What Is The Average Car Accident Settlement Amount For Oklahoma Car Wrecks?

[apss_share]
Unfair Competition

The average car accident settlement amount for Oklahoma personal injury accidents is dependent on the facts of your particular case. Car accident victims rely on settlements to cover the costs of their medical care, other financial losses, and pain and suffering. One common question is, “How much is the average car accident settlement?” Many factors are involved, so this is a tricky question to answer. But this article reviews some of the key considerations involved in a settlement.

A Car Accident Settlement Is in Two Parts

Its important to understand that car or truck accidents consist of two separate components. The first is the casualty part and the other is the personal injury. The casualty part deals with the damage to your vehicle, while the medical and pain and suffering are the personal injury part of the case. Its important to separate the case into the two parts so that you can maximize your award. If you don’t do this an unscrupulous insurance company may try to leverage one part of your damages against the other.

Has Anyone Calculated The Average Injury Accident Settlement?

Yes. The Insurance Information Institute (III) gathers information from insurers and reports averages. There are limitations to this information that you should be aware of. For one, not all settlements are paid with insurance. Some people are uninsured or choose to use cash to pay a settlement. For another, the numbers reported by III represent only an average. Some people receive much more, and some people receive nothing at all.

With these limitations in mind, the Insurance Information Institute found that the average bodily injury claim in 2020 was $20,235. The average property damage claim for the same year was $4,711. These averages were reported in Forbes magazine.

The III numbers are in line with other estimates provided by Forbes. For example, one self-reported survey found an average settlement of $23,900.

Can I Receive More Than The Average?

It depends on several factors. You should request compensation for specific damages, like:

  • Your medical care
  • Property damage to your car and other items
  • Lost income or wages

You might have suffered an awful chest injury that requires surgery and a week in the hospital. In this situation, you can expect more than someone who suffers a shoulder strain or wrist sprain.

The severity of your injuries also impacts general damages like pain and suffering. If an injury leaves you paralyzed, you will suffer much more than someone whose injuries heal in a month. Additionally, if the Judge feels that the conduct of the person that hurt you is malicious or intentional they might give you extra or punitive damages designed to punish them for the conduct.

Will I Ever Get Less Than The Average?

If you suffered very minor injuries, you might not even receive $20,000. We need to review your medical bills, medical records, and other information.

Other factors also impact settlement, such as your degree of fault. In Oklahoma, you can sue even if you negligently contributed to an accident, so long as you were not more at fault than the defendant. However, your damages get reduced proportionally based on your negligence. If you were 40% to blame, you receive only 60% of what you otherwise would have.

Another factor is whether the at-fault driver had insurance. If not, you might not receive anything if you rejected uninsured motorist coverage.

Steps I Can Take To Maximize My Compensation?

It would be best if you remembered to do the following:

  • Document the car accident as best as you can. We recommend taking pictures of all vehicles involved and anything that contributed to the crash, like a pothole.
  • Talk to witnesses. Ask what they saw and get a phone number or other method of contact. These witnesses can help establish fault for the crash.
  • Immediately go to the hospital to have a doctor look at your injuries. This will show that you are taking steps to get well.
  • Preserve any bill or receipt related to the wreck so we can maximize the car accident accident settlement. Examples include receipts for prescription medication or car repairs. These documents help prove the damages.

Other Interesting Personal Injury Articles From Our Tulsa Lawyers Blog

Tulsa Car Accident Lawyers in Your Corner

If you need help with your car accident settlement our personal injury attorneys would love the chance to work for you. The Tulsa lawyers at Kania Law Office strive to recover as much compensation as possible for our clients. We are pleased to meet to go over your options, such as filing an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer. Click Here to Ask a Legal Question or Call 918.743.2233 for an immediate Free and Confidential consultation.

Tulsa's Local Personal Injury Lawyers

Law ScaleAre you looking for Tulsa attorneys who will fight aggressively for you? Our team of personal injury attorneys have the experience needed in Oklahoma law to secure the outcome you deserve.

Call us today for a free consultation 918-743-2233 or contact us online.