You’re heading home after dinner when a car blows through a red light and slams into your driver’s side door. The other driver reeks of alcohol and can barely stand. In seconds, everything changes — and the medical bills, lost wages, and pain that follow can overwhelm your entire family. If you were injured in a car crash caused by someone who got behind the wheel while impaired, an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident attorney at Hasbrook & Hasbrook can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
Our law firm has represented accident victims in OKC and across the state for decades. We understand the devastation these collisions cause, and we know how to hold drunk drivers — and the establishments that over-served them — fully accountable.
How Do Drunk Driving Collisions Happen in Oklahoma?
Most drunk driving collisions in Oklahoma result from impaired motorists running red lights, drifting across center lines, or failing to brake at intersections. Alcohol slows reaction time and distorts judgment, turning routine driving situations into catastrophic crashes that kill more than 300 Oklahomans in a typical year.
Drunk driving accidents remain one of the leading causes of serious injuries and death on Oklahoma roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly one-third of all traffic fatalities nationwide involve driving under the influence of alcohol (NHTSA). In Oklahoma, state highway safety data shows that 312 or more impaired-driving fatalities occur in a typical year (OHSO).
These collisions follow familiar patterns: head-on crashes when impaired drivers drift across the center line, rear-end collisions at stoplights, T-bone impacts at intersections where a drunk driver runs a signal, and high-speed rollovers on highways. Whatever the circumstances, the common thread is negligence — a driver who chose to drink and then operate a vehicle.
What Injuries Do Impaired Drivers Cause?
Drunk driving collisions commonly cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal organ trauma, severe burns, and whiplash. Because impaired drivers tend to travel at high speed with delayed reaction times, the force of impact is often extreme, producing injuries that require emergency surgery and months of rehabilitation.
Because drunk drivers often travel at excessive speeds with severely delayed reaction times, the resulting accident injury patterns tend to be catastrophic. Common injuries our Oklahoma City drunk driving attorneys handle include:
- Traumatic brain injuries — concussions, contusions, and penetrating head wounds that may cause permanent cognitive impairment
- Spinal cord injuries — partial or complete paralysis requiring lifelong care
- Broken bones — fractures to the pelvis, ribs, legs, and arms that often require surgical repair
- Internal organ harm — blunt-force trauma to the chest and abdomen
- Severe burns — from vehicle fires triggered by ruptured fuel lines
- Whiplash and soft-tissue injuries — neck, back, and shoulder harm from sudden impact forces
Those who survive an impaired-driver collision frequently face emergency surgery, extended hospitalization, and months of rehabilitation before they can return to work — if they can return at all.
Who Is Liable After an Impaired-Driver Collision?
The drunk driver is always a defendant, but Oklahoma law also allows claims against bars and restaurants that over-served the driver under the dram shop statute (37 O.S. Section 537), employers whose workers were drinking on the job, and social hosts who furnished alcohol to minors. Identifying every liable party maximizes available compensation.
The drunk driver is the most obvious defendant, but Oklahoma law allows you to pursue additional parties. Under Oklahoma’s dram shop statute, bars, restaurants, and liquor stores that serve alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person share financial liability when that person causes a car crash. Employers may be liable if the impaired driver was on the job. And social hosts who provide alcohol to minors can be held responsible when the minor causes a collision.
Identifying every liable party is critical because it expands the sources of compensation available to the accident victim. Our accident lawyers investigate these connections from the start of every accident case.
Oklahoma follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you bear some fault, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility — but if you’re 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurers routinely try to shift blame onto victims to shrink payouts, which is why experienced legal counsel matters in every Oklahoma City drunk driving accident claim.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Drunk Driving Accident?
Oklahoma drunk driving accident victims can recover economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, future care), noneconomic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress), and punitive damages when the driver acted recklessly. Economic damages have no cap; noneconomic damages are capped at $500,000 under 23 O.S. Section 61.3, with exceptions for severe injury and reckless conduct like DUI.
