A car accident lawyer investigates the crash, documents your injuries, and negotiates with the insurer so you are not pushed into a low settlement. In Oklahoma, you have two years from the crash to file suit under 12 O.S. § 95, and one year to give written notice when a government vehicle is involved (51 O.S. § 156).
Why Oklahoma City drivers choose Hasbrook & Hasbrook
Our firm has represented injured Oklahomans since 2000, across two generations, with millions recovered every year. Clayton T. Hasbrook has practiced Oklahoma injury law since 2008. Motor-vehicle results on our results page:
- $825,000 Truck Accident: failure to yield; our client needed neck surgery for a ruptured disk.
- $707,000 Truck Accident: minor visible damage; the trucking company disputed damages, and arbitrators awarded $707,000.
- $150,000 Against the Oklahoma Highway Patrol: a jury verdict for a passenger with about $9,300 in medical bills.
Our contingency fee is 25% when your case settles before a lawsuit is filed, and on any settlement our fee is never more than what you take home after medical bills and case costs are paid. You pay nothing up front, and you owe no fees and no case costs unless we recover money for you.
Rated 4.8 out of 5 across 91 Google reviews. What clients say about their car accident cases:
“Clayton provided exceptional service during my car accident case. He quickly got into action and secured an outstanding settlement. He was not only knowledgeable but also kind and compassionate, going above and beyond to ensure that both my emotional and financial needs were met. I highly recommend him.” Wanda, Google review
“Highly recommend this personal injury attorney, and his dedicated team . After my car accident in Oklahoma City , they managed everything from the medical expenses to the insurance negotiations. Fair settlement, and they genuinely care for their clients. Truly appreciate you Clay .” Miranda, Google review
“Clayton and his team helped me so much with my car accident case. They were super patient throughout the whole thing and guided me every step of the way. They were always quick to communicate and got back to me really fast. They took care of everything.” Sanetta, Google review
What should you do after a car accident in Oklahoma City?
Call 911, get medical care the same day, document the scene, and talk to a lawyer before giving any recorded statement.
- Call 911. The report records how the crash happened and who saw it.
- See a doctor now. Symptoms can surface 24 to 48 hours later; start building medical documentation now.
- Document everything. Photos, witness contacts, and the details we ask for at intake.
- Notify your own insurer. Follow the claim sequence after a wreck and how to open the claim with the carrier; MedPay can cover early bills.
- Decline recorded statements to the other insurer; it tops the avoidable missteps that shrink settlements.
- Call our office so we can take the immediate steps that preserve your claim.
Full sequence: our hour-by-hour guide for the day of the wreck and the do-and-don’t checklist for Oklahoma collisions.
Why hire an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer?
Oklahoma’s minimum liability coverage is only 25/50/25 under 47 O.S. § 7-204, and one emergency room visit can exceed the $25,000 per-person limit. A signed release closes the claim even if surgery comes later. Our comparison of settlements with and without an attorney shows why carriers track who has counsel. You can try negotiating your own claim, but representation strengthens a crash case.
What compensation can you recover after an Oklahoma City car accident?
Oklahoma law lets you recover the full damages picture in a wreck:
- Medical bills, valued at amounts actually paid rather than billed under 12 O.S. § 3009.1; see the paid-versus-incurred playbook.
- Lost income: missed paychecks and reduced future earnings.
- Property losses: vehicle and personal-property recovery, fair market value when the car is declared a total loss, and the post-repair value drop.
- Pain and suffering: how non-economic damages are calculated. The 2025 cap under 23 O.S. § 61.3 remains untested in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
- Punitive damages: exemplary awards for reckless misconduct.
For numbers, see realistic compensation ranges, how settlements come together, common negotiation issues, and settlement taxation.
Which Oklahoma laws control your car accident claim?
| Rule | Effect | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Filing deadline | 2 years | 12 O.S. § 95 |
| Government vehicles | 1-year tort-claim notice | 51 O.S. § 156 |
| Comparative fault | Barred only above 50% fault | 23 O.S. § 13 |
| Minimum coverage | 25/50/25 limits | 47 O.S. § 7-204 |
| UM/UIM coverage | Insurers must offer it | 36 O.S. § 3636 |
On a $100,000 verdict with 20% fault you collect $80,000; above 50% you recover nothing. Adjusters push fault higher; we contest it with evidence. See the 50% comparative-fault bar and how fault percentages are assigned. Deadline exceptions are narrow (tolling rules), and crashes with government vehicles follow the GTCA notice rules.
