In 2023, Oklahoma recorded 738 traffic fatalities — and speed was a contributing factor in a significant percentage of those crashes (NHTSA FARS). If a speeding driver hit you or someone you love, the injuries are often catastrophic and the financial toll overwhelming. Our Oklahoma City speeding accident lawyers at Hasbrook & Hasbrook hold reckless drivers accountable and fight to recover every dollar you are owed.
Why Do You Need a Speeding Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma?
Speeding accident claims require proof that the other driver’s excessive speed caused the crash and your injuries, which involves accident reconstruction, speed analysis, and expert testimony that go beyond what a typical car accident case demands. An experienced speeding accident attorney gathers this evidence, calculates the full value of your damages, and counters the tactics insurance companies use to minimize your payout.
A speeding driver who causes a collision is almost certainly negligent under Oklahoma law. Under 47 O.S. § 11-801, it is unlawful to drive at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under existing conditions. A driver’s violation of this statute is strong evidence of negligence, and in many cases constitutes “negligence per se” — meaning the violation itself establishes the legal duty and breach elements of your claim.
Insurance companies, however, do not simply accept that the speeding driver was at fault. They will argue the road conditions contributed, that you failed to react in time, or that your injuries were pre-existing. Our firm has the resources to reconstruct the accident, calculate the exact speed of the at-fault vehicle, and present the evidence in a way that leaves no room for the insurer to shift blame.
Speeding accidents tend to cause more severe injuries than accidents at normal speeds. The physics are straightforward: kinetic energy increases with the square of velocity. A car traveling at 60 mph has four times the impact force of one traveling at 30 mph. This means higher medical bills, longer recovery periods, and greater pain and suffering — all of which your compensation should reflect.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Speeding Accidents in Oklahoma?
Speeding accidents in Oklahoma result from a combination of driver behavior, road design, and environmental conditions. While the immediate cause is always the driver’s decision to exceed a safe speed, several factors frequently contribute to that decision.
| Cause | How It Leads to Speeding Accidents | Oklahoma Context |
|---|---|---|
| Running late | Driver exceeds the speed limit to make up time, reducing reaction time and stopping distance | Common on I-35 and I-40 commuter corridors during rush hour |
| Road rage / aggressive driving | Angry driver speeds, tailgates, and weaves through traffic | Oklahoma Highway Safety Office reports aggressive driving as a top crash factor |
| Impaired driving | Alcohol and drugs impair judgment, leading drivers to speed without recognizing the danger | 47 O.S. § 11-902 sets Oklahoma’s BAC limit at .08 |
| Distracted driving | Drivers looking at phones do not realize they have accelerated or are approaching a hazard | Oklahoma banned texting while driving under 47 O.S. § 11-901d |
| Unfamiliarity with roads | Out-of-town drivers misjudge curves, school zones, or construction zones | I-35 and I-44 see heavy out-of-state truck and tourist traffic |
| Poor road design | Long straight roads with high speed limits that transition abruptly to lower-speed zones | Memorial Road, NW Expressway, and suburban arterials in Edmond and Norman |
| Racing / exhibition driving | Street racing or “showing off” on public roads | 47 O.S. § 11-1001 criminalizes racing on public highways |
Oklahoma’s speed limits vary: 75 mph on turnpikes, 70 mph on interstate highways, 55-65 mph on state highways, and 25-35 mph in residential and school zones. Exceeding any of these limits — or driving too fast for conditions even under the posted limit — creates legal liability when an accident occurs.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Speeding Accident in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma law allows speeding accident victims to recover the full spectrum of economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. Because speeding increases collision forces dramatically, these accidents frequently produce severe injuries that translate to higher damage awards than lower-speed crashes.
