WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT
May 22, 2023
At Justin Lowe & Associates we have more than three combined decades of experience working with auto accident injury victims just like you.
Car accidents happen every day in Oklahoma, but most drivers probably don’t expect to be involved in a crash. After an accident, you may be left confused and overwhelmed, and not sure what to do to move forward afterwards. Accidents can take a toll on you physically, emotionally and financially. That is why knowing what to do right after a car wreck is so important.
At Justin Lowe & Associates our car accident attorneys have more than three combined decades of experience working with auto accident injury victims like you. Whether you’re dealing with a whiplash, a concussion, broken bones, strained ligaments, or your family member has sustained an injury, our experienced attorneys and paralegals are here to help every step of the way.
Our experienced auto accident attorneys and paralegals have worked with thousands of people injured in automobile accidents. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling cases involving car accidents and know just what is required to get you a successful resolution to your insurance claim. Read below for more information regarding automobile accidents and what to do if or when you are involved in one. If you or a loved one was injured in an automobile accident, contact Justin Lowe & Associates at 405.848.7777 today to schedule a free consultation.
What do I do after a car accident?
Try to stay calm and follow the below steps:
Remain at the scene of the accident. Unless you need to leave to seek emergency medical attention, you must stay where you are. Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious crime in Oklahoma.
Exchange information with the other driver(s). You need the name, contact information and insurance information for all drivers involved in the automobile accident. You should also get names and contact information for any witnesses.
Call the police. Law enforcement will make a report that you can provide to your attorney and insurance company.
Never admit fault. Keep your comments at the scene brief and stick to the facts of what happened. Do not elaborate. Even saying "I'm sorry" can be taken the wrong way by other drivers and used against you later.
Take pictures of the scene. Get photos of any skid marks, the position of the vehicles before they are moved, and the damage to the vehicles. This is all evidence and can later be used to support your claim.
Seek medical care. You should get checked by your family doctor as soon as possible to ensure you do not have hidden injuries. Many injuries manifest with symptoms later and even if you feel fine at the scene of the car wreck, you could potentially have more serious injuries.
Document. Document. Document. Keep a journal or diary that details how the car accident has changed or affected your daily life.
Keep track of all out of pocket expenses. Keep receipts for every track of every medical expense, including prescriptions, co-pays, medical bills, incidentals such as heating pads, etc., and mileage to and from each appointment.
Notify your insurance company immediately. You should inform your own automobile insurance company that you were involved in a car accident, or they may deny any claim you later need to make with them. Again, keep your statement be brief and stick only to the facts of what happened.
Do not speak to insurance adjusters if you have not already spoken to an attorney to learn your rights. If an insurance adjuster calls you to take your statement, you are not obligated to give them a statement before you have talked to an attorney.
Call an attorney. Call an experienced automobile accident attorney such as Justin Lowe & Associates at 405.848.7777 to schedule a free consultation. to set up a free case evaluation so that you can find out if you have a case and how an attorney can help. An attorney can deal with the insurance company on your behalf.
How do I know if I need an auto accident attorney?
If you were injured in a car wreck and it was not your fault then you should call an experienced automobile accident attorney immediately. The insurance company goes to work immediately to reduce the value of your claim, and you should have a knowledgeable accident attorney, like Justin Lowe, fighting for you immediately.
If you filed a claim and it was denied, then you need to speak to a car wreck attorney to learn your rights. An auto accident attorney can help you get medical treatment, deal with the insurance adjusters on your behalf, negotiate the settlement, or file a lawsuit if necessary.
Let Justin Lowe & Associates fight for you!
The sooner you get us on your side after an auto accident, the better. We can start our investigation, build your case, and guide you through this difficult process. Call our office at 405.848.7777 today to schedule your free consultation.
What types of car accidents do we handle?
We are a top law firm and we are not afraid to take on tough cases. Our automobile accident attorneys have the expertise that you only get after decades of winning settlements. Our attorneys work statewide to make sure those who have been injured by someone else’s negligence are held liable.
