Oklahoma City Auto Accident Attorneys

Piedmont Car Accident Attorneys, OK

105 years of combined experience fighting for the victims of Oklahoma car accidents

In just a moment, a car accident can change your life. In a second, the joy of driving with your family, going to work, or running errands can end because a careless driver failed to make your safety a priority. Car accidents are preventable. Drivers who cause accidents because they speed, drive while intoxicated, drive while they are distracted, or cause accidents for other reasons should be held accountable for changing your life or tragically ending the life of a loved one.

At Cunningham & Mears, our Piedmont car accident lawyers have earned the respect and praise of former clients, insurance companies, and the legal community for our dedication to our clients and our strong record of personal injury settlements and jury verdicts. As soon as there is an agreement to represent you, we arrange for investigators to examine the accident site and the cars involved in the crash. We thoroughly question every witness and every defendant. We work with your doctors to fully understand the severity of your injuries and the care you’ll need.

Our car accident results include:

  • A $750,000.00 verdict for a former US Postal worker who was injured in a rear-end collision. The jury unanimously decided in favor of our client even though the last offer from the insurance company before the trial was for just $85,000.
  • A $650,000 result for a client who needed multiple knee surgeries after a driver drove through a stop sign and struck our client.

How can we help?

What are the different types of car accidents?

Our Piedmont car accident lawyers represent injury victims in all kinds of car accidents including:

  • Head-on accidents – the fronts of both cars strike each other
  • Rear-end accidents – the front of one car strikes the rear of the car in front
  • Broadsides/T-bone accidents – the front of one car strikes the side of another car
  • Accidents at intersections – including turning accidents and right-of-way accidents
  • Single-vehicle accidents where the vehicle strikes a road barrier, hits a tree, or veers off the road
  • Multiple-vehicle accidents – chain reaction accidents and accidents involving a group of crashes
  • Accidents due to defective car parts
  • Merging and passing accidents

No matter who or what caused your crash, we want to help. Our attorneys have decades of experience handling complex claims involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles.

What are the causes of Piedmont car accidents?

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that in 2020, 38,824 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes – the largest number since 2007. Fatalities due to speeding, alcohol-impaired driving, and failure to use seatbelts rose compared to 2019. Deaths involving drivers 65 and older increased by nearly 10 percent. There were an estimated 5.2 million non-fatal accidents in 2020.

Our Piedmont car accident lawyers have the experience and resources to show that your accident was due to one or more of the following:

  • Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There’s no excuse for drinking (or using drugs) and driving. We work with the police to show a driver was intoxicated when the accident that caused your injuries or the death of a loved one occurred. (Note: Vendors of alcohol may be liable if they served someone who was a minor or visibly intoxicated and that driver caused your car accident.) Tragically, many drunk driving accidents are fatal. Survivors often suffer catastrophic or permanent injuries.
  • Distracted driving. Distracted driving killed 3,522 people in the US in 2020. Distracted drivers are not focused on traffic and are not ready to respond to emergencies. Our Piedmont car accident lawyers understand the laws that regulate distracted driving, such as the prohibition against texting while driving in Oklahoma. We’re skilled at reviewing cell phone records and obtaining other evidence to show a driver was distracted.
  • Drivers are required to know the speed limits of the roads and highways they’re traveling on. Drivers also need to adjust their speed for bad weather and for traffic conditions.
  • Traffic violations. In addition to showing the driver who struck you was speeding, Cunningham & Mears is skilled at showing drivers ran stop signs, drove through red lights, failed to yield the right of way, and violated other Oklahoma traffic laws.
  • Tired drivers. Tired drivers can’t anticipate or respond to road dangers. They can’t control their vehicles as well as fully awake drivers. We hold drivers responsible when they don’t get off the road and get the rest they need.
  • Failure to stop for pedestrians and bicycle riders. We represent walkers and families who are struck by drivers in intersections and wherever pedestrians and bicycle riders have a right to access the roads and highways.

Other common causes of car accidents in Piedmont include the following:

  • Defective car parts. We file product liability claims against manufacturers when airbags, seatbelts, brakes, tires, and electrical systems malfunction. We also file claims when vehicles aren’t designed to protect riders in low-speed crashes.
  • Roads that are poorly designed or maintained. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and other agencies may be responsible for your accident if they failed to properly design the roads or install traffic signals where your accident happened. They may also be liable if they fail to fix the road or warn you of known dangers such as fallen trees.

What kinds of injuries are caused by car crashes?

Car accidents often cause injuries that last a lifetime. Injuries that may heal with time often require surgeries, doctor visits, and/or extensive physical therapy. The way an accident happens (for example, head-on crashes or rear-end collisions) is usually a key factor in determining what injuries you’ll have. The speed of the vehicles also may determine the type of injuries you have, and how severe the injuries are.

