Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyers

People who act irresponsibly seriously injure innocent people every day. Car drivers speed and hit other drivers and pedestrians. Truck drivers nod off behind the wheel and slam into other motorists, and careless doctors miss diagnoses that shorten their patients’ lives. These are just a handful of examples of personal injury cases in our community that lead to severe harm and sometimes death.

If you’re injured in Oklahoma City because of someone’s negligence or wrongful act, state law allows you to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you prove your case, you could obtain money for your medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. While retaining an Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer isn’t mandatory, it is usually a wise choice. A personal injury lawyer has extensive experience with personal injury laws, courts, legal paperwork, and deadlines and can help you obtain the most compensation for your losses.

Nix Patterson’s Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers are strongly qualified to represent you when another party injures you in an accident. Whether you were hurt in a car accident, truck accident, slip–and–fall accident, or workplace accident, our attorneys can assist you.

What Is a Personal Injury Case?

A personal injury case in Oklahoma is a civil legal dispute between at least two parties. Personal injury cases arise from an injury suffered by the victim because of another party’s negligence or wrongdoing. Some of the most common personal injury cases involve car accidents, workplace accidents, medical malpractice, premise liability incidents, and nursing home negligence and abuse.

Most Oklahoma personal injury cases are based on tort law. Thus, most personal injury lawsuits can be based on intentional acts, such as assaults, as well as intentional ones, such as negligence.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

No one wants to be injured in an accident, but many mishaps can cause severe injuries. The most common kinds of personal injury cases in Oklahoma City are:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are the most common type of personal injury case in the United States. All drivers in Oklahoma must ensure that they drive safely and not threaten the health and safety of other citizens on the road. If another driver injures you because of their negligence, you should be able to obtain compensation.

Recovering compensation from a motor vehicle accident means proving that another party was at fault. For instance, if another driver runs a red light at Klein and W. Sheridan Ave. in Oklahoma City, you have to prove that they didn’t stop, that they hit you, and that they caused your injuries. Some of the evidence your personal injury lawyers in Oklahoma City may rely on to prove fault are:

• Law enforcement reports
• Damage location on all involved vehicles
• Skid marks and other physical evidence at the crash scene
• Eyewitness statements
• Tractor-trailer driver logs if a truck driver injured you.
• Cell phone records, if distracted driving was a factor.
• Expert testimony, such as from an accident reconstruction specialist.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals and facilities must provide treatment similar to the standard of care established in medicine. If your treatment does not adhere to these standards, or a healthcare professional is negligent, you could file a medical malpractice claim to receive compensation. Many types of medical mistakes could be the basis of a medical malpractice claim:

• Surgical mistakes
• Hospital errors
• Anesthesia mistakes, such as using too much
• Medication mistakes
• ER errors
• Delayed diagnosis
• Failure to diagnose
• Birth-related injuries to the mother or baby

Nix Patterson’s experienced personal injury lawyers will partner with a medical expert team who will review the circumstances of your medical mistake care. If negligence was a factor in your outcome, our attorneys will hold the responsible parties accountable.

Premise Liability

Property owners, such as business owners and landlords, are responsible for maintaining safe conditions for invited guests and visitors. You could file a premises liability claim to receive compensation when they do not do this, and you’re hurt on their property. Premise liability law in Oklahoma covers many types of accidents:

• Slip-and-fall accidents
• Construction site falls
• Negligent security
• Inadequate lighting
• Swimming pool drowning
• Amusement park accidents

It is irrelevant if you were hurt in someone’s home or in a parking lot or other public area. If the injury was caused by the owner or management not maintaining safe conditions, you could receive money in a lawsuit.

Catastrophic Injuries

Some injuries suffered in serious accidents can be so dire that they’re deemed catastrophic. A catastrophic injury has long-term consequences for your physical health, and the injuries could be permanent.

For instance, if you’re hit by a car in a crosswalk and shatter your spine, you could be paralyzed for the rest of your life. This is a catastrophic injury, and you’ll need lifelong care. You also cannot enjoy the same quality of life as before the accident as your mobility will be severely limited.

Our attorneys will fight for the most money possible to ensure the best quality of life. We understand the complex medical and personal issues involved in catastrophic injury cases, and we’ll work with a team of experts to determine what your case is worth. Catastrophic injuries can happen in auto accidents, explosions and fires, construction accidents, medical malpractice cases, and more. Some catastrophic injury examples are:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Brain injuries
• Burns
• Amputation and crush injuries
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Complex bone fractures
• Disfiguring injuries to the face

Job-Related Injuries

Workplace injuries happen far too often in Oklahoma City and nationally. Some of these accidents stem from job-related dangers, such as construction sites. But you can be injured in virtually any workplace.

The Oklahoma workers’ compensation system is set up to give you benefits for lost wages and medical expenses in a job-related injury. Workers’ comp is no fault, so you can still get compensation even if the accident was your fault. You cannot usually file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer in a job-related accident.

