Tulsa Car Accident Lawyers

A car crash can change your life in seconds. Not only are you in constant pain from your injuries, but you may not be able to work, making it impossible to cover your treatment costs and take care of your family. Trying to seek compensation on your own can make matters even worse, as adjusters will invariably try to pay you less than your claim is worth.

You and your loved ones deserve better. Let a Tulsa car accident lawyer at Carr & Carr fight for the money you’re entitled to while your injuries heal. Our personal injury law firm has been helping accident victims since 1973 and will fight for a settlement that covers your medical costs and lets you build a more secure future. Consultations are always free, and you only pay us when we win your case.

Why Hire Car & Carr For Your Tulsa Car Accident Claim?

At Carr & Carr, we represent personal injury clients in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and the surrounding areas. If you’ve suffered catastrophic injuries or lost a loved one, hiring one of our Tulsa personal injury lawyers sends insurers the message that you’re serious about recovering the money you need.

Here are some of the benefits of calling Carr & Carr:

Integrity: Every client matters. When you hire us, you benefit from caring and experience-based representation. We listen to your story, help you access the medical care you need, and keep you updated on your case.
Results. We have recovered multi-million-dollar settlements for seriously injured auto accident victims. To us, you’re not ‘just another client.’ You’re someone whose future has been compromised by a reckless or negligent driver, and we believe you deserve justice.
Reputation. When we enter an appearance on behalf of a client, the insurance company knows they are facing a firm that won’t back down. They are also aware that if they refuse to make a strong settlement offer, we will not hesitate to go to court.

We take personal injury cases on a contingency basis. This means our clients pay nothing upfront: our fee is taken from the amount you receive from your car accident settlement or jury verdict. We cover all upfront litigation costs, including investigative work, expert witnesses, and witness depositions, in order to give your claim the best chance of success.

What to Do if You’re in a Car Accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma

If you’re in a car accident, your first priority should be your own safety. Don’t move if you have visible injuries or are in pain- instead, call 911 or ask a bystander to do it for you. The police will arrive to make an accident report and an ambulance will convey you to the nearest hospital for treatment.

While you’re waiting for help to arrive, take the following steps, either yourself or with someone’s help:

Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. Do not discuss fault, lay blame, or talk about anything except the information exchange.
Take pictures and video of the damaged vehicles and the accident scene.
Get the contact information for any witnesses.

Be sure to seek medical treatment even if you don’t think you’ve been hurt: some injuries don’t develop symptoms immediately. Once your healthcare team has determined the nature and extent of your injuries, speak to a personal injury lawyer. Do not make any statement to an insurance provider until you’ve had the opportunity to retain counsel.

When Should I Hire a Tulsa Car Accident Lawyer?

You should hire a car crash lawyer as soon as possible. The process of filing a car accident claim can be extremely complicated, especially if a serious injury or fatality is involved.

Auto insurance companies are like any other business in that their main focus is their bottom line, and if they can get you to accept a lowball offer, they’ll do it. A Tulsa car accident lawyer will use their experience, along with expert input, to assign a value to your claim and aggressively negotiate for a settlement that covers all of your damages.

Insurance companies have agents, adjusters, and appraisers to protect their interests, and you should have someone looking out for you too. (Several studies indicate that injured individuals who hire a lawyer tend to receive three times more compensation than those who do not.) You can rely on our Tulsa car accident attorneys to investigate your case, determine fault, and collect the evidence needed to obtain a fair settlement.

How Long After a Car Accident Can I Sue?

In Oklahoma, you have two years from the day of the accident to sue for both personal injury and property damage. After that, you cannot file a lawsuit unless one of the following exceptions applies to your case:

You were under a ‘legal disability’ at the time of the car accident. This could mean that you were under the age of 18 or declared mentally incompetent. In this case, you have one year after your legal disability ends to file your car accident claim.
The defendant leaves the state or tries to hide from justice before the lawsuit can be filed. It is unlikely that the absence or concealment period will count as part of the time limit for filing a lawsuit.

Remember that it takes time for attorneys to develop a strong case on your behalf. Therefore you should contact an attorney as soon as possible.

How Much Is My Tulsa Car Accident Claim Worth?

The value of your case will be determined by the type of injuries you sustained, the treatment you received, and whether you will make a full recovery, as well as other expenses related to the accident. In most cases, we cannot estimate the value of a client’s case until we have completed an investigation.

In Oklahoma, those injured in motor vehicle accidents may be able to claim economic damages, which can be determined through medical bills, paycheck records, and other documentation, and non-economic damages, which are more difficult to quantify but still compensable for up to $350,000. In total, compensatory damages may include:

Current and future medical bills
Rehabilitation and therapy expenses
Lost wages and earning potential
Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Loss of companionship

If a jury decides that the driver who caused your accident was especially negligent, your lawyer may also seek punitive damages. This could happen if you’re left disabled by someone with an extensive DUI record. In Oklahoma, these damages are capped at $100,000, or the amount of your actual damages, whichever is greater.

It should also be noted that your settlement or award may be reduced if you were partly at fault for the accident. An accident victim can still seek compensation under Oklahoma’s comparative fault law as long as they share no more than 49% of the blame. Anyone who is 50% or more at fault for an accident cannot receive any compensation, which is another reason why it’s so important to have an auto accident attorney protect your rights.

Types of Car Accidents

When you work with a Tulsa car accident lawyer at our firm, you benefit from experienced representation in a wide range of collision types. They include but are not limited to those outlined below.

