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Oklahoma City Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Protecting the rights of injured riders in Oklahoma
Motorcycle accidents in Oklahoma City often lead to serious injuries because riders have little protection compared to drivers in cars. Crashes frequently happen on major roads like I-35, I-40, I-44, and busy areas like the Northwest Expressway and downtown OKC intersections.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, but proving fault and dealing with insurance companies can be more complicated than a typical car accident.
The Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyers of Cunningham & Mears assist motorcycle drivers and passengers who are injured in accidents caused by the negligence of others throughout the state. Our lawyers use our 105 years of combined knowledge and experience to help you obtain a full and fair recovery for your injuries.
Key takeaways
- Motorcyclists in Oklahoma face major risks: Although motorcycles make up a very small share of vehicles and miles driven in Oklahoma, riders are heavily overrepresented in serious accidents, making up over 15% of traffic deaths despite being just 3.3% of vehicles in 2023.
- Motorcycle accidents often happen on busy OKC roads: Dangerous crashes frequently occur on Oklahoma City’s busiest routes and intersections, like I-35, I-40, Broadway Extension, Northwest Expressway, and downtown corridors, where cars may easily overlook or fail to yield to motorcyclists.
- Severe injuries are common: Bike crashes commonly lead to severe and life-altering injuries such as brain trauma, spinal damage, broken bones, amputations, and road rash, mainly because riders lack the physical protection car occupants have.
- Proving fault is challenging and important: To prove negligence, you typically need to gather solid evidence (pictures, witnesses, collision reconstructions) and get beyond the bias that makes people think motorcyclists are usually reckless or to blame on the road.
- Oklahoma laws directly affect compensation: If you're less than 51% at fault, you can still get damages, but your portion of blame can lower your overall damages.
- Act quickly after an accident: The best things you can do to protect your health and rights are to contact 911, obtain medical treatment, gather evidence, don’t admit fault, obtain a copy of the police report, and talk to a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as you can.
- Cunningham & Mears is ready to fight for you: Our team has more than 100 years of experience dealing with motorcycle accidents, so we can handle complicated claims, catastrophic injury and wrongful death situations, and help injured motorcyclists get the justice they deserve.
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Table of contents
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- How dangerous are motorcycle accidents?
- Why do motorcycle accidents happen in Oklahoma City?
- Who is at fault in a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma?
- Common motorcycle accident injuries in Oklahoma City
- Why are motorcycle accidents so severe?
- Does Oklahoma require that motorcycle riders wear helmets?
- Protective gear that can help prevent motorcycle injuries
- Additional requirements and suggestions for motorcycle riders in Oklahoma City
- What Oklahoma laws apply to motorcycle accidents?
- What to do after a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City - Step-by-step guide
- How much is my motorcycle accident claim worth in Oklahoma?
- How we prove fault in motorcycle accidents
- Understanding the bias against motorcyclists
- Recent motorcycle accident case results
- Frequently asked questions
- Do you have an Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyer near me?
How dangerous are motorcycle accidents?
In 2023, while motorcycles accounted for just 3.3% of all registered vehicles and 0.6% of total miles driven in the US, they made up 15.5% of all traffic deaths, highlighting how much greater the risks are for motorcyclists compared to other road users.
Over the last 5 years, Oklahoma has averaged 71 motorcycle fatalities and 267 serious injuries per year. Many of these crashes happen in and around Oklahoma City’s busiest traffic corridors, including downtown OKC intersections, I-235, Broadway Extension, and the Kilpatrick Turnpike, where motorcycles are harder for drivers to see and react to in time.
Why do motorcycle accidents happen in Oklahoma City?
