident attorneys at Cunningham & Mears can represent you in a claim. Call our office at (405) 232-1212, or submit our contact form to schedule a consultation with a member of our team today.