Tulsa Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys

Fighting for Drunk Driving Accident Victims in Oklahoma

When an intoxicated driver decides to operate his/her vehicle, he/she commits a criminal offense and places every other motorist on the road at risk of injury or death, which is clearly considered negligent. Not only is drunk driving a serious crime punishable by jail time, fines, and license suspension, but it is also one of the main causes of car accidents on the road. However, victims of these types of collisions are not compensated in criminal court, but rather in civil court through a personal injury lawsuit.

If you have suffered an injury caused by a drunk driver in Oklahoma, our Tulsa personal injury lawyers at Martin, Jean, Jackson, Martin & Peach are ready to help you obtain the financial compensation and justice you and your family deserve. With more than a century of collective legal experience and over $500 million recovered on behalf of our clients, we understand what it takes to hold the at-fault party liable for their negligent actions and maximize the value of your award.

Call us today at (405) 337-0005 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our drunk driving accident attorney in Tulsa.

Liability in a Drunk Driving Accident

Every licensed driver has a legal obligation to exercise a duty of care and follow the traffic laws when sharing the road with other motorists. If a drunk driver causes a crash, the crime itself is considered strong evidence of negligence. While a conviction can only strengthen your personal injury case, it is not necessary to file a claim in civil court.

To win a personal injury lawsuit against a drunk driver, you must prove the following:

• The defendant was impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both
• The defendant’s intoxication directly resulted in the collision
• The collision directly caused your injuries

Remember, there are many other parties who could be liable for an accident. For example, if a bar, night club, or another type of vendor sells, delivers, or otherwise provides alcoholic beverages to a person—who is clearly intoxicated—and that individual causes a drunk driving accident, the vendor could also be held liable for the collision as well.

Additionally, if a drunk driver operates a commercial vehicle, a personal injury claim could also be filed against the driver’s employer. If an owner of a vehicle allows a drunk person to drive his/her car, he/she could be held liable for negligently entrusting the vehicle to that individual if it results in a crash.

What To Do After a Drunk Driving Crash

The moments and days after a drunk driving collision can feel overwhelming, and many people are unsure what steps to take to protect their health and their legal rights. Your first priority should always be safety and medical care, whether that means calling 911 from the scene or getting checked out later at a Tulsa-area hospital or urgent care. Once immediate medical needs are addressed, it can be helpful to take certain practical steps that will make it easier for us to investigate what happened and pursue a claim on your behalf.

If you are physically able at the scene, try to call law enforcement so there is an official crash report, and note which agency responds, whether it is the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, or another local authority. When it is safe, you can also take photos or videos of the vehicles, visible injuries, skid marks, and surrounding conditions at intersections like 71st Street and Memorial Drive or along busy stretches of the Creek Turnpike. Collecting contact information for witnesses and preserving any receipts or records from bars or restaurants the driver may have visited can also be valuable later when we are working to show how the at-fault driver became intoxicated.

After you leave the scene, continue following your doctor’s recommendations, keep copies of medical records and bills, and avoid giving detailed statements or signing documents from the drunk driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters may contact you quickly and seem friendly, but their job is to limit payouts, not to look out for your long-term needs. 

How Our Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Can Help You

Drunk driving accidents typically result in two separate legal actions: criminal proceedings against the drunk driver and a civil action filed on behalf of the victim or the victim’s surviving loved ones in the event of a wrongful death. While the prosecution works to hold a drunk driver criminally responsible for his or her behavior, your personal injury lawyer is there to help you recover and move forward with your life.

In the wake of a drunk driving accident, you are likely facing a number of new and unexpected hardships, from medical bills to lost wages to immense pain and suffering. Here at Martin, Jean, Jackson, Martin & Peach, our goal is to help you recover compensation from the drunk driver’s insurance company for these and other costs you have incurred through no fault of your own. We believe that you shouldn’t have to simply deal with the financial, physical, and emotional consequences of another person’s poor decisions on your own; that is why we help our clients take on drunk drivers and their insurance providers. In some cases, we are even able to seek punitive damages for our clients, which can provide a much-needed sense of justice and help ensure that similar accidents do not happen to other people in the future.

Contact Our Drunk Driving Accident Attorney in Tulsa Today

Our Tulsa personal injury attorneys can investigate your case, collect evidence, negotiate with insurance adjusters, and hold all liable parties accountable for their negligence while you heal from your injuries. Without experienced legal help on your side, you could risk receiving an unfair settlement or being held liable for the accident. Do not hesitate to let us fight for you throughout the legal process.

Call (405) 337-0005 to schedule a consultation with our Tulsa drunk driving accident lawyer.