At Cunningham & Mears, we can help you recover compensation by identifying all the possible causes of your accident, including:
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Driver inexperience
- Driver fatigue
- Texting or talking on cell phones
- Speeding
- Lane splitting
- Failure to check for blind spots
- Driving through red lights and stop signs
- Failure to obey traffic signs or rules of the road
- Sudden lane changes
- Failure to yield
- Failure to give a motorcycle driver the room to pass or merge
In general, motorcycle crashes in OKC often happen when drivers fail to notice riders while merging, turning left, or changing lanes on roads like I-40, I-44, the Broadway Extension, and the Northwest Expressway. Busy intersections in downtown Oklahoma City can also be especially dangerous for riders because of congestion, turning traffic, and limited visibility.
Our Oklahoma City injury lawyers are highly qualified to fight for your demand for full compensation from the insurance companies and from defendants in personal injury trials before juries. We file claims based on driver negligence, defective motorcycles or parts, negligent road design, and other causes.
Who is at fault in a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma?
Most of the time, fault falls on whoever wasn’t being as careful as they should have been; this could mean a driver who didn’t look before turning, someone speeding, or a person failing to check their blind spots. Fault can sometimes be shared, too, and with Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence law, the amount you get could change depending on your share of the blame.
Common motorcycle accident injuries in Oklahoma City
When you combine tremendous speed and little to no protection for the rider, motorcycle crashes are often devastating. Those riders who survive a crash often come away with serious injuries. Some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
- Burn injuries
- Leg and foot injuries
- Head, shoulder, and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Road rash
- Back injuries
- Facial fractures
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Dental injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Psychological trauma
If you’ve experienced any of these injuries, it’s important to reach out for help from a medical and legal professional.
Why are motorcycle accidents so severe?
Motorcycle accidents are often more severe because riders lack the same physical protection as people in cars or trucks. Without seat belts, airbags, or a metal frame, even a minor crash can lead to serious injuries like brain trauma, broken bones, spinal injuries, or permanent disability. Visibility issues and the smaller size of motorcycles compared to cars also contribute to the risk and severity of these accidents.
The risk is even greater on high-speed Oklahoma City roads like I-35, Lake Hefner Parkway, and the Kilpatrick Turnpike, where even a small mistake can lead to devastating injuries for a rider.
Does Oklahoma require that motorcycle riders wear helmets?
Oklahoma helmet laws require that motorcyclists and passengers under the age of 18 wear helmets when riding. Our attorneys recommend wearing a helmet even if the law does not require you to protect yourself from serious or even fatal brain injuries.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69 percent and the risk of death by 37 percent in the event of a crash. Failure to wear a helmet to protect oneself while on a motorcycle is one of the most common causes of injury and death in motorcycle accidents.
According to Autoweek, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “says properly designed helmets reduce the likelihood of death by about 40% and the risk of traumatic brain injury by two-thirds.”
Protective gear that can help prevent motorcycle injuries
Because motorcycle riders do not have the added protection of being inside a reinforced vehicle, when they get into a crash, it is vital that they wear protective gear to help mitigate injury and prevent or reduce road rash.
The CDC states that motorcycle helmets must meet current US Department of Transportation (US DOT) standards. Generally, full-face helmets provide the most protection because they protect the eyes and face as well as the head. Even US DOT-approved helmets should be replaced every five years.
Riders can wear leather jackets and pants, boots that cover and protect feet and ankles, gloves to protect the hands and wrists, and reflective decals over the protective gear to increase the rider's visibility at night.
What Oklahoma laws apply to motorcycle accidents?
If you’re in a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma, there are some important state laws you should know about.
- Helmet law: Riders under 18 must wear helmets by law.
- Eye protection: If your motorcycle does not have a windscreen, you are required to wear approved eye protection.
- Insurance requirement: All drivers, including motorcyclists, have to carry at least the minimum liability insurance.
- Statute of limitations: Most of the time, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit for injuries.
- Lane splitting and lane filtering: Lane splitting is generally not permitted in Oklahoma because traffic laws require vehicles to remain within a lane and prohibit unsafe passing between lanes.
