Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyer
Injured in an Oklahoma Car Accident?
A car accident can take seconds to happen and months—or longer—to deal with.
Medical treatment, vehicle damage, missed work, insurance adjusters, disputed fault, and uncertainty about how an injury will affect the future can quickly make an already difficult situation more complicated.
Retriever Legal, PLLC represents people injured in Oklahoma motor vehicle collisions.
We help clients understand the insurance and legal process, investigate how the collision occurred, document the resulting damages, evaluate available insurance coverage, negotiate disputed claims, and pursue litigation when necessary.
If you were injured in an Oklahoma car accident, talk directly with an attorney about what happened.
Oklahoma Car Accident Claims We Handle
Motor vehicle collisions can happen in many different ways.
Retriever Legal evaluates claims involving circumstances such as:
Rear-end collisions
Intersection accidents
Distracted driving
Failure-to-yield collisions
Unsafe lane changes
Speeding
Multi-vehicle accidents
Uninsured drivers
Underinsured drivers
Commercial and company vehicles
Pedestrian collisions
Motorcycle collisions
Serious-injury accidents
Fatal collisions
The way a collision occurred can affect the evidence that should be preserved, potentially responsible parties, available insurance, and legal issues involved.
What Should I Do After an Oklahoma Car Accident?
Your health and immediate safety should come first.
Depending upon the circumstances, important steps following a collision can include:
Obtaining appropriate medical attention
Contacting law enforcement
Exchanging driver and insurance information
Photographing the vehicles and accident scene
Identifying witnesses
Preserving photographs, video, and other evidence
Reporting the accident to the appropriate insurer
Keeping records concerning medical treatment and accident-related expenses
Be careful about assuming immediately after a collision that you are uninjured. Some symptoms may become more apparent after the initial shock and adrenaline of the accident have subsided.
You should also understand that statements made to insurance representatives may become relevant to the insurer's later evaluation of liability or damages.
Read: What to Do After a Car Accident in Oklahoma →
Who Is At Fault for an Oklahoma Car Accident?
Fault depends upon how and why the collision occurred.
Potentially negligent conduct can include:
Following too closely
Speeding
Distracted driving
Texting while driving
Failing to yield
Running a traffic signal or stop sign
Unsafe passing
Improper lane changes
Driving while impaired
Failing to maintain proper control
Other unreasonable driving conduct
Evidence concerning liability may include the drivers' testimony, witnesses, photographs, video, vehicle damage, physical evidence, electronic information, and other available evidence.
A police report can be important to the investigation, but the legal analysis of liability should not necessarily begin and end with a single conclusion contained in a report.
What If the Other Driver Says the Accident Was My Fault?
A liability dispute does not automatically mean you cannot recover.
Oklahoma follows modified comparative negligence.
Under Oklahoma law, contributory negligence does not bar recovery unless the injured person's negligence is greater than the negligence of the person causing the damage—or, where multiple responsible parties are involved, greater than their combined negligence.
When the injured person bears some percentage of negligence but is not barred from recovery, damages are reduced proportionately.
That makes evidence concerning how the accident occurred particularly important when both drivers blame one another.
Read: What If I Was Partially at Fault for an Oklahoma Car Accident? →
What Compensation May Be Available?
Depending upon the circumstances, an Oklahoma car accident claim may involve losses such as:
Medical Expenses
Emergency treatment, physician visits, diagnostic testing, physical therapy, surgery, medication, and other reasonable accident-related medical treatment may become relevant to damages.
Future Medical Needs
Serious injuries may require treatment extending beyond the resolution of the claim.
Lost Income
An injury may prevent someone from working temporarily or affect future earning ability.
Physical Pain and Suffering
The effect of an injury is not necessarily limited to its financial cost.
Permanent Impairment
Some injuries produce lasting limitations affecting work, recreation, family life, and everyday activities.
Property Damage
Vehicle repair and total-loss issues frequently accompany bodily-injury claims.
Other damages may potentially apply depending upon the facts and governing law.
Read: What Damages Can You Recover After an Oklahoma Car Accident? →
How Much Is My Oklahoma Car Accident Case Worth?
There is no legitimate calculator capable of accurately valuing every car accident claim.
Important considerations may include:
Nature and severity of the injuries
Medical treatment
Future medical needs
Lost income
Permanent impairment
Effect on everyday life
Strength of the liability evidence
Comparative negligence
Available insurance coverage
Other responsible parties
Prior injuries or medical conditions
Credibility and quality of the evidence
A settlement offer should therefore be evaluated in the context of the actual claim rather than against a generic formula or online calculator.
Read: How Much Is My Oklahoma Car Accident Case Worth? →
Who Pays My Medical Bills After a Car Accident?
This is one of the most common sources of confusion following a collision.
The answer can depend upon the available insurance coverage, health insurance, the circumstances of the accident, and other factors.
The existence of a liability claim against another driver does not necessarily mean that driver's insurer will simply pay each medical bill as soon as it arrives.
Understanding how medical expenses are being handled—and whether reimbursement, lien, or other issues may arise—can be an important part of evaluating the claim.
Read: Who Pays My Medical Bills After an Oklahoma Car Accident? →
What If the Driver Who Hit Me Does Not Have Insurance?
An uninsured at-fault driver does not necessarily mean that an injured person has no potential source of insurance recovery.
Depending upon the applicable policies and circumstances, uninsured motorist coverage may become important.