| Damage Category | What It Covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Medical expenses | Emergency trauma care, surgery, ICU stays, rehabilitation, long-term medical needs | $180,000 in trauma surgery and spinal fusion after high-speed rear-end collision |
| Lost wages | Income lost during recovery and any future earnings impacted by disability | $65,000 in lost income during 14-month recovery from multiple fractures |
| Loss of earning capacity | Permanent reduction in your ability to earn due to disabling injuries | Construction worker who cannot return to physical labor after back injury |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain, emotional distress, PTSD, anxiety, depression | Chronic pain syndrome and driving anxiety after being T-boned at 70 mph |
| Loss of enjoyment of life | Inability to participate in activities and hobbies you enjoyed before the accident | Avid cyclist who cannot ride again due to permanent leg injury |
| Disfigurement | Scarring, burns, amputation, or other permanent physical changes | Severe facial scarring from windshield impact in a high-speed collision |
| Wrongful death | Funeral costs, lost financial support, loss of companionship (12 O.S. § 1053) | Family loses primary breadwinner in a fatal speeding crash on I-44 |
| Punitive damages | Additional damages to punish extreme recklessness (e.g., DUI + excessive speed) | Driver going 110 mph while intoxicated, causing a multi-vehicle crash |
Under 23 O.S. § 61.2, non-economic damages are capped at $350,000 in most cases, with exceptions for certain catastrophic injuries. Economic damages have no cap. Punitive damages — particularly relevant in speeding cases involving DUI or street racing — are capped at the greater of $100,000 or the amount of actual damages.
What Does Oklahoma Law Say About Speeding Accident Cases?
Oklahoma’s traffic and tort laws provide several legal tools for holding speeding drivers accountable. A successful claim relies on establishing that the driver violated speed laws and that the violation caused your injuries.
Speed limit violations (47 O.S. § 11-801): Oklahoma law prohibits driving at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under existing conditions. This applies even when a driver is traveling under the posted speed limit — if weather, traffic, or visibility make that speed unsafe, the driver can still be found negligent.
Negligence per se: When a driver violates a traffic safety statute like the speed limit, Oklahoma courts may apply the doctrine of negligence per se. This means the driver’s violation of the statute automatically establishes the duty and breach elements of a negligence claim. You still need to prove the speeding caused the accident and your injuries, but the liability analysis is significantly strengthened.
Comparative negligence (23 O.S. § 13): Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence rule allows you to recover damages as long as you were less than 51% at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your fault percentage. Insurance companies will try to argue you contributed to the accident — for example, by claiming you failed to brake in time or entered the intersection when you should have waited.
Statute of limitations (12 O.S. § 95): You have two years from the date of the speeding accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, the two-year clock starts on the date of death (12 O.S. § 1053). Missing these deadlines permanently bars your claim.
Reckless driving (47 O.S. § 11-901): Excessive speeding — particularly speeds 25+ mph over the limit — can constitute reckless driving under Oklahoma law. If the speeding driver is convicted of reckless driving, this criminal conviction can be powerful evidence in your civil injury case and may support a claim for punitive damages.
How Do Insurance Companies Handle Speeding Accident Claims?
Insurance adjusters handling speeding accident claims have a standard playbook for minimizing payouts, even when their policyholder was clearly speeding and clearly at fault. Being aware of these tactics helps you avoid costly mistakes.
Challenging the speed estimate: Even with a police report citing speed as a factor, the insurer may argue the actual speed was lower than alleged, or that road conditions — not speed — were the primary cause. They may hire their own accident reconstructionist to produce a competing analysis.
Comparative fault arguments: Under 23 O.S. § 13, every percentage of fault assigned to you reduces the insurer’s payout. Adjusters will scrutinize your driving behavior: Were you distracted? Did you brake late? Were you in the wrong lane? Their goal is to shift as much blame as possible onto you.
Minimizing injury severity: High-speed collisions often cause injuries with delayed symptoms — traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, herniated discs. The insurer may argue that because you walked away from the scene, your injuries could not be that serious. Early, thorough medical documentation counters this tactic.
Quick settlement pressure: The adjuster knows that speeding accident injuries are often severe and expensive. They will try to settle early — before you know the full extent of your injuries and damages — to limit their exposure.
Surveillance and social media monitoring: If your injuries result in a large claim, the insurer may monitor your social media accounts and even conduct physical surveillance. A photo of you at a family event can be mischaracterized as evidence that your injuries are not as severe as claimed.