The compensation available after an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident depends on the severity of your injuries and the defendant’s conduct. Oklahoma law allows accident victims to recover three categories of damages:
| Damage Category | What It Covers | Oklahoma Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Economic | Medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, future care costs | No cap |
| Noneconomic | Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, scarring | $500,000 (23 O.S. § 61.3) — exceptions for severe physical injury, reckless conduct, fraud, intentional misconduct |
| Punitive | Punishment for drunk or reckless driving | Greater of $100,000 or actual damages awarded |
Economic damages cover your medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and ongoing care costs. In personal injury cases involving impaired drivers, these expenses are often staggering.
Non-economic damages compensate for pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and scarring or disfigurement.
Punitive damages may apply when the defendant’s conduct was especially reckless — and choosing to drive drunk frequently meets that standard. Courts impose these penalties to punish egregious behavior and deter others.
Insurance companies will push hard to minimize what they pay. The at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy sets one ceiling, but claims against over-serving establishments and punitive awards can significantly increase total recovery. Never accept a quick settlement without understanding the full value of your claim.
What Oklahoma Laws Affect Your Drunk Driving Accident Claim?
Several Oklahoma statutes directly shape drunk driving accident claims. You have two years to file suit under the statute of limitations (12 O.S. Section 95), your recovery is barred if you are 51 percent or more at fault (23 O.S. Section 13), and noneconomic damages are capped at $500,000 with key exceptions for severe injury and reckless conduct like DUI.
Statute of limitations: Under 12 O.S. Section 95(A)(3), you have two years from the date of the collision to file a civil lawsuit in Oklahoma. Let that window close and you forfeit the right to pursue compensation entirely.
Cap on noneconomic awards: Effective September 2025, 23 O.S. Section 61.3 (SB 453) limits noneconomic recovery to $500,000 in most cases. However, the cap does not apply to severe physical injuries causing lasting harm or loss of function — and cases involving reckless conduct, including drunk driving, are also exempt. Permanent mental injuries carry a separate $1 million ceiling.
After a crash with an impaired driver, the adjuster’s first call is strategy, not sympathy. Every word you provide in a recorded statement can be used against your claim. Talk to a car accident attorney before responding.
| Oklahoma DUI Offense | Criminal Penalty | Civil Significance |
|---|---|---|
| First DUI (BAC 0.08%+) | Up to 1 year in jail, up to $1,000 fine | Establishes negligence per se in civil claim |
| Second DUI | 1–5 years in prison, up to $2,500 fine | Pattern of recklessness supports punitive damages |
| Third+ DUI (felony) | 1–10 years in prison, up to $5,000 fine | Strong evidence of egregious conduct for punitive award |
| DUI Great Bodily Injury | Up to 20 years in prison | Criminal conviction simplifies proof of civil liability |
What Should You Do After a Drunk Driving Collision?
After a drunk driving collision, call 911, document the scene with photos, obtain the police report number, and avoid giving any recorded statement to an insurance company. Do not admit fault or apologize. Contact an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident lawyer before signing anything or accepting any settlement offer.
- Call 911 and request medical attention — even if you feel fine, adrenaline can mask harm.
- Document the scene — photos of vehicle wreckage, skid marks, road conditions, and the other driver’s behavior.
- Get the police report number — officers will note signs of impairment and may administer field sobriety or BAC tests.
- Do not admit fault or apologize at the scene.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company.
- Call a drunk driving lawyer before signing anything or accepting any offer.
What Should You Expect During Your Drunk Driving Accident Claim?
A drunk driving accident claim in Oklahoma typically takes six months to two years from the initial consultation to final resolution. The timeline depends on the severity of your injuries, the complexity of liability, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Understanding each phase helps you prepare for what lies ahead.
The process follows a structured path. After your initial consultation, your attorney investigates the collision, gathers police reports and BAC test results, and identifies all liable parties. Once you reach maximum medical improvement — the point where your condition stabilizes — your lawyer calculates full damages and sends a demand letter to the insurer.
| Phase | Typical Timeline | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation | 1–3 months | Collect police reports, BAC results, medical records, witness statements |
| Medical treatment | 3–12 months | Complete treatment until maximum medical improvement |
| Demand and negotiation | 1–3 months | Send demand letter, negotiate with insurers |
| Litigation (if needed) | 6–18 months | File lawsuit, discovery, depositions, trial preparation |
| Resolution | Varies | Settlement agreement or jury verdict |
Criminal DUI proceedings run separately from your civil claim, but they can work in your favor. A DUI conviction or guilty plea establishes negligence per se — meaning the driver’s violation of the law proves fault in your civil case. Your attorney can use criminal case evidence, including BAC test results and officer testimony, to strengthen your compensation claim. Under 47 O.S. Section 11-902, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher is illegal in Oklahoma, and a conviction creates powerful leverage in settlement negotiations.
