Oklahoma City Auto Accident Attorneys

Oklahoma City Car Accident Attorneys, OKC

Aggressive representation for car wreck victims throughout Oklahoma

It is devastating it is to be injured in an auto accident caused by the negligence of another person. Serious car accidents leave you suffering and in pain, with significant emotional distress. The last thing you want to deal with is mounting medical bills, property damages, and lost wages.

At Cunningham & Mears, our Oklahoma City car accident attorneys understand that you have questions and concerns about your case. You want to pay your medical bills and get back to your normal life. Our attorneys are here to help you ease the financial burden by seeking compensation for your harm after a car wreck. We take care of the legal aftermath of your accident and deal with insurance companies, so you can focus on what is most important — your recovery.

How can we help?

What should I do after a car accident?

After being involved in a car accident you are likely to feel a bit shaken and disoriented. That is normal. Once you have taken a breath and composed yourself, here are a few tips to follow that will help you later when it is time to file an accident claim:

  1. Make sure you are safe. If you can, move your car out of the travel lane. If that is not possible, turn on your hazard lights and get yourself to the sidewalk or the shoulder of the highway.
  2. See to the safety of others involved in the accident. If you or anyone else in the crash has been injured, call 911 and request medical help.
  3. Call law enforcement. Call the police to the scene so that they can create an accident report. You can cooperate with the police without saying anything about fault on anyone's part. If the police do not arrive, you can go to the police station to file a report.
  4. Gather evidence at the scene including:
    • Name, contact information, and insurance information for the other drivers involved.
    • License plate numbers for the other vehicles involved
    • Makes and models of the vehicles involved
    • Location of the accident
    • Names and badge numbers of the responding police officers
    • Pictures and video of the accident scene, the vehicles and people involved and any witnesses.
  5. Contact your insurance company and inform them of the accident.

What are the most common causes of car accidents in Oklahoma?

Driver negligence is one of the most common causes of car wrecks. We help victims of accidents handle all types of driving negligence by the other party:

  • Drunk or drugged driving. Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs is the epitome of reckless and negligent driving. In 2020, drunk driving was responsible for 871 injuries and 199 deaths in Oklahoma. Drugged driving led to 288 deaths and caused 391 injuries.
  • Distracted drivingis not only texting while driving, but also includes distractions such as eating, grooming, and interacting with passengers or being distracted by something outside the vehicle. Distracted driving caused 1,437 injuries and 44 deaths in 2020.
  • Speeding, which includes both exceeding the posted speed limit and driving too fast for current road conditions such as rain or ice. There were 1,637 speed-related accidents in 2020, leading to 185 deaths and 1,929 injuries.
  • Drowsy driving. Drowsy (fatigued, sleepy) can be almost as dangerous as drunk driving, as it affects your reaction times and your perception of danger.
  • Failure to obey the rules of the road, such as failing to yield the right of way, changing lanes in an intersection, running a red light, or failure to obey stop signs or other traffic signals.
  • Failure to stop for pedestrianswhether in or out of a crosswalk.

(All data taken from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO) interactive crash maps.)

We represent drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicycle riders who are injured in car accidents. We also represent families when a loved one tragically dies in a car accident. Our Oklahoma City car accident lawyers handle all types of car accidents including head-on crashes, rear-end collisions, broadsides, multi-vehicle accidents, single-vehicle accidents, hit-and-run accidents, and other types of car accidents.

What causes Oklahoma car accidents not related to driver error?

Not all car crashes are the result of negligent or careless drivers, however. Defective car parts, poor road design or maintenance, lack of lighting and signage and wildlife can all contribute to a collision. A skilled Oklahoma City car accident lawyer from Cunningham & Mears is prepared to protect your interests after a car accident injury has left you in pain and unable to work. We fight for the compensation you need.

What types of injuries do car accidents commonly cause?

There are many variables that can account for the range of severity of injuries in a car wreck. The speed at which each vehicle was traveling when they collided, the condition of the brakes, and other factors will have an impact on whether the people involved in a car accident walk away or never survive.

Some of the more common injuries in car accidents include:

