Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyers

Oklahoma Car Accident Laws

Understanding Oklahoma's car accident laws helps victims navigate their claims effectively and maximize their recovery potential.

The Fault-Based System in Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma operates under a fault-based insurance system, meaning the driver responsible for causing an accident must pay for the resulting damages. In "at-fault" states, an individual in a car accident seeks compensation from the at-fault driver's auto liability insurance. This system typically allows accident victims to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering through the responsible driver's insurance company.

The fault determination process generally involves examining evidence such as police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and accident reconstruction analysis. Multiple factors play a role in identifying the responsible party and determining the degree of fault for each driver involved in the collision.

No Serious Injury Threshold for Lawsuits

Unlike no-fault states that require injuries to meet specific thresholds before filing lawsuits, Oklahoma allows accident victims to pursue legal action regardless of injury severity. Most states, like Oklahoma, are fault states, meaning injured parties can typically file claims immediately after establishing the other driver's responsibility.

This absence of injury thresholds generally enables victims to seek compensation for both minor and catastrophic injuries without meeting predetermined medical expense minimums or proving "serious" injury classifications.

Required Liability Insurance Coverage in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma requires liability insurance for all motorists that covers bodily injuries and property damage caused by an at-fault driver. The state mandates minimum coverage limits of:

• $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person
• $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident
• $25,000 in property damage per accident

You'll find this policy referred to as 25/50/25. However, these minimum amounts often prove insufficient for serious accidents, particularly those involving multiple victims or catastrophic injuries.

Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims

In Oklahoma, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Oklahoma Statutes title 12, section 95 sets the statute of limitations for almost all lawsuits stemming from a car accident.

But if someone died as a result of the car accident, under Oklahoma Statutes title 12, section 1053 a representative of the estate also must file any wrongful death lawsuit within two years, but the "clock" starts running on the day of the accident victim's death.

Missing this deadline typically results in losing your right to pursue compensation through the court system permanently.

Common Types of Car Accidents

Oklahoma City's roads and intersections witness various accident types, each presenting unique challenges for determining fault and securing compensation.

Rear-end Collisions

Rear-end crashes frequently occur at Oklahoma City's busy intersections during rush hour traffic. These accidents commonly result from following too closely, distracted driving, or sudden braking in congested areas like North Pennsylvania Ave and Northwest Expressway and the interchange of I-40 and I-44.

The trailing driver typically bears responsibility for these collisions, though exceptions may apply when the lead vehicle stops unexpectedly or has malfunctioning brake lights.

Head-on Collisions

Head-on crashes represent some of the most devastating accidents on Oklahoma City roads. These typically occur on highways like Lake Hefner Parkway and State Highway 9 due to wrong-way driving, aggressive passing maneuvers, or drivers crossing center lines.

The high-speed nature of these collisions often results in catastrophic injuries or fatalities, making immediate legal consultation crucial for protecting victims' rights.

Side Impact (T-Bone) Accidents

T-bone collisions frequently happen at Oklahoma City's most dangerous intersections, including Northwest Expressway and Belle Isle Boulevard and Memorial Road and Rockwell Avenue. These crashes typically result from failure to yield right-of-way, running red lights, or misjudging traffic gaps when turning.

Side-impact accidents often cause severe injuries to occupants on the struck side of the vehicle, particularly in areas with inadequate side-impact protection.

Rollover Accidents

Rollover crashes generally occur when vehicles lose control due to excessive speed, sharp turns, or tire blowouts. Oklahoma City's highway interchanges and curved sections of roads like the Turner Turnpike present particular rollover risks for SUVs and trucks with higher centers of gravity.

These accidents frequently result in ejection injuries and multiple trauma, especially when occupants aren't properly restrained.

Multi-Vehicle Crashes

Complex accidents involving multiple vehicles often occur on heavily traveled routes like Interstate 240 and during peak traffic periods. Chain-reaction collisions can complicate fault determination and delay claim resolution as investigators work to establish each driver's role in the accident sequence.

Multi-vehicle crashes typically involve complex insurance negotiations with multiple carriers and varying coverage limits.

Hit and Run Accidents

Unfortunately, hit-and-run incidents occur throughout Oklahoma City, leaving victims without obvious recourse for compensation. Uninsured motorist insurance (UM) pays the policyholder if he or she is injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver or a hit-and-run driver who is not caught.

Prompt police reporting and witness identification become crucial for these cases, as does having adequate uninsured motorist coverage.

Common Personal Injuries From Car Accidents

Car accidents in Oklahoma City typically produce various injury types, ranging from minor to life-threatening conditions requiring extensive medical treatment.

Whiplash

Whiplash commonly occurs in rear-end collisions when rapid acceleration and deceleration forces the neck to snap forward and backward. Rear-end crashes at dangerous intersections in Oklahoma City often leave drivers with whiplash and other soft tissue injuries.

Symptoms may include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and reduced range of motion. While often considered minor, whiplash can result in chronic pain requiring ongoing treatment.

Fractures

The force imparted on the body during car accidents often causes drivers and passengers to suffer broken bones. These injuries occur most frequently in the arms, legs, and ribcage. Complex fractures may require surgical intervention, physical therapy, and extended recovery periods.

Fracture severity typically correlates with accident force and impact location, with side-impact crashes often producing more severe arm and ribcage injuries.

Bruising and Lacerations

Impact with interior vehicle components, broken glass, and deployed airbags frequently causes cuts and bruising throughout the body. While these injuries may appear minor, deep lacerations can result in permanent scarring and nerve damage requiring plastic surgery.

Extensive bruising may indicate internal injuries requiring immediate medical evaluation and ongoing monitoring.

Internal Bleeding

High-force impacts can damage internal organs, causing bleeding that may not present immediate symptoms. Internal injuries require emergency medical intervention and can prove life-threatening if undiagnosed.

Delayed symptoms like abdominal pain, dizziness, or weakness may indicate internal bleeding requiring immediate medical attention.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Severe accidents can damage the spinal cord, potentially resulting in temporary or permanent paralysis. These catastrophic injuries typically require lifelong medical care, rehabilitation, and adaptive equipment.

Spinal cord injuries dramatically impact victims' quality of life and earning capacity, making comprehensive legal representation essential for securing adequate compensation.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Head impacts during accidents can cause traumatic brain injuries ranging from mild concussions to severe brain damage. These injuries may affect cognitive function, memory, personality, and motor skills.

Brain injuries often require extensive rehabilitation and may result in permanent disabilities affecting victims' ability to work and maintain independence.