How Our Oklahoma City Drunk Driving Lawyers Fight for You
Our attorneys investigate the collision scene, obtain BAC test results and police reports, identify every liable party including dram shop defendants, calculate lifetime damages, negotiate with insurers, and take your case to trial if necessary. We work on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Studies consistently show that injury victims who hire attorneys receive three to four times more in settlement than those who negotiate alone. At Hasbrook & Hasbrook, our personal injury lawyers handle every aspect of your claim:
- Investigating the collision scene and preserving critical evidence
- Obtaining police reports and BAC test results
- Identifying all liable parties including bars and restaurants that over-served
- Consulting medical experts to document the full scope of your injuries
- Calculating lifetime damages including future surgeries and lost earning capacity
- Negotiating with insurance companies that want to pay as little as possible
- Taking your case to trial if a fair offer is not made
We work on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we win. Our accident lawyers serve clients throughout Oklahoma. Whether you were hurt in a collision as a passenger, pedestrian, or another motorist, we pursue every source of compensation. If a wrongful death results from the collision, we also represent surviving families.
As experienced personal injury attorneys and Oklahoma City car accident lawyers, we understand the complex intersection of criminal DUI proceedings and civil claims — and we use the criminal case evidence to strengthen your recovery.
Results We’ve Achieved for Drunk Driving Accident Clients
| Result | Case Type |
|---|---|
| $1,100,000 settlement | Bar over-served intoxicated customer who caused a fatal collision |
| $102,500 settlement | Establishment sold beer to a minor, resulting in serious injuries |
Every case is different. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. View more case results →
Questions About Drunk Driving Claims in Oklahoma City
How long do I have to file a claim?
Two years from the date of the incident. Evidence disappears and witness memories fade over time, which makes early investigation critical. Consult a lawyer as soon as possible to protect your legal options and preserve the proof that supports your claim.
Can I sue a bar that served the drunk driver?
Yes. Oklahoma’s bar liability statute allows victims to pursue claims against establishments that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron who then caused a collision. This claim is separate from — and in addition to — the claim against the driver.
What if the drunk driver has no insurance?
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply. Our accident attorneys also pursue third-party claims — such as establishment liability — to expand the pool of available recovery. Oklahoma law requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage, but many drunk drivers let their policies lapse, making these alternative sources essential.
What is the average settlement for an OKC drunk driving case?
Every case is different, so there is no single average. The severity of your injuries, total treatment costs, whether you suffered lasting harm, and the degree of the defendant’s recklessness all affect value. These cases often support punitive claims, which can significantly increase total compensation.
Do I need a lawyer after a drunk driving collision?
These cases involve overlapping criminal and civil proceedings, potential bar liability claims, and aggressive insurance tactics. An experienced drunk driving accident attorney ensures your claim accounts for every source of recovery. Schedule a consultation to learn what your accident case is worth.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Statute of Limitations | 2 years from the collision date (12 O.S. § 95) |
| Fault Rule | Modified comparative negligence — 51% bar (23 O.S. § 13) |
| BAC Legal Limit | 0.08% (standard) / 0.04% (commercial vehicles) |
| Dram Shop Liability | Bars and liquor stores liable for serving visibly intoxicated persons (37 O.S. § 537) |
| Fee Model | Contingency — no fee unless we win |
| Consultation | Free, no obligation |
Get a Free Case Review
If you or someone you love was the victim of an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident, contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced city drunk driving accident lawyer. Call (405) 605-2426 — we’ll review your situation, explain your options, and tell you what we believe your case is worth. No cost, no obligation.
