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 OKC 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 OKC, today to learn more about how we can help you recover the compensation you need and deserve after a motorcycle crash.
What Should I Do After a Motorcycle Accident?
The moments after a motorcycle accident can be scary and overwhelming, especially if you are thrown from your bike. However, if you are able, there are certain steps you should take to protect your health and your injury claim.
- Call 911. The dispatcher can send police officers and EMS to the scene. The police officers will create an accident report with details about the crash, a report that could be helpful to your injury claim later on.
- Exchange information. You should exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved in your crash and get contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident.
- Take photos and videos. If it is safe, you should take pictures and videos of the accident scene and your injuries.
- Seek medical attention. You should seek immediate medical attention after your crash. You can visit the hospital in an ambulance or follow up with your medical provider.
Finally, you should contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer in OKC. An experienced lawyer can help you understand your rights and options for recovering compensation after your collision.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents?
Unfortunately, motorcyclists have been overrepresented in overall traffic accidents and fatalities for decades. Although motorcycles make up only 3% of all vehicles on the road, they accounted for 14.6% of all traffic fatalities and 3.5% of all injuries in 2022. In 2022, approximately 82,687 motorcyclists were injured in traffic accidents.
To illustrate another way, motorcyclists were four times more likely to be injured than passenger vehicle occupants in 2022.
Why Should I Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Motorcycle crash victims often have an uphill battle seeking compensation from insurance companies. Insurers often like to pin blame for accidents on riders, citing old tropes about motorcycles being unsafe or riders being reckless.
However, at Laird Hammons Laird Personal Injury Lawyers, we know better. We’ll help you avoid mistakes that could hurt your claim and shield you from unfounded accusations that you caused the accident. We’ll investigate the accident to gather evidence showing the other driver was at fault — not you — and place the blame where it lies. We can even work with leading medical, finance, and accident reconstruction experts to strengthen your case and prove your damages.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and learn more about how an experienced attorney can help.
What Is My Oklahoma City Motorcycle Accident Case Worth?
Many people assume the value of their 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?
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 attorney 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 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, our 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 an 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, common causes of motorcycle accidents are:
- Speeding
- Driving while intoxicated
- Visibility
- Poor road conditions
- Distracted driving
- Unexperienced drivers
Motorcyclists can significantly 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?
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: A duty of care is a legal obligation to conform to a certain standard of care toward others
- Breach: You must show that the defendant breached or violated the required duty of care.
- Causation: You must show that the defendant’s actions or conduct were the direct and legal cause of your injuries.
- Damages: You must show that you suffered injuries or some type of loss because of the defendant’s breach.
An 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.
Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Motorcycle crashes in Oklahoma City can result in life-changing injuries. Crash victims frequently suffer the following injuries:
- Airbag injuries
- Amputations
- Back injuries
- Brain injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Chest injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Eye injuries
- Knee injuries
- Lacerations and road rash
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash
- Wrongful death
You could have an injury claim if you suffered one or more of the listed injuries. Contact our legal team today to learn more about your rights after a motorcycle accident injury.
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 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
- FAQs: Oklahoma Motorcycle Laws
- Motorcycle Laws in OKC
- How To Be a Safe Driver For Motorcyclists
- OKC Helmet Laws
- Motorcycle Safety Tips
OKC Local Government Resources
- Oklahoma Department of Public Safety (DPS) – Learn more about the resources and trainings available.
- Oklahoma Highway Safety Office – Learn more about Motorcycle Bike Laws in OKC.
- Civilian Motorcycle School – Work along the Edmond Police Department and learn skills that could save your life
Highly Rated Local 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
- 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.