(405) 463-6362

Oklahoma Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer

You pay your premiums on time, so you expect your insurance company to be there when you need them. Sadly, some insurers prioritize profits over people, denying valid claims in “bad faith.” If this happens to you, don’t give up – a bad faith insurance lawyer can help you fight back.

Why You Need a Bad Faith Attorney

Insurance companies have powerful lawyers on their side. Battling them alone is frustrating and rarely successful. Experienced bad faith attorneys like Doug Terry understand Oklahoma law and how to:

  • Prove your claim’s validity: They’ll gather evidence and challenge the insurer’s unfair denial.
  • Navigate the legal maze: They’ll handle complex processes and deadlines.
  • Fight for maximum compensation: Go beyond your policy limits to obtain damages for the insurer’s bad faith actions.

In successful bad faith lawsuits, you may recover significantly more than your original claim amount.

Protect Yourself: How Insurance Companies Deny Claims to Boost Profits

Insurance companies are businesses – they focus on their bottom line, sometimes at the expense of their customers. Don’t be fooled! They use shady tactics to avoid paying what they owe. Common examples include:

  • Stalling: Unreasonable delays in investigating or processing your claim.
  • Lowball Offers: Undervaluing your losses and hoping you’ll accept less.
  • Playing Dumb: Misrepresenting your policy to limit coverage or deny benefits.
  • Nitpicking: Imposing unreasonable requirements or exploiting policy loopholes.
  • Playing Hardball: Forcing you to take them to court to get a fair payout.

Fight Back with a Bad Faith Insurance Attorney

Don’t let insurers get away with this! A skilled bad faith lawyer like Doug Terry can help you:

  • Expose Unfair Practices: Gather evidence to prove the insurer’s deceptive tactics.
  • Demand Full Compensation: Fight for every dollar you deserve, not just the initial offer.
  • Hold Them Accountable: Seek damages beyond your policy limits for their bad faith actions.

Attorney Doug Terry

Lawyer Doug TerryAfter 25 years practicing in a larger firm, Doug chose to open his own practice in Oklahoma City. He brings his wealth of knowledge and his skills as a litigator to bear for his clients in matters of insurance bad faith, personal injury cases and class actions. Doug has the distinction of being awarded a Martindale-Hubbell “AV Preeminent” rating from his peers in the legal community. He has also been selected as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer. [ Attorney Bio ]

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    Compensation Your Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer Can Win for You

    Oklahoma courts wish to discourage unlawful and unethical bad faith behavior in the insurance industry. Case law and statutory enactments show that an insurance company has a duty of good faith and fair dealing and to investigate, communicate and inform the insured.

    When insurance companies violate their duty, your bad faith attorney can seek compensation for not only the full insurance payment you are owed on your claim, but go beyond policy limits and seek both “compensatory” and “punitive” damages.

    Compensatory damages from bad faith actions may include:

    • Your financial losses, including your initial losses under the policy — the costs of the original accident, damages, and injuries up to insurance policy limits
    • Additional financial losses caused by the bad faith actions, such as lost wages, or lost revenue through business interruption
    • Embarrassment and loss of reputation, such as financial problems caused by delayed or denied insurance payments
    • Emotional distress resulting from the insurer’s improper conduct.

    Punitive damages from bad faith actions are additional compensation awarded by a jury to punish the insurance carrier for their behavior. Oklahoma wants to discourage insurance companies from being unfair or negligent, so it uses these punitive damages as an example so that other insurers are less likely to engage in similar conduct.

    Oklahoma bad faith insurance punitive damages are capped or limited by:

    (1) $100,000 or the amount of compensatory damages awarded; or
    (2) $500,000 or the increased financial benefit derived by the insurance company as a direct result of its bad faith conduct.

    In some extreme cases, if the court finds the insurance company’s conduct was sufficiently cruel, plaintiffs may be awarded unlimited damages.

    If you win your case, the amount of your settlement will depend on factors that include:

    • The original policy amount you are owed and other financial losses you incurred
    • Additional losses you have sustained as a result, such as your emotional suffering and embarrassment
    • Possible assessment of punitive damages.

    Insurance companies do not want to be slapped with huge compensation awards and damage to their reputation, so once they know you have a lawyer who is willing to proceed to litigation, they may negotiate in earnest and offer a more fair and just settlement. If this does not happen, your bad faith insurance attorney Doug Terry is fully prepared to take your case to trial.

    Don’t delay. Call Doug Terry today at 405-463-6362 to get started with your claim.

    Proving Your Bad Faith Insurance Claim

    Oklahoma insurance companies have a duty of care of good faith and fair dealing and to protect their insured from excess liability. They have a duty to act in a diligent manner in relation to investigation, negotiation, defense, and settlement of claims and to inform the insured. If they fail to do so, they may be held liable.

    In order to win your case and hold your insurer, the defendant in the case, liable, your bad faith insurance lawyer must be able to show the following elements:

    1. Your insurance policy required the insurance company to pay the claim.
    2. The insurance company unreasonably refused to pay the claim.
    3. The insurance company did not deal fairly and in good faith.
    4. The bad faith actions caused you injuries or damage.

    To show these elements exist, we would investigate the circumstances of your claim and its denial and find evidence to prove your claim is valid and that the insurance company acted in bad faith by:

    • Examining your policy and its wording to look for errors made by the insurance company
    • Investigating the incident and gathering evidence from the scene, such as photos and videos from surveillance cameras
    • Interviewing any witnesses and getting their testimony
    • Examining police, first responder, and medical reports and documents
    • Reviewing repair cost estimates and bills
    • Hiring expert witnesses to reconstruct what happened and testify on your behalf.

    Not all evidence is relevant or admissible, and the courts will examine evidence and make decisions about the admissibility before allowing it to be presented to the jury. Once the court finds there is a sufficient amount of evidence, the case will go to trial.

    Doug Terry will then present the admissible evidence, provide witnesses to testify and exhibits to back your case, and cross-examine any witnesses for the insurance company. After closing arguments from both sides, the case then goes to the jury to decide if bad faith occurred.

    Types of Insurance Companies Acting in Bad Faith

    Any type of insurance company can act in bad faith, regardless of the type of policy, including:

    • Homeowners’ and renters’ insurance
    • Vehicle insurance
    • Business Insurance
    • Life insurance
    • Health insurance
    • Credit insurance
    • Disability insurance
    • Liability insurance
    • Commercial property insurance
    • Commercial liability insurance.

    Certain acts and events are more likely to lead to a bad faith insurance claim, including:

    • Storm and weather damage
    • Fire damage
    • Water damage, like flooding, burst pipes, or sewer back-ups
    • Defective products.

    Call Doug Terry for bad faith claims and if you need any type of insurance claim lawyer or health insurance lawyer.

    Call an Insurance Bad Faith Lawyer for Help

    Insurance lawyer Doug Terry is proud to protect individuals who have been wronged by an insurance company’s bad faith conduct. No insurance company is too powerful or too big to challenge or hold accountable for their wrongful conduct, when you have the right lawyer on your side.

    Doug believes bad faith conduct by insurance companies is just plain wrong and will immediately put his experience and skill to work helping you get the compensation you deserve. He represents clients across Oklahoma and beyond who have problems with a wide range of claims, including health, automobile, homeowner’s, disability, life and commercial insurance claims.

    When dealing with a bad faith insurance company, don’t take no for an answer. Call bad faith insurance lawyer Doug Terry today to hold insurers accountable for what they owe you. Call for your free, no-obligation consultation at (405) 463-6362.

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