Oklahoma residents or visitors to the state who suffer injuries or lost loved ones in automobile collisions likely have a lot of questions about seeking compensation for their losses. How much can they get? What can they do if insurance providers are not playing fair? Following car accidents, settlement amounts are determined by looking at a number of factors.
When an insurance provider receives a claim following a car accident, the victim may be offered a settlement — after an investigation into the matter. The amount of the settlement is determined by looking at vehicle damages, cost of injury treatment and the policy owner’s coverage. The insurance provider, in an effort to protect its bottom line, will offer the lowest amount possible. It is just the way it works.
Those individuals who are unsatisfied with insurance provider settlement offers do not have to immediately accept them. It is okay to seek guidance on the matter. With the assistance of legal counsel, it may be possible to negotiate a higher settlement. If negotiations fail, taking the matter to court is also possible.
The court will not take an insurance provider’s bottom line into consideration when awarding a monetary judgment. Instead, it looks at the long-term needs of the victim. As this is the case, it really is in the best interests of the insurance provider and responsible party to settle out of court. With the assistance of legal counsel, victims of car accidents in Oklahoma — or their surviving family members — can take the steps necessary to fight for maximum relief.