A serious injury from a car accident or collision can leave an Oklahoma resident with insurmountable medical bills and the inability to work. They may suffer the dual victimization of their situation: getting hurt by a negligent person and losing their ability to provide for their own needs. When this challenging situation occurs, a victim may need to make important decisions about protecting their own rights.
One option that they may have is to sue the party that caused their losses. This option is called litigation, and it begins when a victim files a lawsuit in court. Before pursuing litigation, it is important that a victim knows the process and may wish to consult with an attorney to ensure that they are meeting the important requirements of the judicial system.
Other victims may choose to start with a different option, which includes the sending of a demand letter to the insurer of the party that caused their harm. A demand letter sets forth a victim’s losses and demands compensation for them. It is possible that a demand letter may be agreed to by an insurer, or it may be denied and necessitate litigation for attention.
During the process of working with another person’s insurer, a victim may receive an offer of settlement, which is an offer of money to wrap up the case between the victim and the other party. In exchange for receiving money for their losses, a victim generally must relinquish their rights to sue the insurer or the responsible party for any future claims arising from their accident. A settlement may be beneficial to a victim if they know that their losses are complete and they can be fully compensated through the settlement for the harm that they have suffered. A victim whose losses may extend indefinitely may not want to waive their right to seek further compensation through a settlement.
As readers can see, there are many considerations that victims must make when faced with pursuing their accident-related damages. This post does not offer legal advice. Questions and concerns about car accident cases should be directed to Oklahoma-based personal injury attorneys.