What Should You Expect During Your Speeding Accident Claim?
A speeding accident claim in Oklahoma follows a process similar to other car accident cases, but with additional emphasis on speed analysis and accident reconstruction. Here is the typical progression from the initial accident through resolution.
Step 1: Free case evaluation. You meet with our team to discuss the accident. We review the police report, photographs, and your medical records to assess the strength of your claim.
Step 2: Accident reconstruction. We retain experts who analyze skid marks, vehicle damage patterns, road geometry, and — when available — event data recorder (EDR or “black box”) information to calculate the at-fault driver’s speed at the time of impact. This technical evidence is often the most compelling proof of negligence.
Step 3: Medical documentation. We compile a complete record of your injuries, treatment, and prognosis. For serious injuries, we work with your doctors to project future medical needs and costs.
Step 4: Demand letter. Once treatment stabilizes, we send a demand to the at-fault driver’s insurer that details the speed evidence, liability analysis, and full damage calculation.
Step 5: Negotiation. Most speeding accident cases settle during negotiation, particularly when the speed evidence is strong. If the insurer makes a fair offer, we recommend settlement. If not, we are fully prepared to litigate.
Step 6: Trial. If negotiations fail, we file suit and prepare for trial. Speed evidence — especially EDR data and accident reconstruction analysis — is highly persuasive to Oklahoma juries who understand the danger of speeding on local roads.
What Steps Should You Take After a Speeding Accident in Oklahoma?
The evidence you gather in the first hours and days after a speeding accident is often the difference between a strong claim and a weak one. Speed evidence in particular is perishable — skid marks fade, surveillance footage gets overwritten, and witness memories deteriorate quickly.
- Call 911 and get medical help. Even if you feel fine, adrenaline can mask serious injuries. A medical evaluation the same day creates a crucial link between the accident and your injuries.
- Stay at the scene and document everything. Photograph skid marks, vehicle positions, road conditions, traffic signals, speed limit signs, and all vehicle damage. These photos become evidence of the other driver’s speed.
- Get the police report. Officers often note speed as a contributing factor. If the other driver received a speeding citation or reckless driving charge, the police report will document it.
- Identify witnesses. Bystanders who saw the speeding vehicle before the impact can testify to how fast it was traveling. Get their names and phone numbers before they leave.
- Do not admit fault. Even saying “I didn’t see them coming” can be twisted by the insurance company into an admission that you were not paying attention.
- Preserve the other vehicle’s data. Modern vehicles record speed, braking, and acceleration data in their event data recorders. Your attorney can issue a spoliation letter to prevent the at-fault driver or their insurer from destroying this evidence.
- Contact an Oklahoma City speeding accident lawyer. The sooner legal representation begins, the sooner we can preserve perishable evidence and start building your case.
Why Choose Hasbrook & Hasbrook for Your Speeding Accident Case?
Hasbrook & Hasbrook is a third-generation Oklahoma personal injury firm. Clayton T. Hasbrook became a lawyer to continue what his parents started — fighting for Oklahomans who are hurt by someone else’s negligence. Our firm has the resources, expertise, and courtroom experience to handle complex speeding accident cases against well-funded insurance companies.
Speeding cases often hinge on technical evidence that requires specialized expertise to gather and present. Our firm works with accident reconstruction engineers, biomechanical experts, and economists who calculate the long-term financial impact of your injuries. We know which experts to retain, which evidence to preserve, and how to present the speed data in a way that resonates with juries and drives fair settlements.
Relevant case results:
- $525,000 settlement — T-bone collision caused by a driver running a red light at 65 mph in a 35 mph zone on NW Expressway, resulting in spinal fractures
- $340,000 settlement — Rear-end collision on I-35 at highway speed, causing herniated discs and chronic pain syndrome
- $210,000 settlement — Pedestrian struck by a speeding driver in a Norman school zone, resulting in broken leg and hip injuries
How Do Our Fees Work?
Hasbrook & Hasbrook represents speeding accident victims on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, nothing during your case, and nothing at all if we do not win. Our fee is a percentage of the compensation we recover — 25% for pre-litigation settlements, well below the 33% industry standard in Oklahoma City.