- Rider training for teens: Anyone 17 or younger must complete a state-approved motorcycle safety course before they can get or renew a motorcycle (M) driver’s license.
- Comparative negligence: You can get damages if you are less than 51% at fault, but your compensation will be reduced by your share of blame.
Following these rules is not just about safety; not knowing them can also affect the outcome of an insurance or accident claim.
What to do after a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City - Step-by-step guide
Being in a motorcycle accident is frightening, and the next steps might not always be clear when you're shaken up. Taking the right actions after a crash can help protect your health and your ability to recover compensation later on.
- Call 911 and report the crash: Always call 911 and report the crash. In cases where a death, serious injury, or property damage occurs, it is an especially good idea to report the accident. Depending on where the crash happened, the scene may be handled by the Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD) or, in some cases, another responding agency, such as the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, for certain highway crashes.
- Get medical attention immediately: You should always get medical attention after a motorcycle accident. Some injuries don’t show up right away, or you may not realize them because of adrenaline and shock. You always want a record that you went to the doctor right after the accident.
- Take photos of the scene, bike, and injuries: This can help you collect evidence that you suffered losses and someone else was at fault. It’s helpful to be able to show insurance adjusters or the jury just how serious the crash was.
- Collect witness names and contact info: Get the names and contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident. Your lawyer can talk to them later and find out whether their testimony could be useful.
- Avoid admitting fault: Don’t admit fault in any way. This means not even apologizing to the other person or people involved in the accident, no matter how harmless that may seem.
- Request a copy of the police report: You should always obtain a copy of the police report as soon as you can. This report provides details regarding the accident, such as who was involved, if anyone broke traffic laws and got a ticket, who saw it happen, and who the officer thinks may have been to blame.
- Contact a motorcycle accident lawyer: Motorcycle claims are notoriously difficult, in part because insurance adjusters and juries often assume the driver was riding dangerously. Call a lawyer right away so you can get help obtaining the compensation you deserve for your losses.
Taking the right steps after an accident is critical to ensuring your health is taken care of and that any potential legal claims you may have in the future are addressed.
How much is my motorcycle accident claim worth in Oklahoma?
The value of a motorcycle accident case in Oklahoma really depends on how bad the injuries are, the cost of medical bills, time missed from work, and who was actually at fault. Serious accidents, especially those that involve brain or spinal injuries, are often worth significantly more.
Our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers fight to obtain all the compensation you deserve, including your current and future:
- Medical expenses for ER care, surgeries, hospitalizations, doctor visits, physical therapy, other types of therapy, psychological help, assistive devices, and medications
- Lost income and lost benefits because you cannot perform your job
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Property damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of function of a body part
Just keep in mind that if you share part of the blame under Oklahoma’s comparative negligence rules, your compensation might be reduced. The only real way to find out what your case could be worth is to go over the details with a skilled attorney.
We also seek wrongful death damages if a loved one dies in an Oklahoma City motorcycle accident. These damages include the funeral and burial costs; the value of the financial support your loved one would have provided; the grief of the spouse, parents, and children; and the loss of comfort, society, companionship, and love your loved one would have provided.
How do we prove fault in motorcycle accidents
To prove fault in a motorcycle accident, we collect compelling evidence such as images of the accident scene, police reports, witness testimonies, traffic camera footage, and, if necessary, consult expert reconstructionists. This helps determine exactly what happened and who was to blame.
Understanding the bias against motorcyclists
There is a very common belief that anyone who rides a motorcycle is irresponsible or reckless. This can make proving your case a lot harder, even when you were injured because someone else was clearly negligent. Insurance companies and even jurors sometimes assume the rider took on more risk. That’s why it’s even more important to collect solid, objective evidence and witness accounts, so your side of the story is clear and credible.
Recent motorcycle accident case results
Some of our successful motorcycle accident results include:
- $1.3 million for a motorcycle rider hit by another car. Our client, a motorcycle rider, was making a left-hand turn when an oncoming motorist hit him head-on.
