After a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City, OK, don’t hesitate to pursue the compensation you deserve. Hold negligent parties accountable by reaching out to the experienced Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyers at Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers. We can help you navigate the motorcycle accident claim process. Contact us at (405) 497-0480 for legal assistance. We offer a free initial consultation.
There’s no denying that riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Tens of thousands of people are injured in motorcycle accidents across the country each year. If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City and someone else is at fault, then you can likely seek compensation for your losses.
How Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Oklahoma City
Our attorneys have nearly a century of combined experience and have helped our injured clients recover over $100 million in damages. Let us put our expertise to work for you in your motorcycle accident case.
When you hire Laird Hammons Laird Trial Lawyer, our nationally-recognized Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys will handle your motorcycle accident case from start to finish by:
- Assessing your case and discussing potential courses of action with you
- Gathering facts and evaluating the extent of your damages
- Offering sound legal advice and explaining your rights
- Negotiating with insurance providers to secure a settlement in your favor
- Vigorously advocating for you in court if a favorable settlement can’t be reached
Reach out to our personal injury law firm in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, today to learn more about how we can help you recover the compensation you need and deserve after a motorcycle crash.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents?
Unfortunately, motorcyclists have been overrepresented in overall traffic accidents and fatalities for decades. Motorcycles make up only 3% of all vehicles on the road but they account for 14% of all traffic fatalities. In 2020, approximately 82,500 motorcyclists were injured in traffic accidents. To illustrate another way, motorcyclists were 4 times more likely to be injured than passenger vehicle occupants in 2020.
What Is My Oklahoma City Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
Many people assume the value of their personal injury case is simply the total amount of their medical expenses and property damage. This isn’t so. There are several factors that will influence what your motorcycle accident case is worth. These include:
- The extent of your injuries and medical costs
- The extent of your motorcycle and other property damage
- The other damages available in your case
- Whether you were partially to blame for the accident or injuries
- Whether particularly egregious conduct was involved, such as drunk driving
- The policy limits on the relevant insurance policies
With so many factors influencing the value of your case, it is difficult to pinpoint what your motorcycle case is worth. Our skilled attorneys will review the relevant factors and discuss the potential value of your case.
What Kind of Damages Are Available to Motorcycle Accident Victims in Oklahoma City?
When you’re injured in a motorcycle accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongful conduct, you can pursue compensation for your losses–in the form of damages. In a personal injury case in Oklahoma, there are two primary types of damages available: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages in Your Motorcycle Accident Case
Economic damages are meant to compensate for the direct financial losses caused by the accident or injury. These are the most straightforward costs associated with the accident and include:
- Past and future medical costs
- Vehicle repair costs
- Transportation costs
- Other property damage
- Lost wages or loss of future earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Economic damages are fairly easy to estimate. However, calculating future costs like future medical costs or loss of earning capacity can be more complicated or may be more hotly disputed by the opposing party. A skilled personal injury lawyer can help assess your economic damages, compile the evidence to support your claims, and fight for full compensation.
Non-Economic Damages in Your Motorcycle Accident Case
Non-economic damages are meant to compensate victims for the emotional, psychological, or other intangible consequences associated with the accident or injury. They may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability, and its associated lifestyle changes and impacts
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium or loss of companionship
Non-economic damages are harder to calculate because it’s hard to place a dollar amount on the emotional and experiential impacts of an accident or injury. An experienced personal injury lawyer can review your case and discuss which damages are available in your motorcycle accident case.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City?
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, you are probably dealing with unexpected medical costs, transportation costs, lost wages, and more. The last you want to do is add to your list of expenses by paying an attorney.
Fortunately, personal injury lawyers usually work on a contingent fee basis. A contingent fee is one that is collected by the attorney at the end of your case as a percentage of the overall financial award. Personal injury lawyers usually charge between 33% and 40%, depending on things like the complexity of your case, the length of time the case lasts, and whether it proceeds to trial.
A contingent fee means that you don’t pay any attorneys fees upfront. It also means that your attorney doesn’t get paid unless you do.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Motorcycle Accident in Oklahoma?
More than one person is sometimes to blame in a motorcycle or vehicle accident. Different states have different approaches to handling whether an accident victim can recover compensation if they were partially to blame. This is often referred to as contributory fault or comparative negligence.
