How Long Does a Car Accident Take to Settle?
It’s difficult to imagine the trauma and terror of a car accident until you’ve experienced one or watched a loved one suffer the serious consequences of a crash. When a car accident in Oklahoma City causes more than just property damage to a vehicle and ends in serious injuries, an injury victim often faces a long road to physical recovery and a complex journey to financial recovery, especially in fault-based car accident states like Oklahoma.
Oklahoma requires an injury victim to prove the other driver’s responsibility for the accident to recover compensation for their damages. Most OKC car accident claims end with a settlement from the insurance company, but understanding the typical timeline of the car accident claim process in Oklahoma can help you anticipate how long your claim might take.
What Is the Timeline of an Oklahoma City Car Accident Case?
After a vehicle accident, some crash victims manage to preserve evidence at the scene, such as photos, videos, and eyewitness contact information, to benefit their case later, but other injury victims may be incapacitated or unconscious.
Still, the first steps toward a successful Oklahoma City car accident claim are reporting the accident to your insurance company, obtaining copies of the police report and medical report, and contacting an attorney. Then, allowing an attorney to handle all communication with the at-fault driver’s insurance company helps prevent common errors like accepting a fast, low-balled settlement offer made before you know the full extent of your damages.
The typical timeline of an OKC car accident claim is as follows:
- An Oklahoma City car accident attorney conducts an independent investigation of the accident to document evidence of the other party’s negligence, while the insurance company also investigates.
- The attorney documents clear evidence of liability and carefully calculates the injury victim’s economic damages and a compensatory amount for pain and suffering.
- They send their findings to the insurance company in a demand package.
- The insurance adjuster and the personal injury victim’s lawyer begin negotiations for a settlement.
As many as 93% of car accident claims in Oklahoma end with a settlement for the injury victim; however, a minority of cases require litigation in court due to an insurance company’s unwarranted disputes, delays, or denial of the claim.
Understanding the Average Time It Takes for an OKC Car Accident Claim
Car accident claims are all unique, with some settled as quickly as three months after the date of the accident, while others take up to two years or more.
The average amount of time for a car accident victim to receive a settlement is about six months; however, arriving at an average requires adding the extremes of both ends of the equation, including the fastest settlements and those that require an unusually lengthy time to settle.
Speaking to your car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City about the complexities of your unique case may help you to get a better understanding of how long your claim is likely to take.
How Does Oklahoma’s Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims Affect the Amount of Time It Takes for a Settlement?
Like all states, Oklahoma limits the amount of time after an accident that an injury victim can take their case to court. This statute of limitations helps ensure that there is still available evidence and reliable eyewitness testimony should a case require a lawsuit in court.
In Oklahoma, the statute of limitations for car accident claims is two years from the date of the accident. If the insurance company does not offer an acceptable settlement and you wish to pursue legal action in court, in most cases, your car accident attorney in Oklahoma City must file a lawsuit petition within two years of the accident date.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, don’t face the claims process alone. Contact an experienced car accident lawyer to discuss your case in a free consultation.