Compensation in Oklahoma City Personal Injury Cases

If your attorney proves that the defendant was negligent or engaged in a wrongful act that injured you, you could receive economic and non-economic damages for your losses. These may include:

• Medical expenses for diagnosing and treating accident injuries
• Physical therapy, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and other specialist visits
• Psychological counseling and treatment
• Lost earnings and benefits in the past and present
• Loss of the ability to earn a living
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish

Adding receipts, bills, pay stubs, and invoices can easily calculate economic damages. On the other hand, pain and suffering damages are subjective. The insurance company will attempt to pay you less for your pain and suffering. Your Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers will rely on your medical records, expert testimony, and other vital evidence to argue for more pain and suffering compensation.

How Is Fault Determined in Oklahoma City Personal Injury Cases?

It’s insufficient to blame someone for injuring you so you can receive compensation. In Oklahoma, you must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that another party was negligent, caused an accident, and injured you. Your attorney will rely on police reports, eyewitness testimony, expert testimony, photos and videos, medical records, and more to prove another party injured you.

Also, you should know that Oklahoma has a comparative negligence law in effect for personal injury cases. This means your compensation will be reduced according to your percentage of fault. You cannot receive compensation if you are 50% or more at fault.

Comparative fault can be a key issue in many Oklahoma City personal injury claims. For instance, suppose another driver slams into the back of your car at a red light. Usually, the rear driver would be at fault for the accident. But if your brake lights weren’t functioning, he and his attorney could argue you were partially to blame. Comparative fault can reduce your compensation, so your attorney will try to assign as much blame as possible to the other party.

How Nix Patterson’s Oklahoma City Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If another person’s negligence or intentional act causes your injuries, you could file a personal injury lawsuit for your medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. Hiring a Nix Patterson Oklahoma City personal injury attorney can help you deal with the bewildering legal system and get the most money for your losses. Several ways our personal injury attorneys can aid your case are:

You Can Secure More Compensation

The biggest reason to hire a Nix Patterson personal injury lawyer is simple: We have a proven record of getting injured clients the most compensation. One of our experienced lawyers will calculate the full extent of your losses, such as past, current, and future medical expenses, lost earnings, lost ability to earn a living, and pain and suffering.

Our lawyers also are adept at negotiating aggressively with insurance companies to ensure you get the most money. Otherwise, we are prepared to take the matter to court and make a convincing argument to the jury. Without a lawyer, you will likely get less money for your injuries.

This could be a major problem because serious injuries can affect your life for years. What if you can’t work again? You’ll need more money to survive financially, and our attorneys will consider that when negotiating.

Our Lawyers Will Direct Your Case

The Oklahoma legal system is overwhelming, daunting, and confusing for the layperson, especially when you’re saddled with severe injuries and not at your best. An experienced attorney will help you navigate these tricky waters and ensure your rights are respected.

Our attorneys will handle the legal paperwork and deadlines, court appearances, insurance company questions and negotiations, and more. That way, you can be relieved of all of the legal stress and focus on getting better. Our lawyers also will provide the best legal advice during your case and recommend whether to take a settlement offer, demand more, or go to court.

You Can Recover Physically

Dealing with a severe injury can be mentally and physically exhausting. The last thing you need when in pain and flat on your back is to haggle with insurance companies and fill out paperwork. Our attorneys can take some of the burden from your shoulders so you can heal.

You Don’t Pay Upfront Legal Fees

You ask: ‘How can I afford a lawyer when I’m hurt and out of work?’ Simple: Nix Patterson doesn’t charge upfront legal fees for our services. If we take your case and obtain a settlement or favorable verdict, our legal fees are taken out of the compensation at the end of the case. If we don’t get you money, we don’t get paid.

How Can You Get More Money For Your Oklahoma City Personal Injury Claim?

No one wants to get hurt in an accident. But if the worst happens and someone else injures you, there’s no reason you should suffer financially, physically, and emotionally without compensation. You should try to obtain as much money as possible for your recovery and future. Some ways you can help your attorney get more money for you are:

• Get medical treatment immediately. It’s vital to be looked over by a medical professional in Oklahoma City after the accident. You should proceed directly to an urgent care or ER from the accident scene to be checked. Delaying treatment by even a day could cost you at the settlement table; the insurance company will claim you weren’t seriously hurt because you didn’t seek immediate treatment. Get your injuries on your medical record right away.
• Follow your physician’s treatment plan. Getting immediate medical attention is essential, but your case will be compromised if you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions. Injury victims who don’t follow up with their doctors and specialists don’t get as much compensation in their case.
• Write down or video your daily experience. Keep a written or video journal about the pain you experience and how it affects your life. This journal could paint a clearer image of how your injuries hurt your daily existence.
• Don’t take a low offer. You probably need money; an immediate settlement offer could tempt you. You rarely should accept the opening settlement offer; your attorney will advise you against it. Always try to negotiate for more money by pointing out how their current offer doesn’t reflect your actual losses.

Remember — Your Time To File a Lawsuit Is Limited

You don’t have forever in Oklahoma to file a personal injury lawsuit. State law dictates that you have just two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. If you wait too long, your opportunity to get much-needed compensation is gone. So, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to review your case.

Speak to Nix Patterson’s Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyers Today

Did someone injure you recently in a car, truck, or other accident? If the other party’s negligence contributed to your injuries, you should hire an experienced attorney today. Without an attorney fighting for your rights, you will likely receive less compensation for your medical bills and related losses.

Nix Patterson’s Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers are ready to advocate for your rights now, so contact us today for a free consultation.