- $350,000 for a motorcycle crash victim. We represented a young man who was struck while riding his motorcycle. He suffered a fractured ankle. Our physicians provided evidence showing some permanent impairment and the risk of future arthritis and surgery.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do after a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City?
If your crash happened on a busy roadway like I-40, I-44, Northwest Expressway, or near a major downtown OKC intersection, taking the right steps right away can protect both your health and your legal claim.
Your top priorities are your safety and health: call 911, get checked by a doctor, and try to document as much as you can - photos, names of witnesses, anything that could help later on. When you speak with the police, just stick to the facts and don't discuss fault. Contact a lawyer for help with your claim.
How long do I have to file a motorcycle accident claim in Oklahoma?
In most cases, you have two years from the date of the motorcycle accident in Oklahoma to file a personal injury claim. If you miss this window, you probably won’t be able to recover any compensation. The time limit can be even shorter if a government vehicle or city is involved, so reaching out sooner rather than later is your safest bet to keep your case on track.
Where do motorcycle accidents happen most often in Oklahoma City?
Motorcycle accidents in Oklahoma City happen all over the place, but they tend to occur on high-traffic roads and intersections, including I-35, I-40, I-44, Northwest Expressway, Broadway Extension, and downtown OKC intersections, where drivers may fail to yield or overlook riders in traffic.
What is negligence in a motorcycle accident?
Negligence in a motorcycle accident means someone did not use reasonable care on the road, leading to the crash. For example, if a driver is texting while driving or doesn’t check their blind spot before turning or changing lanes, they may be acting negligently. If negligence is proven, the at-fault party may be held responsible for the injuries and damages caused by the accident.
Who pays for a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma?
Usually, the at-fault driver’s insurance pays for damages. If they do not have enough coverage or are uninsured, you may have to use your own insurance policies to cover the costs.
How long does a motorcycle accident case take in Oklahoma?
Every case is different. Simple claims may settle in a few months, but more serious or disputed cases can take a year or longer, especially if they go to trial.
Do I need a lawyer after a motorcycle accident?
You don’t have to hire a lawyer to file a motorcycle accident claim, but it’s always a good idea. Insurance companies will be less likely to take advantage of you when you have experienced legal help on your side, and your lawyer will make sure you calculate your damages appropriately. They can also help you get evidence that is difficult to obtain, like video footage and black box data from the other driver involved.
Can I still file a motorcycle accident claim in Oklahoma if I wasn't wearing a helmet?
In Oklahoma, you can still file a claim even if you weren't wearing a helmet. Adults are not required by law to wear a helmet. If you don't wear a helmet, though, it could hurt your claim. If you hurt your head or face, the insurance company or the opposing party can say that your injuries would have been less severe if you had been wearing a helmet. This could lower your compensation under Oklahoma's comparative negligence laws.
Do you have an Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyer near me?
At Cunningham & Mears, our Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyers have 105 years of combined experience. We have two Oklahoma City offices:
- Our first is located at 5104 N Francis Ave., Suite 102 – close to Penn Square Mall with plenty of parking close by.
- Our second is located at 9428 Westgate, Suite 102B, in the Brookhaven West part of Oklahoma City, near Resurrection Cemetery and off the Northwest Expressway.
You can reach us by public transit. We do meet clients who are too ill or immobile at their homes, hospitals, and by video conference. We’ll calmly and clearly guide you through the claims process. We’ve helped numerous people just like you.
Call a knowledgeable motorcycle accident lawyer in Oklahoma City today
If you were in a motorcycle accident, it is essential to contact an OKC motorcycle crash attorney immediately to protect your rights. At Cunningham & Mears, our Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyers work to hold any drivers or other defendants liable for your injuries. We fight to obtain the compensation you need and deserve when another party causes an accident resulting in your injuries. To learn more about our services and how we can help you, call us or complete our contact form today to schedule a free initial consultation.
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