Car accidents are traumatic events that often happen without warning. One minute you’re traveling on the Broadway Extension, and the next you’re severely injured because another driver crossed the center median and swerved into your lane. All it takes is a few minutes for your life to change forever.
What makes matters even worse is that insurers aren’t in a hurry to pay you full and fair compensation. Instead, they will question your version of events, suggest you are more liable than you claim, or make a lowball offer that won’t even touch your medical bills and lost wages. It’s a situation that can quickly become intolerable when you’re struggling to recover.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Oklahoma, you need an experienced and knowledgeable Oklahoma City car accident attorney who can help you navigate the legal system and ensure that your rights are protected. At Carr & Carr, Attorneys at Law, we want you to know that you have other options. We have decades of extensive experience helping Oklahoma car accident victims pursue maximum compensation. To learn more about your legal options, schedule a free consultation online or call our office at 405-691-1600.
Why Hire Carr and Carr for Your Car Accident Claim?
- Our experienced attorneys have been handling car accident cases for years. They have the knowledge and expertise to handle all types of motor vehicle accidents, from minor fender-benders to major crashes resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.
- We understand that every client is unique and give each case the personal attention it deserves. Our Oklahoma car accident lawyers take the time to understand your situation, listen to your concerns, and work with you to develop a customized legal strategy.
- We are 100% dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for each client. Our personal injury lawyers have a strong track record of success in negotiating accident settlements and litigating cases.
- Carr and Carr operates on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t pay anything upfront. They only get paid if they win your case, so you can rest assured that they will work hard to maximize your financial compensation.
At Carr and Carr, we are proud of our reputation for professionalism, integrity, and dedication to our clients. When you choose our law firm for your car accident case, you can be confident that you are in good hands.
Getting Compensation After a Car Accident
If you’ve been in a car accident, you may be able to seek various types of financial compensation, depending on the circumstances of the crash and the extent of your injuries. They include:
- Medical Costs: You can seek compensation for the cost of medical treatment related to the accident, including hospital bills, doctor’s visits, prescription medications, and physical therapy.
- Lost Wages: If you’ve had to miss work due to your injuries, you can seek compensation for lost wages and any future lost earning capacity.
- Property Damage: If your car or other property was damaged in the accident, you can seek compensation for the cost of repairs or replacement.
- Pain and Suffering: You may be able to seek compensation for the physical and emotional pain and suffering you’ve experienced as a result of the accident.
- Wrongful Death: Unfortunately, Oklahoma is one of the top 10 states for fatal injury crashes. If a loved one was killed in the accident, you may be able to seek compensation for funeral and burial expenses, as well as loss of companionship and support.
In some cases, you may be able to seek punitive damages, which are intended to punish the at-fault party for particularly egregious behavior. Although these damages are capped at $100,000 or the actual damages awarded, whichever is greater, they can significantly increase your monetary award.
However, not all car accidents in Oklahoma and other parts of the state are simple cases with only one liable party. According to the state’s modified comparative negligence standard, more than one driver can be held responsible for a crash. Each driver is generally assigned a percentage of fault for the car accident, with those with more than 50% liability being unable to recover damages. Our Oklahoma auto accident lawyers can explain how this rule may affect your case.
What to Do After a Car Accident
The first priority after a car accident is to check yourself and others for injuries. If anyone is seriously injured, call 911 for emergency medical assistance. While waiting for help to arrive, take the following steps to collect everything you need for a future personal injury claim.
- Collect Evidence: If your phone wasn’t damaged, take photos of the accident scene, including damage to both vehicles, any debris on the road, and skid marks. Be sure to document anything that may have contributed to the crash, such as a malfunctioning traffic light.
- Exchange Information: Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver involved in the accident. Get the names, phone numbers, and addresses of any witnesses as well. Do not say anything that could be construed as admitting fault.
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you don’t think you’ve been injured, it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent, and a medical provider can identify any hidden injuries and recommend treatment.