Similar issues arise when the at-fault driver has insurance but the available liability limits are insufficient in relation to the injuries and damages.
Coverage analysis can become particularly important in serious-injury accidents.
Learn About Oklahoma Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Claims →
Should I Give the Insurance Adjuster a Recorded Statement?
Be careful.
Whether you have contractual obligations to cooperate can depend upon which insurance company is asking, the applicable policy, and the circumstances.
A third-party liability insurer may ask questions about how the collision occurred, your injuries, prior medical history, treatment, and other subjects that can later become disputed.
Before agreeing to a recorded statement, understand who is requesting it, why it is being requested, and what obligations may apply.
Read: Should I Give an Insurance Adjuster a Recorded Statement After an Oklahoma Car Accident? →
Should I Accept the Insurance Company's Settlement Offer?
A quick settlement is not necessarily a fair settlement.
Before resolving an injury claim, important questions may include:
Has the nature of the injury become reasonably clear?
Is additional treatment expected?
Are there outstanding medical expenses?
Has the injury affected employment?
Are there permanent limitations?
What insurance coverage is available?
Are there liens or reimbursement interests?
What claims will the release extinguish?
A signed release can have significant consequences.
Someone should understand what is being resolved before accepting compensation in exchange for releasing a claim.
Read: Should I Accept an Insurance Settlement After an Oklahoma Car Accident? →
How Long Do I Have to File an Oklahoma Car Accident Lawsuit?
Oklahoma's general limitations statute provides a two-year period for an action for injury to the rights of another not arising from contract.
However, do not assume every accident-related claim has the same deadline.
Different defendants and circumstances can trigger different requirements. Claims involving governmental entities, minors, wrongful death, and other situations may involve additional or different deadlines and notice provisions.
Waiting can also create practical problems even before a limitations period expires because evidence can disappear, memories can fade, and witnesses can become difficult to locate.
Read: Oklahoma Car Accident Statute of Limitations →
What If a Company or Commercial Vehicle Caused the Accident?
A collision involving a driver who was working at the time may raise questions beyond the individual driver's negligence.
Depending upon the circumstances, potentially relevant issues can include:
The driver's employment or agency relationship
Vehicle ownership
Commercial insurance coverage
Driver qualifications
Company policies
Electronic or vehicle data
Maintenance information
Other evidence possessed by the business
Serious commercial-vehicle accidents may justify investigating and preserving evidence early.
Learn About Oklahoma Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accident Claims →
How Retriever Legal Handles Oklahoma Car Accident Cases
Depending upon the circumstances, our work may include:
Investigating Liability
We evaluate available evidence concerning how the collision occurred and who may be legally responsible.
Evaluating Insurance Coverage
We identify potentially applicable liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, commercial, or other insurance coverage.
Documenting Injuries and Damages
Medical records, bills, wage information, photographs, testimony, and other evidence may be used to document the effect of the collision.
Handling Claim Communications
We communicate with insurers and opposing parties concerning the client's injury claim.
Negotiating a Resolution
When appropriate, we present and negotiate claims based upon the available evidence and damages.
Filing Suit When Necessary
An insurance company does not have the final word simply because it disputes liability or damages.
When a claim cannot be appropriately resolved, litigation may become necessary.
Retriever Legal is a litigation-focused law firm prepared to pursue contested claims through the civil justice system when appropriate.
Talk With an Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in an Oklahoma car accident and have questions about fault, medical bills, insurance coverage, settlement, or what to do next, Retriever Legal can evaluate the circumstances and discuss your options.
Call Retriever Legal at 918-641-4131
Learn More About Retriever Legal's Personal Injury Practice →
Frequently Asked Questions About Oklahoma Car Accidents
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma's general limitations period for an action for injury to the rights of another is two years, but different deadlines or notice requirements can apply depending upon the parties and circumstances.
Can I recover if I was partially at fault?
Potentially. Oklahoma follows modified comparative negligence. Depending upon the allocation of fault, partial negligence may reduce a recovery rather than eliminate it altogether.
What if the other driver doesn't have insurance?
Depending upon the applicable policies and circumstances, uninsured motorist coverage or another source of insurance may be available.
Should I talk to the other driver's insurance company?
Be careful when discussing an injury claim with another party's insurer. Statements concerning liability, injuries, treatment, or medical history may later become relevant to the claim.
How much is my car accident claim worth?
The value depends upon the individual facts, including injuries, treatment, future medical needs, lost income, permanent impairment, liability, comparative negligence, available insurance, and quality of the evidence.
Do I need a lawyer for every car accident?
No. Not every minor collision necessarily requires legal representation. An attorney becomes particularly worth considering when significant injuries, disputed liability, insurance problems, commercial vehicles, permanent impairment, inadequate coverage, or substantial damages are involved.
How much does Retriever Legal charge for a car accident case?
The cost of legal representation depends on the type of case.
Personal injury matters may be handled on a contingency-fee basis, meaning the attorney fee is based on a percentage of the recovery obtained rather than a traditional hourly attorney fee. The specific fee arrangement, responsibility for case expenses, and other terms of representation are explained in the written fee agreement before representation begins.
Civil litigation, family law, and other matters may be handled through hourly, flat-fee, retainer, or other fee arrangements depending on the nature and complexity of the case.
We believe clients should understand how they will be charged before hiring an attorney. Retriever Legal will explain the applicable fee structure and answer your questions about anticipated fees and costs before representation begins.
Have questions about the cost of hiring Retriever Legal? Contact us to discuss your case.