  • Head injury from being hit by objects in the vehicle or hitting the windshield can be serious and have consequences that impact a person’s life long after the head wound has healed.
  • Traumatic brain injury, which can occur whether the head took a hit, or was slammed back and forth by the g-forces in the crash, can alter the person’s ability to function in life, work, and relationships. Our OKC brain injury lawyersfight aggressively for justice on behalf of the injured.
  • Whiplash is another name for a neck sprain that can occur with a neck injury where the joints, muscles, ligaments, and nerve roots in the neck have suffered damage. Whiplash can occur in car accidents when the body is whipped forward and backward in a jerking motion. (WebMD) Whiplash is a soft tissue injury, but it can have lasting effects including severe headaches, back pain, dizziness, pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, and other difficult symptoms. Most whiplash injuries resolve themselves with treatments and time, while some cause permanent complications.
  • Back and neck injuries. The jerking motion that occurs at the moment of collision can injure the back and neck even if there is no outward wound. The individual may even walk away feeling like they escaped the crash uninjured because with the rush of adrenaline, they may not feel the effects of the injury right away. But some of the symptoms of back injury might include back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, numbness and burning sensations, limited range of motion, and loss of strength.
  • Spinal cord injury, which can lead to partial or complete paralysis, is a devastating injury that can occur after a car accident. A person with a spinal cord injury may require a wheelchair for mobility and help with home health care and ongoing medical complications. A skilled Oklahoma City car accident lawyer understands the needs of clients with spinal cord injuries and what it takes to recover compensation to cover their lifelong medical and life support requirements.
  • Broken bones such as broken ribs, knees, and arms, are serious injuries that can occur in car wrecks. When a person has multiple bone fractures, they need expert medical care and they need time to allow their body to heal.
  • Internal organ damage such as injury to the kidney, liver or spleen, punctured lung or lung collapse or internal bleeding from ruptured blood vessels in the body from the crash. These injuries, if not quickly diagnosed and treated can lead to organ failure and death.
  • Cuts and lacerations from shattered glass, broken, sharp pieces from the vehicle's frame, and road debris. Depending on the location and depth of the cuts, they can affect underlying tissues such as muscles, tendons, nerves, and even organs. Deep gashes and lacerations which have been exposed to the environment are at risk for serious infection.
  • Burn injuriesThe severity of burns can range from a skin-irritating first degree burn to a devastating third-degree burn which can cause chronic pain, infections, disfigurement, and permanent disability. Burns can have long-lasting repercussions on your health, mental well-being, and ability to earn an income.

If you have lost a loved one in a car accident, you may be concerned about recovering compensation to cover the medical bills and final expenses and the loss of their affection, services, and financial support. Medical bills include ER care, surgeries, doctor visits, visits with therapists, assistive devices, and medications. Our Oklahoma City car wreck lawyers strive to obtain the compensation that covers the full extent of your harm.

How do we determine fault in a car accident in Oklahoma?

When a person is injured in a car accident because of the negligence of another driver, if the injured person is successful in proving that the other driver's negligence caused the crash and their injuries, they may be entitled to recover compensation. But what about in cases of shared fault? Oklahoma follows the modified comparative negligence model for determining damages in cases where there is shared fault in causing the accident. Each party is responsible for damages according to their percentage of fault. If the plaintiff's percentage of fault exceeds 51%, they are barred from recovering damages. (23 OK Stat § 23-13)

For example, a person steps off the curb to cross a busy street with their head down reading the screen of their phone instead of looking around to make sure traffic has stopped. At the same time, the driver of a car heading into the same intersection is also looking at the screen of his or her phone instead of looking out for pedestrians. The car hits the pedestrian and the pedestrian suffers an injury.

The jury decides that the pedestrian is responsible for 40% of the fault and the driver is responsible for 60% of the fault. The pedestrian's damages were $80,000, so they would receive $48,000 after they were reduced by $32,000 (40% of $80,000).

How can a car accident lawyer help your injury case?

After you have sustained a serious injury in a car wreck in Oklahoma City, or anywhere else throughout the state, you are likely to have accumulated medical bills and lost time at work while you were in the hospital and at home recuperating. At this difficult time, you need an advocate who will protect your right to recover compensation for your injuries and other losses.

At Cunningham & Mears, our OKC accident lawyers bring 105 years of combined legal experience. We listen to your story, we discuss your needs and we work towards achieving your goals. Whether you choose to settle your injury case or pursue a trial, we have the resources and the experience to take on litigation regardless of how complex.

To recover compensation after a car accident, the plaintiff (injured person) is required to prove that the defendant (at-fault party in causing the crash) caused the collision and that their injuries are a direct result of the car accident. The insurance company for the defendant will have its own team of corporate attorneys on its side. Those insurance company lawyers are determined to diminish your case with low-ball offers to protect their company’s profits.

Our job is to prepare a strong case for compensation on your behalf. We take an aggressive stand in fighting for the rights of our clients. Our clients trust us to do the right thing on their behalf, and that is exactly what we do.

If you have been injured in a car accident in Oklahoma City, after you have sought medical attention, your next call should be to schedule a free consultation with our car accident attorney team at Cunningham & Mears.

Do you have a car accident lawyer near me?

Cunningham & Mears has two offices located in Oklahoma City. Our first is located at 5104 N Francis Ave., Suite 102, Oklahoma City, located just 4 mins drive from Penn Square Mall with plenty of car parking and easy access to the office. Our second is located at 9428 Westgate, Suite 102B, in the Brookhaven West part of Oklahoma City, just a short walk from Resurrection Cemetery and off the Northwest Expressway.

Learn more about car accident claims in Oklahoma City, OK

Schedule a free consultation with an experienced Oklahoma City car wreck lawyer today

Each accident attorney in Oklahoma City at Cunningham & Mears is dedicated to putting you in a better position than when you first come to us. Whether this means strong negotiations with insurance companies, aggressive litigation in court or simply referring you to the right medical professional, we are here to meet your individual needs. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us or call 405-451-5088 today for a free initial consultation.

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Areas served include: Piedmont, Edmond and Yukon OK