Some of the cases we see more often are inattentive driving, errors in judgment, recklessness, and driving under the influence.
The type of accident you were in, the driver who hit you, your injuries, and other things your auto accident attorney will discuss with you will all make a difference on how your claim is handled. Each and every automobile accident is different and every claim is different.
Why should I hire an attorney to handle my car accident?
If you have been in a car wreck, you need to know your legal rights. Studies show that people who hire experienced automobile accident attorneys get significantly larger settlements than people who try to settle on their own.
An experienced car accident attorney knows how insurance companies operate. Justin Lowe & Associates has been dealing with insurance companies and car accident adjusters for decades. We know their tricks.
Our attorneys negotiate aggressively to get every penny you deserve and we are not afraid of filing a lawsuit or going to trial if that is what it takes.
Get the compensation you deserve!
When other people are at-fault, they are often required to pay for their victims’ damages, including:
Past, present, and future accident-related medical expenses
Past, present, and future lost wages and loss of earnings potential
Pain and suffering
Other financial damages
Car repairs
Insurance providers should settle for what you deserve. They usually don’t. Insurance companies make low ball offers and force people to accept those offers. That is why you need an experienced auto accident attorney like Justin Lowe & Associates to guide you through this difficult time. Our attorneys are experienced in negotiations.
How long will my injuries last?
Some automobile accident injuries don’t have symptoms that are immediately noticeable. You should always seek medical care after an accident to ensure you did not sustain hidden injuries that will show up later. Any pain or discomfort that you feel after a car wreck could be a sign of minor injuries or something more serious. Some of the more common injuries that can cause delayed onset of symptoms include:
Whiplash – Whiplash is an injury that can affect the neck and spine. Whiplash can occur at speeds as low as 5 mph. It causes the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck to stretch beyond the normal range of motion. Whiplash is a very common injury and occurs in many rear-end automobile accidents. Whiplash can cause headaches, vision disturbances, neck pain and stiffness, numbness and tingling in the neck and shoulder, arm or hand, and immobility of the neck or cervical spine.
Muscle strains and sprains – Muscle strains and sprains, known as soft tissue injuries, can cause pain, soreness, stiffness and limited mobility after a car wreck. Symptoms can include pain, tingling, burning, bruising, swelling, spasms, muscle tightness, and loss of mobility.
Minor head injuries – Any head injury should be taken seriously. A concussion is an injury that can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and insomnia for many days or weeks after a car wreck.
Other types of injuries sustained in car wrecks are:
Whiplash
Concussion
Broken bones
Spinal injuries
Back and neck injuries
Internal injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
Psychological injuries
No matter what type of injury you have sustained, you should not wait to speak to an experienced car wreck attorney In Oklahoma the statute of limitations on automobile accidents is two (2) years from the date of the accident. You must have settled your claim, or filed a lawsuit before the expiration of the two years or else your right to do so is forever barred. Don't delay. Call Justin Lowe & Associates at 405.848.7777 to schedule a free consultation.
How much will my car accident settlement be?
There is no specific dollar amount when it comes to automobile accidents. Every accident is different and every person’s injuries are different. Some bodily injury claims are worth a couple of thousand dollars but other claims may be worth much more, even in the millions depending on the injuries and other financial damages. You need an experienced automobile accident attorney to evaluate your case to and to make sure you are fairly financially compensated for your injuries and other financial damages.
Remember, if your injuries are permanent, you should also be compensated for the long term impact on your, and your family’s life.
You are also entitled to compensation for pain and suffering caused by the negligence of the other driver.
How do I know if I should I file a lawsuit?
Deciding to file a lawsuit is a difficult decision and not one to be taken lightly. It is a decision you should make after weighing all options with your experienced auto accident attorney such as Justin Lowe & Associates. It is important to explore the options and understand your rights as they pertain to your specific case.