- Contact a Car Accident Lawyer: If a medical examination confirms that you’ve been injured, contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. They can help you navigate the legal system, protect your rights, and pursue compensation for your injuries and damages.
Causes of Car Accidents
Unfortunately, auto accidents are a common occurrence on Oklahoma streets and highways. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office reported 9,360 car crashes in 2021. Of this total, 1700 happened in Oklahoma, which means that 18% of all car accidents in the state occurred here. Ninety-nine people were killed in Oklahoma and a further 2,096 were injured.
Common causes of car accidents include:
- Distracted Driving: This includes any activity that takes a driver’s attention away from the road, such as texting, talking on the phone, or adjusting the radio. According to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, during the five-year period between 2017 and 2021, 250 motorists were killed and nearly 8,000 injured by distracted drivers.
- Speeding: Driving too fast for the conditions on the road is a leading cause of car accidents not only in Oklahoma but across the state. Rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, and multi-vehicle accidents can all result from speeding drivers.
- Drunk Driving: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs a driver’s ability to react to hazards on the road. According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, there were 154 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the state in 2019 (the latest year for which data is available).
- Fatigue: Driving while tired can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as your reaction time is negatively affected. Those who attempt to drive on little to no sleep risk causing a serious accident.
- Reckless Driving: Motorists who engage in reckless or aggressive driving behavior, such as excessive speeding, sudden lane changes, tailgating, or ignoring traffic signals and signs, put themselves and other road users in danger.
- Vehicle malfunctions: Vehicle malfunctions can lead to car accidents in several ways. Brake failure can prevent a driver from stopping in time to avoid a collision while tire blowouts can cause someone to lose control and collide with other vehicles or objects.
- Poor Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, ice, and other weather conditions can make roads slippery and increase the risk of accidents, especially if a driver indulges in dangerous behavior.
A car accident that results in injuries or the death of a loved one can be an extremely traumatic experience, especially if it is caused by the negligence of another person. To make matters worse, insurance companies are notorious for making less-than-fair offers and then pressuring car crash victims to accept the initial settlement.
You and your family deserve better. Let the Oklahoma car crash lawyers at Carr and Carr negotiate for an outcome that helps ensure financial stability while you recover.
Common Injuries
Car accidents can cause a wide variety of injuries, some of which may be serious or even life-threatening. They include:
- Cuts and Bruises: Even minor accidents can cause cuts, bruises, and abrasions, especially if the windshield shattered or the impact was especially violent.
- Broken Bones: Car accidents can cause fractures or broken bones in any part of the body.
- Back Injuries: Back injuries can range from minor strains to more serious injuries like herniated discs or spinal cord damage. In extreme cases, full or partial paralysis may result.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): TBIs can occur when the head is struck or jolted during a collision. Initial symptoms of this type of head injury may include headaches, dizziness, confusion, and memory loss, but over time they can become progressively more debilitating.
These are just a few examples of the many types of injuries that can result from a car accident. If you’ve been in a car accident, it’s important to seek medical attention right away, even if you don’t feel injured. A medical professional can identify any hidden injuries and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Top 5 reasons to hire an attorney from Carr and Carr:
- We can explain your rights and what you could be entitled to as a result of the accident.
- We can assist in finding medical care.
- We deal with the insurance company so you don’t have to.
- We help you with the damage to your vehicle by arranging rental vehicles through the insurance company
- We give objective information to you on the best way we can resolve your case.
FAQS
Should You Hire a Car Accident Attorney for a Lawsuit?
When you have injuries that require extensive medical treatment and affect your ability to work, an Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer can maximize the value of your case by:
- Investigating the Accident: Your lawyer will investigate the circumstances of your accident to determine who was at fault and gather evidence to support your case. This may include reviewing police accident reports and medical records, talking to witnesses, and consulting with accident reconstruction experts.
- Establishing Liability: Once your car accident lawyer has gathered evidence, they will work to establish liability. This involves showing that the other party was negligent and that their actions directly caused your injuries or damages.
