The Top Reasons Personal Injury Claims Are Denied in Oklahoma City

Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, slip and fall incidents, and more are all examples of personal injury events. People can be seriously injured when others act in a reckless, negligent way. Unintentional injury accidents can not only inflict physical bodily harm that is painful, but these incidents can also be very expensive. Filing a personal injury claim is usually the way that a victim is able to recover costs associated with their damages like medical expenses, missed wages, and property damage, to name a few. 

If you were injured in an accident and are wondering what your rights are and if you could file a claim for compensation, an Oklahoma City personal injury attorney at the Putnam Law Office can review your accident experience and discuss what options may be available. If you do file a claim, then the ultimate goal is to secure full compensation for your losses. However, filing a claim does not always mean that a victim will be compensated for their harm.

Why a Personal Injury Claim Could Be Denied

The personal injury claims process can be complicated and very stressful, especially when a claimant is seriously injured. An attorney can make the process go more smoothly and also fight to get the most compensation possible. And, if you had your claim denied, then an attorney can also help you contest that claim.

Insurance adjusters are not prepared to pay a victim just because a claim is filed. An adjuster is actually going to find any reason they can to avoid having to cut a check to a victim. Sometimes, the insurance adjuster will stretch the truth to avoid paying out a claim, and here, the denial will not typically hold up to a contest. Other times, an adjuster has valid and legitimate reasons why they won’t pay. A personal injury claim denial can result from several things, including any of the following:

• A claimant took too long to file their claim and missed the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Oklahoma is two years.
• The accident which caused the claimant harm is not covered by the insurance policy.
• When the accident happened, the insurance policy was not active, and therefore the individual who had the insurance was not covered.
• It can be shown that the injuries a claimant alleges to have are actually from a pre-existing injury and not from a personal injury event.
• The claimant waited too long after the injury accident before seeking medical treatment.
• There is insufficient evidence to prove that the injuries a claimant suffered were the result of the accident.
• The claimant is deemed to be at least 51% at fault for causing the accident. Oklahoma’s at-fault insurance laws indicate that a person who is mostly at fault for causing a crash cannot recover compensation.

Speak with an Attorney at the Putnam Law Office

If your claim was denied, you may not be out of options to take action and get everything resolved, including obtaining the compensation you need for your losses. An attorney at the Putnam Law Office can help with this. Call today to schedule a free consultation at (405) 849-9149.