Many insurance companies do everything they can to avoid paying auto accident victims the money they deserve. Legal cases can be very complex and without an attorney on your side, you might not get the money you deserve. That’s why it is very important that you speak to a knowledgeable car accident attorney like Justin Lowe & Associates as soon as possible. Call our office at 405.848.7777 to schedule your free consultation.
We fight hard for people injured in car accidents!
Car accidents in Oklahoma cause upheaval in families’ lives. In a split second, an automobile accident can change your life. It can leave you or your spouse unable to work or unable to care for your children. It can turn your life upside down for weeks, months, or the rest of your life. You could lose someone you love in a car accident and be left to pick up the pieces while grieving their loss.
Call Justin Lowe & Associates, a trusted auto accident attorney with a record of success. Call our office at 405.848.7777 and a staff member will be happy to schedule a free legal consultation.
Experience matters now more than ever!
No matter what kind of accident you were in…our knowledgeable attorneys understand state rules and regulations and how they apply to your car accident. We take an aggressive approach toward getting you everything you need and deserve after a bad crash.
What makes Justin Lowe & Associates different?
Justin Lowe & Associates cares. We’ve been involved in car wrecks ourselves. We’ve dealt with the doctors and the insurance companies. We’ve been in your shoes.
We know how to investigate claims with police reports, videos, witness statements, accident reconstruction, and research, among other things. We support your claim with medical records, reports, loss wage statements, and economic loss reports. We use research from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to name a few. We keep looking until we find evidence that other law firms would have missed.
When you are represented by our car wreck attorneys you will be treated with respect at all times. You will be treated like a person and not a number or a claim. No two car accidents are ever the same; no two auto accident injuries are ever the same; no two settlements are ever the same. You, and your case, will be treated like the unique individual that you are.
Our attorneys are exceptionally honest and will always give you the absolute truth, whether it is good or bad news. Sometimes bad news happens during a case…but our auto accident attorneys know how to accept it and know how to fight it. We have too much respect for you to not explain to you just what is happening in your case, or just what cooperation we need from you in order to win your case. Together we can come up with a winning strategy.
Call Justin Lowe & Associates at 405.848.7777 to schedule a free consultation today! Our car accident attorneys represent injured people on contingency. Our fee is figured into your final settlement or verdict. This means that we only get paid if you get paid. You never owe us a penny if we don’t collect for you.
Oklahoma Is Ranked Among The Top 10 Most Dangerous States For Driving
For the last several years Oklahoma has consistently ranked among the top 10 most dangerous states to drive in, according to the statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Accidents happen for many different reasons, but certain causes are more common than others. Specifically, speeding, inattentive driving, and drunk driving continue to rank among the top causes of automobile accidents in Oklahoma.
Other common causes of car accidents:
Speeding drivers
Drunk drivers
Distracted drivers
Texting
Tired or sleepy drivers
What can you do to be a safer driver?
Statistics show that taking certain steps may help reduce the number of car wrecks and help protect you and your family while on Oklahoma roads:
Obey the speed limit – Speeding drivers cause more than 1 in 5 fatal accidents statewide. Based on these figures, drivers may reduce the number of crashes if they drove slower, especially in rural areas. This is especially true in work zones, where drivers traveling at an unsafe speed caused many fatal crashes, according to a study conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Drive sober – Drunk driving played a role in 1 out of 5 fatal crashes in Oklahoma in 2021. As a result, state traffic safety officials recommended the state increase “enforcement of impaired driving laws.”.
End distracted driving – Inattention while driving (including, but not limited to, talking on a cell phone, texting, taking selfies, putting on makeup, eating, playing with the radio, disciplining children) continues to be a common cause of auto accidents. Inattentive drivers are also common causes of crashes in work zones. More needs to be done to educate the public, and young drivers, about the risks they take when they drive distracted.
If you or your family member has been injured in a car accident, you need to call Justin Lowe & Associates at 405.848.7777 immediately to learn just what your rights are and schedule a free consultation.