- Calculating Damages: Your attorney will also calculate the full extent of your damages, including medical costs, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. They may consult with medical experts and economists to ensure that all future costs are taken into account.
- Negotiating a Settlement: In many cases, the lawyer will negotiate a settlement with the other party’s insurance company. During every discussion with insurance adjusters, they will advocate for you and insist that you receive fair compensation.
- Taking Legal Action: If a settlement cannot be reached, the lawyer will take your accident lawsuit to court. This doesn’t happen very often (fewer than 5% of personal injury claims are decided at trial), but if your claim is an exception, your lawyer will present a compelling case to a judge or jury and try to secure a favorable verdict.
Although the law doesn’t require you to seek legal representation, it can make a difference in the outcome of your case. By building a solid case and fighting for your rights, an Oklahoma car wreck lawyer can help you obtain the results you deserve.
Who Pays My Bills After a Car Accident?
Oklahoma is an ‘at-fault’ state, which means that the driver who caused the accident is generally responsible for covering the damages resulting from the accident. If that driver has insurance, their insurer will likely be responsible for paying your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages up to the limits of the driver’s insurance policy.
The minimum insurance coverage limits for Oklahoma drivers are:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more persons in an accident
- $25,000 for property damage in an accident
These minimum limits are commonly referred to as 25/50/25 coverage. If your damages exceed their policy limits, the at-fault driver may be personally responsible for paying the remaining damages via an accident lawsuit.
In cases where the at-fault driver does not have insurance or is underinsured, you may be able to seek compensation from your own insurance company under your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage protects drivers if they are involved in an accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver.
Your car accident lawyer can answer any other questions you may have about your options for seeking compensation.
Calling an Attorney After an Oklahoma Traffic Accident
The Simplest – Yet Most Difficult – Call You Need to Make
Despite the many benefits that a knowledgeable car crash attorney can provide to a car crash victim, it is common for victims to hesitate in reaching out to a law firm for assistance. There are many reasons why this might occur:
- A victim believes his or her claim for compensation is “clear cut” and obvious, and that there is no real dispute as to the other driver’s culpability. Unfortunately, there may be all manner of legal issues and pitfalls in even the most “clear cut” of cases. A victim who lacks the legal knowledge and skill necessary to overcome these issues may find that the court dismisses their “clear cut” case
- The many attorneys and law firms who advertise their services overwhelm a victim, and the victim becomes paralyzed by the sheer number of choices available. In this situation, the victim may be reluctant to retain any attorney or law firm to assist him or her out of fear of making a poor decision. To be sure, the choice of an attorney to represent your interests in a car crash lawsuit is an important one that should be made after carefully considering the qualifications and capabilities of several attorneys. However, in many cases proceeding without any attorney is far more damaging to your chances of recovering compensation. Do not let the fear of hiring a bad attorney keep you from making contact with a Tulsa car crash law firm.
- A victim believes that hiring an attorney can wait until the victim has recovered from his or her injuries. However, in many cases the victim will still be recovering from his or her injuries when it comes time to file a car crash lawsuit. Oklahoma only gives injury victims two years within which to file a lawsuit seeking compensation. If one waits too long, it becomes impossible to retain an attorney who can file the claim in time.
Get a Free Consultation From a Car Accident Lawyer
Car accidents can have devastating consequences that include severe injuries, physical and emotional trauma, and financial stress. Pursuing fair compensation can be challenging when you are also trying to recover your health and resume your normal life after a catastrophic injury.
At Carr & Carr, Attorneys at Law, we are here to help you with experienced legal counsel. Our Oklahoma car accident lawyers are dedicated to serving injury victims in the city and the surrounding area. We are ready to listen to your story, discuss your situation, and offer aggressive representation that gets results. To schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers in Tulsa, or our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers. Call 405-691-1600 or contact us online today. We have offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City to provide service for those injured in car accidents throughout Oklahoma.