About 12% of Oklahoma drivers are uninsured, per the Oklahoma Insurance Department, so UM/UIM coverage often decides serious claims; our UM/UIM reference covers stacking and set-offs. Also relevant: Oklahoma’s insurance requirements, gap coverage on financed cars, claim effects on your rates, the child-restraint law, and DPS license points.
What are the most common causes of car accidents in Oklahoma City?
Distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, red-light running, and weather cause most OKC crashes. Oklahoma logged 718 traffic deaths in 2023, 25% above the national rate (NHTSA 2023 data), including 101 in the OKC metro along I-35 and I-40.
- Distracted driving (banned by 47 O.S. § 11-901d): distracted-driving collisions, texting-and-driving cases, and who is liable for a phone-caused wreck; over a fourth of drivers admit texting.
- Speeding, 32% of those deaths: excess-speed collision claims.
- Impaired driving, 179 deaths: claims against impaired drivers and dram-shop liability for over-serving bars.
- Red lights and failure to yield along NW Expressway, Penn, and Memorial: citation evidence that establishes fault.
- Commercial trucks on I-35 and I-40: our truck crash practice and crashes involving commercial vehicles.
- Crash types: rear-end collisions, rollover crashes, T-bone intersection settlements, and transit and EMBARK bus collisions.
See the crash-cause coding in OKC police reports and the latest OKC crash numbers.
What are the most common injuries in Oklahoma City crashes?
Even moderate-speed collisions cause the injuries we see most often after Oklahoma crashes:
- Whiplash and soft-tissue strains, plus belt-related chest and abdomen injuries
- Back and spinal-column trauma, vertebra fractures, and the cases our spinal cord practice handles
- Concussions and traumatic brain injury claims
- Fractures and rib and sternum trauma
- Post-traumatic stress and depression, compensable in Oklahoma
- Burns from vehicle fires
For life-altering harm, see our catastrophic injury caseload and fatality-claims work.
How do insurance companies reduce car accident payouts?
Fast lowball offers, disputed treatment, inflated fault percentages, delay, and social-media surveillance. Adjusters may cite a low-impact collision as proof your injuries are minor, or run an internal fault-finding process that over-assigns blame. We answer with the official crash report and reconstruction engineers, and we warn clients why adjusters watch social feeds. When a carrier unreasonably delays or denies payment, 36 O.S. § 1250.5 defines unfair practices and a separate bad-faith claim may add to your recovery.
How does the legal process work for an Oklahoma car accident case?
Investigation, demand, lawsuit, discovery, then settlement or trial. Most claims settle; the filing-to-verdict roadmap in Oklahoma County District Court runs 12 to 18 months. Discovery uses EDR data from the vehicles to build the negligence elements. Clients weigh what we do at the negotiation table, trade-offs of settling out of court, whether they will appear in court, and the cost of an adverse verdict; see how long a filed lawsuit takes and how a motor-vehicle lawsuit unfolds.
Frequently asked Oklahoma City car accident questions
More on the questions we answer for new clients.
How much is my case worth?
From a few thousand dollars to $500,000 or more, driven by medical costs, lost income, coverage, and fault; see typical settlement ranges.
What does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer?
Nothing up front, and nothing unless we recover money for you. We advance case costs; see how the contingency fee works.
What should you look for when hiring a car accident lawyer in OKC?
A firm that tries cases, publishes results, offers direct attorney access, and puts fee terms in writing.
What if the other driver has no insurance?
Your UM coverage pays, and UIM fills the gap; see settling liability before the UIM claim.
Can you recover if you were partly at fault?
Yes, if your fault does not exceed 50%; awards reduce by your share, and above 50% recovery is barred (23 O.S. § 13).
What if you were hit by a hit-and-run driver?
UM coverage can pay even when the driver is never found; 47 O.S. § 10-102 makes fleeing an injury accident a crime. See your options after a hit-and-run.
What if a teen driver was involved?
Settlements for injured minors need court approval, and minority can suspend the two-year clock.
How long does a case take to settle?
Most settle in 6 to 18 months; see what actually controls settlement pacing.
Talk to an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer today
Call (405) 605-2426 or use our case-details portal for a free consultation. Hasbrook & Hasbrook’s office is at 400 N Walker Ave #130, Oklahoma City, OK 73102, steps from the county courthouse. We serve the metro through our Midwest City crash-case team, Del City personal injury attorneys, Edmond crash-case team, Norman car accident attorneys, Moore car accident attorneys, Bethany car accident lawyers, and the Tulsa metro.
