Oklahoma City Left-Turn Accident Lawyer
Have you been seriously injured in a left-turn collision in Oklahoma City, OK? If another driver’s negligence was the cause of your crash, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you have sustained.
An experienced Oklahoma City left-turn accident lawyer at McGuire Law Firm will fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact our law firm today at (405) 513-5658 to schedule a free consultation with a compassionate injury lawyer with decades of experience.
You pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
How an Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help with Your Left-Turn Accident Case
When another driver is negligent or reckless and contributes to an accident, you have the right to make a claim against their insurance company. In an ideal world, the insurance company would recognize that their policyholder caused your injuries and offer a fair settlement to help you move on with your life.
Unfortunately, this rarely happens. At McGuire Law Firm, we have decades of experience representing accident victims in Oklahoma City.
We understand the tactics insurance companies use to undervalue claims and shift blame. We are here to fight for you and the maximum compensation you are entitled to.
When you choose McGuire Law Firm, you will work with founding attorney Kent R. McGuire who has more than three decades of legal experience. This includes 13 years spent representing insurance carriers. Our Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers have more than 50 years of combined experience and insight that we will put to work on your behalf.
With McGuire Law Firm, you can count on us to:
- Listen to your story, answer your questions, and offer compassionate legal guidance
- Perform an in-depth investigation into the cause of your accident to determine liability
- Gather crucial evidence and consult with experts to build the strongest case possible
- Negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company to seek a fair settlement offer
- Present your case before a jury if the insurance company will not make a fair offer
We are a small Oklahoma City personal injury law firm, but we have achieved big results. Call our law office today for a free consultation with a car accident attorney in Oklahoma City you can count on to help you.
What Causes Left-Turn Accidents in Oklahoma City?
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Association found that a left-hand turn is a critical and leading pre-crash event. A left turn happens in just over 22% of traffic collisions. Among intersection collisions, about 61% involve a left turn. By comparison, just 3% of intersection collisions involve a vehicle turning right.
Left turns are dangerous for many reasons:
- They require considering the speed of oncoming traffic and pedestrians
- Many drivers do not use turn signals
- Left turns disrupt the traffic flow
- Drivers tend to accelerate into a left turn rather than slowing down for a right turn
There are many factors that may contribute to a left-hand turn crash in Oklahoma City such as:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Drunk driving
- Misjudging the speed of cross traffic
- Making a turn without signaling
- Failing to yield
- Making a left turn without being in the left turn lane
- Turning into the wrong lane
- Failing to stop at a stop sign or red light before turning
Who is to blame for a left-turn crash is not always obvious. In Oklahoma, drivers making a left turn are required to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic and ensure they have enough time and space to make a safe turn. However, the driver who was making a left turn is not always liable for a crash.
While the driver turning left is usually at fault, the other driver may be found responsible in many situations:
- The vehicle going straight through the intersection was speeding. This also violates Oklahoma traffic law and makes it difficult for the driver turning left to judge speed and safety.
- The vehicle going straight ran a red light or stop sign.
- The other driver was distracted or under the influence.
Determining how a left-turn accident happened is crucial to establishing who was at fault and ultimately proving your case. Your Oklahoma City left-turn crash lawyer will investigate your accident and gather evidence to determine causation. This includes accident reports, witness statements, surveillance footage, accident scene photographs, vehicle damage, and more.
Common Injuries in a Left-Turn Accident
Any car accident can result in serious and life-threatening injuries, but left-turn accidents are among the most dangerous. These accidents are usually T-bone crashes that happen when the front of one car strikes the side of another. At McGuire Law Firm, we often see victims in left-turn accidents with injuries such as:
- Brain injuries
- Neck injuries such as whiplash
- Back injuries
- Chest injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Airbag injuries
- Fractures
- Limb injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Wrongful death
These collisions often result in serious injuries that can change your life forever. If you have been injured in a left-turn accident, it’s imperative that you consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Oklahoma City as soon as possible to protect your rights and build your claim.
How Oklahoma Comparative Negligence Laws Affect Your Accident Case
Like most states, Oklahoma has a comparative negligence system. In a traffic accident, each party’s share of fault is determined. If you are found partially at fault, you can still recover damages from the other party as long as you are not 51% or more at fault.
However, if you are partially at fault, the damages you can recover will be reduced based on your share of fault. For example, assume you were making a left-hand turn in an intersection on a yellow light and strike another vehicle. You may be assigned 30% of the fault and the other driver may be found 70% at fault for speeding. In this case, your damages would be reduced by 30%.
It’s crucial to keep this comparative negligence system in mind because the insurance company will use it to their advantage. The other driver’s insurance company will likely try to shift blame onto you because every share of fault assigned to you directly reduces the damages they need to pay. This is why it’s crucial to work with an experienced Oklahoma City car accident lawyer to investigate your case and gather strong evidence.
Compensation for Injuries in a Left-Turn Accident
Left-turn crashes have a high likelihood of causing serious and life-changing injuries. While you struggle to recover from your crash, you may be unable to work with medical bills mounting. When another driver’s negligence was to blame for your crash, you should not have to face the financial burden of your injuries.
You may be entitled to many types of compensation in an accident injury claim. Damages you may recover include:
- Property damage
- Medical costs including future anticipated medical expenses, physical therapy, hospitalization, medical devices, prescriptions, and doctor bills
- Lost wages and benefits of employment
- Disability or reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Do not count on an insurance company to accept liability and make a fair settlement offer. Even with fault and damages fairly clear, the insurance company may attempt to shift blame to you, minimize your injuries, and undervalue your claim. A skilled left-turn accident lawyer in Oklahoma City will help you build the strongest case possible to seek the compensation you deserve.
Statute of Limitations to File a Personal Injury Claim in Oklahoma
You have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit in Oklahoma City. The statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Oklahoma is just two years. If you do not file your case before this deadline passes, you will lose your legal right to seek compensation.
Do not make the mistake of delaying the pursuit of your injury claim because you believe you have a long time to file a claim. If you delay, valuable evidence that proves liability and causation can be lost. It may even become difficult to connect your injuries with the accident or show the extent of the damages you suffered.
Other Common Car Crashes in Oklahoma City
Our law firm is here to help you after being injured in an accident involving:
- Commercial vehicle crashes
- Head-on collisions
- Intersection accidents
- Parking lot crashes
- Rear-end wrecks
- Rollover collisions
- Hit and run accidents
- Highway crashes
- And more
Contact an Oklahoma City Car Wreck Lawyer
Have you been seriously injured in a left-turn crash in Oklahoma City? At McGuire Law Firm, we understand just how emotionally and financially devastating an accident can be. The last thing you should be dealing with is an exhausting battle with the insurance company.
You deserve help from an Oklahoma City left-turn accident lawyer you can trust. Contact McGuire Law Firm to schedule a free consultation today to discuss your case and how we will help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