Aggressive Driving: Tailgating, unsafe lane changes, failure to merge or yield the right of way, and disregarding traffic signals or road signs are all examples of aggressive driving behavior that can lead to an accident.
Distracted Driving Accidents: Across the country, distracted driving crashes are increasing due to texting, GPS use, and other distractions. In 2022, Oklahoma became the 46th state to ban texting while driving, but many drivers continue to disregard the law.
Fatigued Driving Accidents: Fatigued driving is typically associated with truck drivers, but any driver can fall into this category. The majority of car accidents caused by fatigued drivers occur between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., but some people work different hours: someone exhausted after their night shift can trigger a crash during the morning rush hour.
Head-On Collisions: Car accidents involving head-on collisions can be among the deadliest. The impact can crush the driver and their passengers, trapping them between the dashboard and seat in the front of the vehicle.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents: It is common for fatal accidents to involve multiple vehicles, including cars, buses, trucks, or even emergency vehicles. Due to the mass of damage and crushed vehicles, victims have little chance of getting clear before another vehicle strikes them. Accidents of this type can occur almost anywhere and for a variety of reasons.
Rear-End Crashes: Rear-end collisions occur when the car in front suddenly stops or the car in the back speeds faster than the car in front. A sudden impact can cause serious injury or impairment: even rear-end collisions at 20 mph can result in whiplash and back pain for victims.
Speeding Accidents: When drivers exceed the speed limit, they’re more likely to cause an accident because it’s easier to lose control. At certain speeds, it can also be impossible to stop the vehicle in time to avoid a collision.
Rollover Accidents: Every year, rollovers kill a significant number of people, despite being one of the least common types of car accidents. NHTSA statistics show that rollover accidents account for only 2.1% of accidents, yet they represent 35% of all fatal crashes. Rollovers involving vans, large trucks, and SUVs are especially deadly.
Commercial Truck Accidents: Large commercial vehicles like big rigs and even delivery vans can cause catastrophic injuries in a crash. Typical passenger vehicles cannot withstand the impact of a tractor-trailer, which is why their occupants are usually the ones injured or killed. Insurers routinely fight truck accident claims, so it is essential that victims contact a Tulsa car accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect their rights.

All of these accidents can result in severe injuries such as:

Broken bones
Burns
Cuts and lacerations
Internal bleeding and/or organ damage
Whiplash
Concussion
Traumatic brain injury
Spinal cord injury
Amputation

Don’t shoulder the costs of your recovery alone. The car accident lawyers at Carr & Carr will pursue the responsible party or parties and demand full compensation from the appropriate insurance provider.

Understanding Oklahoma’s At-Fault Car Accident Rules

The driver who is at fault for a crash in Oklahoma must pay for any damages or injuries caused by the crash. Hence, if you are hit by a negligent driver and your car needs to be repaired or replaced, or if you face monetary damages such as medical bills, loss of income, and pain and suffering, you would file a claim first with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance company.

Oklahoma requires drivers to carry the following minimum amounts of liability coverage:

$25,000 for bodily injury or death per person
$50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident (two or more persons)
$25,000 for property damage per accident.

You would turn to your own auto insurance coverage only if the other driver left the scene before they could be identified, was uninsured, or lacked sufficient insurance to cover all of your losses. Your auto accident attorneys at Carr & Carr will recommend the most appropriate strategy for obtaining maximum compensation.

Car Accident Statistics in Oklahoma

According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, an average of 181 car accidents occurred per day on state roads and highways during 2021. This amount represents a 7.1% increase over the 2020 average of 169.

Additional state statistics for 2021:

An average of two people were killed and 83 people injured every day in a motor vehicle accident. The fatality rate was the highest recorded since 2012.
One crash occurred every eight minutes while one fatality took place every 11.5 hours.
Most accidents occurred on a Friday while the majority of fatalities happened on a Saturday.
April witnessed more accidents than any other month while July experienced the highest fatality rate.
The most dangerous time for driving was between 5:00 p.m. and 5:59 p.m.

In Tulsa County, in particular, there were 11,011 crashes: 94 of them were fatal while 4,297 resulted in some degree of injury. In January 2022, the Tulsa Police Department told News on 6 that in 2021, the city set a record for the number of crash fatalities, with 69 people being killed. The most dangerous intersections included:

Memorial Drive and the Broken Arrow Expressway
The Broken Arrow Expressway at Lewis Avenue
The Broken Arrow Expressway at Sheridan Road
U.S. 169 at 41st Street

If you’re injured in a collision in or around Tulsa, OK, Carr & Carr will fight to hold the negligent driver accountable. We don’t believe that you should be on the hook for your medical treatment costs, lost income, and other expenses after someone else was reckless or careless. Our Tulsa car accident lawyers know what’s at stake for you and won’t let you up until you get the settlement or verdict your case deserves.

Injured? Get a Free Consultation From a Tulsa Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a car crash, seek advice from a personal injury attorney without delay. This way, you can ensure that your claim is filed promptly and that important evidence is preserved.

Car accident cases are difficult to resolve alone, regardless of the circumstances. Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys are experts at minimizing liability for their clients. To level the playing field and receive the settlement or verdict you deserve, you need to hire an experienced and renowned Tulsa personal injury law firm. Call (918) 201-0486 or contact Carr & Carr online to learn why so many clients have been trusting us with their futures since 1973.