Oklahoma follows an approach called modified comparative negligence. Under this approach, each party will be assigned a percentage of fault in the accident. A victim can recover compensation in a personal injury case so long as there were not more than 50% at fault. So, if you are found to be 50% at fault in the accident, or less, then you can still recover compensation.
However, your overall compensation will be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you. For example, imagine that you were involved in an accident with a driver who ran a redlight, but you had also been speeding.
Suppose your total damages were $100,000, and you were found to be 30% at fault and the driver of the car was 70% at fault. You could still recover up to $70,000 (or 70% of your damages) from the other at-fault driver.
Hiring an experienced motorcycle accident attorney can be particularly helpful if you were partially at fault. They will work to ensure that you aren’t assigned an undue amount of blame.
What Causes Most Motorcycle Accidents in Oklahoma City, OK?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding and driving while intoxicated are two of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents across the country. Another major cause of motorcycle accidents is visibility. Motorcyclists are smaller and harder to see, which can lead to accidents if cars aren’t looking for motorcycles or don’t see them in their blind spot.
In addition, poor road conditions, distracted driving, and inexperience can also lead to motorcycle accidents. Motorcyclists can greatly reduce the risk of accidents by practicing defensive driving, such as wearing bright clothing, avoiding driving in poor weather conditions, and following the speed limit.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Motorcycle Accident in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?
If your motorcycle accident claim leads to filing a lawsuit, then you will probably need to prove that the other driver was negligent to recover compensation. In the legal context, a person is negligent if they fail to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances.
To prove negligence in your motorcycle accident case in Oklahoma, you will need to establish four elements.
Duty of Care
First, you must show that the other driver owed you a duty of care. A duty of care is a legal obligation to conform to a certain standard of care toward others. The default standard of care is to act the way a reasonably prudent person would under the same or similar circumstances.
Breach
Second, you must show that the defendant breached or violated the required duty of care. That is, you must show that they did not behave the way a reasonably prudent person would under the circumstances.
Causation
Third, you must show that the defendant’s actions or conduct were the direct and legal cause of your injuries. “Direct cause” or “factual cause” of an accident means that the accident would not have occurred without the defendant’s action or conduct. “Legal cause,” also called “proximate cause,” means that the victim’s injury was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s conduct.
Damages
Finally, you must show that you suffered injuries or some type of loss because of the defendant’s breach.
A personal injury case can hinge on any of these four elements, but whether the defendant actually breached their duty of care is usually the most hotly contested element.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Motorcycle Accident in Oklahoma?
In Oklahoma, you have two years from the date of an accident or injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline for filing your case is known as the statute of limitations.
It’s crucial that you file your motorcycle accident case within this time frame, otherwise you may lose your legal right to pursue compensation. Contacting a qualified lawyer as soon as you can is the best way to protect your interests and ensure your lawsuit is filed appropriately.
Contact Our Oklahoma City Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Today To Schedule a Free Case Review
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in Oklahoma City, our attorneys are here to handle every aspect of your case. Contact us today at (405) 497-0480 to discuss your case with a member of our team. Your initial consultation with one of our trusted Oklahoma City motorcycle accident lawyers is free of charge.
Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers
1332 SW 89th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
Phone:
(405) 497-0480
Hours:
Monday through Friday
8am – 5pm
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Additional Motorcycle Accident Resources & Information
Oklahoma City Local Government Resources
- Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS) – Learn more about the resources and trainings available in Oklahoma City, OK
- Oklahoma Highway Safety Office – Learn more about Oklahoma City Motorcycle Bike Laws
- Civilian Motorcycle School – Work along the Edmond Police Department and learn skills that could save your life
Highly Rated Oklahoma City Chiropractors
- Absolute Health Chiropractic Dr. Raul Font – 7832 S. Western Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73139
- Dr. Rob Rowe Chiropractic Clinic – 912 Straka Terrace, Oklahoma City, OK 73139
- Thrive Chiropractic Group – 8013 S Western Ave suite a, Oklahoma City, OK 73139
- Accident & Injury Doctors – Dr. Mo Heidari 1141 SW 44th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73109
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.