At Cunningham & Mears, we handle all types of serious injuries including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). TBI victims usually suffer cognitive difficulties, physical harm, and emotional challenges. Anyone in a car can suffer a TBI if they strike the dashboard, another rider, or the ground. Many TBI victims need a lifetime of medical help and understanding.
  • Spinal cord damage. The spine sends nerve messages to and from the brain. Spinal cord damage includes herniated discs, compressed nerves, loss of motor function, breathing difficulties, and loss of bladder/bowel control. Many spinal cord injury victims need long-term care. Many car accident victims who damage their spinal cord can’t work again.
  • Burn injuries. Third-degree burns often require skin grafts and plastic surgery. Many burn victims live with psychological pain in addition to their physical pain, especially if the burns are on visible parts of your body.
  • Broken bones. The human body has 206 bones. Any one of those bones can be broken in a Piedmont car accident. While many fractures heal with months or years of treatment, many broken bones never fully hear causing pain and a limited use of the body part that includes the broken bone(s).
  • Whiplash. This soft tissue injury is a common injury in rear-end collisions. The pain can be excruciating while the car accident victim is receiving treatment. Some whiplash injuries never fully heal.

Our Piedmont car accident lawyers also represent drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicycle riders who have crush injuries: back, neck, and shoulder injuries, nerve damage, vision or hearing loss, and any other type of serious injury.

What do you recommend I do after a car accident in Piedmont?

If you’re involved in an accident, then you should contact the police. If you’re hurt, you should seek medical help at a local emergency room or a local burn center. You should also contact our experienced Piedmont car accident lawyers as soon as possible after the accident. You do need to notify your own insurance company about the accident.

You should not discuss the cause of the accident or discuss settlement with any insurance carrier until you speak with our experienced car accident lawyers. We’ll explain your rights, your duties, help address your medical concerns, and work to obtain the strongest recovery possible.

How do your personal injury lawyers advocate for car crash victims?

Our lawyers understand every aspect of car accident claims. We skillfully investigate the cause of the accident and determine who is responsible. We notify and negotiate with the liability insurance carriers and your own carrier. Our team questions the defendants and anyone with knowledge about the car accident. We review any physical evidence or any documentation that may help your case such as cell phone conversations, black boxes, defective car parts, drunk driving tests, and any videos of the accident.

Our Piedmont car accident lawyers speak with your doctors to be sure they explain what injuries you have, how the injuries prevent you from working and enjoying life, and the medical treatments you need.

After we investigate your claim, question everyone, and document your damages, we negotiate a possible settlement with the insurance companies. Many car accident claims settle, but we are always ready to try your case before a jury. Often, we can negotiate a compensation award from a more just and fair starting point because defense lawyers and insurance companies respect our strong record of jury verdicts.

What is the value of my Piedmont car accident claim?

You have the right to be placed in as close a position as possible as to the way you felt and functioned before the accident occurred. Every bill, every ache, every moment of pain adds up. At Cunningham & Mears, we demand you be compensated for all your current and future damages, including damages for a lifetime of pain. Your damage claim includes the following:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost income and benefits
  • Physical pain and emotional suffering
  • Compensation for the scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of bodily function
  • Compensation for the loss of consortium (marital relations)
  • Property damage

We may also seek punitive damages, such as when a driver with a high blood alcohol content level causes your injuries.

Our lawyers also file wrongful death claims on behalf of family members when a loved one is killed in a Piedmont car accident. Damages in wrongful death cases also include funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, personal grief, and the loss of guidance and support the decedent would have provided the family members.

How soon after the accident should I contact you?

You should contact us as soon as possible after an accident so we can notify the insurance carriers, investigate the accident, and speak with your doctors. You only have two years to file a car accident claim. You should never wait that long. Please contact us immediately.

Do you have a Piedmont car accident lawyer near me?

Our Piedmont car accident lawyers meet accident victims at our two Oklahoma City offices. Our first office is located at 5104 N Francis Ave., Suite 102, Oklahoma City – just a 4-minute drive from Penn Square Mall. Our second office is located at 9428 Westgate, Suite 102B, in the Brookhaven West part of Oklahoma City. There should be lots of parking at both offices.

At Cunningham & Mears, we meet car accident victims who cannot come to our office due to ill health in their homes and healthcare facilities. We do discuss cases by video conference by appointment.

Our lawyers thoroughly gather the evidence that best supports your case, explain what will happen during each stage of the case, and advocate for you with the insurance adjusters and defense lawyers.

Talk to our seasoned Piedmont car accident lawyers today

At Cunningham & Mears, we hold drivers accountable when their negligence causes you harm. Our Piedmont car accident lawyers understand how anxious and concerned you are. Your life has been turned upside-down because another driver struck your vehicle or you. Let us be your advocate. We’ve helped many Oklahomans obtain strong recoveries when car accidents happen. Call us now or contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation. We handle car accident claims on a contingency fee basis.