We advance all case costs — accident reconstruction experts, medical records, filing fees, deposition costs — and only recover those expenses from your settlement or verdict. Before you sign anything, we explain the fee structure in full so there are no surprises. This model makes experienced legal representation accessible to anyone injured in a speeding accident, regardless of their financial situation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oklahoma Speeding Accidents
How much is my speeding accident case worth in Oklahoma?
The value depends on the severity of your injuries, total medical costs, lost wages, and the impact on your quality of life. Speeding accidents tend to cause more serious injuries than lower-speed crashes, which often leads to larger settlements. Under Oklahoma law, you can recover economic damages (no cap), non-economic damages (capped at $350,000 under 23 O.S. § 61.2 with exceptions), and punitive damages in cases involving extreme recklessness like DUI or street racing.
How long do I have to file a speeding accident lawsuit in Oklahoma?
Under 12 O.S. § 95, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death cases, the two-year period begins on the date of death. Missing this deadline permanently bars your claim. We recommend contacting a lawyer as soon as possible to preserve evidence — especially speed data from the other vehicle’s event data recorder, which can be overwritten or destroyed.
Can I still get compensation if I was partially at fault for the speeding accident?
Yes. Oklahoma’s modified comparative negligence rule (23 O.S. § 13) allows you to recover damages as long as you were less than 51% at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. The insurance company will try to argue you contributed to the crash — by being distracted, braking late, or entering an intersection at the wrong time. Our job is to counter those arguments and keep your fault share as low as possible.
What does it cost to hire a speeding accident lawyer in Oklahoma City?
Nothing upfront. Hasbrook & Hasbrook works on a contingency fee basis — our fee is 25% of the settlement for pre-litigation cases, lower than the 33% standard most Oklahoma firms charge. We advance all expenses and only get paid if we win. If we do not recover money for you, you owe nothing.
What should I do after being hit by a speeding driver?
Call 911, get medical treatment immediately (even if you feel okay), document the scene with photos of skid marks and vehicle positions, get witness contact information, request the police report (officers often note speed as a factor), and do not give recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company. Most importantly, contact a speeding accident lawyer quickly — speed evidence like skid marks and EDR data is perishable and must be preserved promptly.
How does a speeding ticket help prove my injury case?
A speeding citation issued to the other driver at the scene is strong evidence of negligence. Under Oklahoma’s negligence per se doctrine, violating a traffic safety statute like the speed limit can automatically establish the duty and breach elements of your claim. You still need to prove the speeding caused the accident and your injuries, but the citation significantly strengthens your case. Even if the driver later contests or resolves the ticket, the original citation and police report remain available as evidence in your civil case.
What if the speeding driver was also drunk or texting?
When speeding combines with impaired driving (47 O.S. § 11-902) or distracted driving, it strengthens your case considerably. The combined negligence demonstrates reckless disregard for safety, which may support a claim for punitive damages under Oklahoma law. Punitive damages are capped at the greater of $100,000 or actual damages (23 O.S. § 9.1), but they can substantially increase your total recovery and serve as a deterrent to similar conduct.
Can I get compensation if the speeding driver did not receive a ticket?
Yes. A police citation is helpful but not required to prove your claim. Accident reconstruction experts can calculate speed from physical evidence — skid mark length, vehicle crush depth, debris patterns, and event data recorder information. Witness testimony about the driver’s speed before impact is also admissible. Many successful speeding accident claims proceed without a citation when the physical evidence clearly shows the other driver was exceeding a safe speed.
Ready to Talk to an Oklahoma City Speeding Accident Lawyer?
The statute of limitations is already running. Call (405) 605-2426 before the deadline costs you your case. Our team will review the facts of your speeding accident, explain your legal options, and tell you what we think your claim is worth — all at no cost. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.
Speed evidence fades fast. Skid marks wash away, surveillance footage gets deleted, and the other driver’s vehicle data recorder can be wiped. Call Hasbrook & Hasbrook now or contact us online to protect your right to compensation.
