Is an insurance company treating you unfairly in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma? Call McIntyre Law for a free consultation at (405) 917-5200. Our experienced Oklahoma City bad faith insurance lawyers can help you look into your legal options for taking action and follow through with your best plan of action.
We are an award-winning personal injury law firm with deep roots in the Oklahoma City community. With more than 90 years of combined experience and over $500 million recovered, you can count on our legal team to help you make the most of your claim from the start.
Get in touch today for more information about your case. We can answer all of your questions during your free initial consultation.
Why Hire McIntyre Law To Handle My Bad Faith Insurance Claim in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?
Insurance companies have entire teams of adjusters and attorneys working to protect their profits. In circumstances where they decide to act in bad faith, such as by denying a valid claim, they are banking on the fact that most policyholders will not push back. Don’t let this happen to you; hire McIntyre Law so that we can help you take action and work toward an outcome that fully compensates you.
A few reasons to consider hiring our firm for your bad faith claim in Oklahoma City, OK, include:
- Almost a full century of legal experience altogether
- Our case results include numerous settlements in the eight-figure range
- We can hire top-rated expert witnesses to strengthen your case as applicable
- We’ll treat you like family and ensure your case receives our full attention and resources
- Recognition from Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, and other leading legal organizations
- We won’t hesitate to take your case to court if that’s what’s best
Call our Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys today to get started. We’re ready to get going on your case as soon as you are.
What Is Bad Faith Insurance in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma law requires every insurance company to act fairly and in good faith when handling claims from its policyholders. This is known as the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, applying to every insurance policy in the state. If an insurer deliberately violates that duty, the policyholder has the right to bring a separate legal claim for bad faith, which is treated as a tort under Oklahoma law.
Bad faith claims can arise in two different contexts. First-party bad faith involves your own insurance company failing to properly handle a claim you filed under your own policy. Third-party bad faith occurs when your liability insurer fails to adequately defend you after someone else files a claim against you. Either way, the insurer is required to investigate promptly and communicate with you honestly, among other things.
Common Examples of Bad Faith Insurance Conduct
Not every disagreement with your insurer qualifies as bad faith, but there are clear patterns of behavior that cross the line. Oklahoma’s Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act outlines specific conduct that insurers are prohibited from engaging in.
Some of the most common examples include:
- Denying a claim without conducting a reasonable investigation
- Unreasonably delaying the processing or payment of a valid claim
- Offering a settlement amount that is far below what the claim is actually worth
- Misrepresenting the terms or coverage of your policy
- Requesting unnecessary documentation or information as a stalling tactic
- Failing to provide a clear explanation for why a claim was denied
- Refusing to negotiate in good faith when liability is reasonably clear
These tactics may be directed at policyholders dealing with various kinds of insurance situations, including car accidents, storm damage, and more.
What Damages Can I Recover Through a Bad Faith Insurance Claim in Oklahoma City?
A successful bad faith claim in Oklahoma can result in significantly more compensation than what your original insurance claim was worth. Since bad faith is treated as a tort, the damages available go well beyond the policy benefits you were initially denied.
Recoverable damages in an Oklahoma City bad faith case may include:
- The full value of the benefits your insurer should have paid under the policy
- Consequential damages for financial harm caused by the denial or delay
- Emotional distress, including anxiety and frustration
- Attorney’s fees and legal costs associated with pursuing the claim
- Punitive damages in cases where the insurer’s behavior was especially egregious
Punitive damages deserve special attention. In some cases, Oklahoma law allows punitive damages when an insurer’s conduct goes beyond mere negligence and demonstrates reckless or intentional misconduct.
How Much Is My Oklahoma City Bad Faith Insurance Claim Worth?
Every case is different at the end of the day, and so there is no formula that applies across the board. That said, bad faith claims often carry more value than people expect because the damages can extend beyond the original policy amount.
Some of the factors that will influence what your case is worth include:
- The dollar amount of the benefits your insurer denied or underpaid
- How long the delay lasted and how it affected your financial situation
- Whether the insurer’s conduct caused emotional harm to your daily life
- The strength of the evidence showing that the insurer acted unreasonably
- Whether the insurer has a documented pattern of similar behavior toward other policyholders
- Whether the facts of your case support a punitive damages claim
During your free consultation, our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers can review the details of your situation and give you an initial sense of what your claim may be worth. From there, we will conduct a full investigation to make sure nothing is overlooked.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Bad Faith Insurance Lawyer in Oklahoma City, OK?
McIntyre Law handles bad faith insurance cases on a contingency fee basis. Instead of paying us up front or by the hour, you only pay attorney’s fees if we recover compensation for you at the conclusion of your case.
This arrangement means you can hire a firm with over 90 years of combined experience and more than $500 million in total recoveries without worrying about how to pay for it. It also means our legal team has every reason to push for the highest possible result, since our payment is tied directly to yours.
How Long Do I Have To File a Bad Faith Insurance Claim in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for bad faith tort claims is generally two years from the date the bad faith conduct occurred or from when you reasonably discovered it, as set out in 12 O.S. § 95. In some cases where the claim is framed as a breach of contract, a longer deadline of five years might apply instead.
Regardless of which deadline applies to your situation, waiting too long to take action can weaken your position. Internal records at the insurance company may become harder to obtain, for instance, and key evidence can be lost over time as well. If you suspect your insurer has acted in bad faith, the sooner you speak with an attorney, the better your chances of building a successful case.
How Can an Oklahoma City Personal Injury Attorney Help With My Bad Faith Insurance Claim?
As alluded to above, going up against a powerful insurance company by yourself is a risky endeavor. An Oklahoma City personal injury attorney with our law firm can help you with your case by:
- Reviewing your policy and claim history to identify specific violations of Oklahoma law
- Obtaining the insurer’s internal claim file, which often contains evidence of how decisions were made behind closed doors
- Working with financial experts to document the full extent of your losses
- Handling all communications with the insurer so that nothing you say can be used against you
- Building a case that is compelling enough to push for a fair settlement and hold up at trial if necessary
Having legal representation also sends a message to the insurance company that you are serious. Insurers are far more likely to engage in meaningful negotiations when they know the other side is prepared to take the case all the way if necessary.
Contact Our Oklahoma City Bad Faith Insurance Attorneys To Schedule a Free Consultation
Your insurance company has an obligation to treat you fairly in Oklahoma City, OK; if they broke that promise, you do not have to accept it without legal recourse. McIntyre Law has been holding insurers liable in cases like these for years and is ready to get to work on your behalf next.
Contact our Oklahoma City bad faith insurance attorneys today to schedule a free consultation. Remember that since we work on contingency, you only pay us for our work if we win money damages for you.