Where do Car Accidents Most Occur in Tulsa?

Being in a car crash is often traumatic and terrifying. The physical and emotional consequences can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, while collisions can happen anywhere, serious car accidents are particularly common in certain parts of Tulsa.

Knowing these hazardous roads and intersections can help you avoid an accident. However, no matter how cautious you might be, another driver might be negligent and crash into you, leaving you with serious injuries.

Understanding your legal options is critical if you suffered an injury in a Tulsa accident. A car accident attorney can sort out your rights, determine the best course of action, and maximize your compensation.

Speak to a car accident attorney in Tulsa today if another driver injured you in a crash so you can begin seeking compensation for your injuries. The initial consultation is free; you don’t pay legal fees unless the attorney wins your case.

High-Risk Intersections and Areas in Tulsa:

Based on the data from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO), several locations in Tulsa are known for frequent car accidents:

High-Traffic Intersections:

71st Street and Memorial Drive: This busy intersection is notorious for rear-end collisions and side-impact crashes due to heavy traffic and frequent signal changes.
51st Street and Harvard Avenue: Another high-traffic area where accidents are common, often due to congestion and drivers running red lights.
Highway 169 and 41st Street: This intersection is a significant hotspot for accidents, particularly due to the high volume of traffic merging and exiting the highway. The mix of high-speed traffic and frequent lane changes often lead to rear-end collisions and side-impact crashes.
Memorial Drive and 61st Street: This busy interaction is another high-risk area, with heavy traffic flow from nearby shopping centers and residential areas. The frequent stops and starts, along with pedestrian crossings, contribute to a higher rate of accidents, including rear-end collisions and accidents involving pedestrians.

Highways and Major Roads:

Highway 169: This highway sees a significant number of accidents, particularly during rush hours. The combination of high speeds and dense traffic contributes to the frequency of crashes.
Interstate 44: Known for its heavy commercial vehicle traffic, 1-44 often experiences serious accidents involving multiple vehicles.

Downtown Tulsa:

Downtown areas: The intersections around downtown Tulsa also see a considerable number of accidents, especially during peak business hours.

Were you in a car accident on any of these roads? You should speak to a car accident attorney in Tulsa immediately. State law entitles you to compensation if another driver injured you. Potential compensation includes lost income, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.

What Are The Biggest Reasons For Tulsa Car Accidents?

Car accidents happen often in a growing state such as Oklahoma. Unfortunately, Tulsa has more than its share of serious accidents daily. According to recent Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO) data, most Tulsa car accidents happen because of driver error.

A review of the data shows that common causes of Tulsa car accidents are in the following categories:

Speeding: Speed kills in Tulsa and the rest of the country. Data from the OHSO shows 72 accidents caused serious injuries or deaths in Tulsa in 2021. In the whole county, there were 87 injuries and deaths caused by speeding.
DWI: Driving while intoxicated is another major problem in Tulsa. The OHSO data shows there were 39 alcohol-related accidents in 2021, and 21 were fatal. In Tulsa County, there were 50 alcohol-related accidents, with 33 fatalities. There also were 43 drug-related accidents, and 41 were fatal.
Motorcycles: It is more difficult to see motorcyclists, but we are all required to drive with the proper duty of care, regardless, and not injure others. The city of Tulsa had 45 motorcycle-related accidents in 2021, and there were 59 in Tulsa County.
Distracted driving: Another major problem on Tulsa roads is distracted driving. Distracted driving means texting, sending emails, changing the GPS or radio, talking to passengers, and allowing your dog or cat in your lap. There were 24 reported crashes involving a distracted driver in the city and 32 in Tulsa County.
Not wearing seatbelts: Although it’s the law in Oklahoma to wear a seatbelt, some still don’t. At least 31 citizens in the county died in 2021 because they weren’t wearing seatbelts.

Also, in one recent year, 2,093 car accidents caused injuries or deaths in the county, compared to 1,495 in the city. The most common places where Tulsa accidents happened were in neighborhoods. This might seem counterintuitive; many believe highways and interstates are the scenes of most crashes.

People drive more often near home and may pay less attention than they should. There also are more Tulsa accidents in parking lots and intersections than on highways.

What Are The Most Common Tulsa Car Accident Injuries?

There are many types of car accidents and crash injuries in Tulsa.

Recent data indicates the following regarding the most common injured parties in car accidents:

35 percent of people who die in car accidents were in passenger vehicles.
27 percent were in light trucks or SUVs.
20 percent were cyclists or pedestrians.
14 percent were riding motorcycles.
Four percent were in large trucks or buses

The most common Tulsa car accident injuries are:

Head And Back

Head and back injuries in Tulsa accidents are some of the worst of all. You might need months or years of treatment and therapy, and some injuries may be permanent.

They include:

Traumatic brain injuries
Concussions
Spinal cord injuries
Facial injuries, including cuts, lacerations, broken bones, and eye injuries

Neck And Chest

Injuries to the chest and neck are common in Oklahoma car accidents.

The tremendous force of being thrown forward can lead to:

Broken bones
Whiplash
Damaged organs and internal bleeding
Heart attacks

Soft Tissue Damage

Many serious soft tissue injuries happen in Tulsa car accidents, such as:

Strains and sprains
Bruising

Leg And Arm

Many car accident injuries in Tulsa involve broken bones and dislocated joints. The fast speed of many crashes can lead to breaks and dislocations that require months or years of treatment.

An experienced car accident attorney will review your case to determine the severity of your injuries. You need to understand how bad your injuries are and the care you will need to reach maximum medical improvement or MMI.

How Can A Tulsa Car Accident Lawyer Help You?

Tulsa Car Accident Lawyer Imagine you suffered an injury in a severe crash in a Tulsa intersection. You have a dislocated shoulder, broken arm and leg, and head trauma. You are overwhelmed with bills and pain and can’t work for months. The last thing you want on your plate is negotiating with insurance companies and collecting evidence about the crash and your injuries.

A Tulsa car accident attorney will handle every aspect of your case. Let them worry about the insurance and legal issues while you concentrate on healing your mind and body.

Some critical roles that your attorney will have during your case are:

Prove that another driver’s negligence or wrongful act injured you. Obtaining compensation in a car accident claim means proving that another party’s negligence caused the crash. This involves proving another party had a duty of care, violated it, and resulted in injuries and damages. Proving these points is often difficult, but your attorney knows how.
Collect critical accident evidence to prove fault, including pictures, surveillance video, expert testimony, eyewitness and police statements, and much more. Cell phone records may be subpoenaed to prove distracted driving was a factor.
Obtain your medical records and prognosis to prove your injuries and damages. You might deserve compensation for future medical treatments and rehabilitation.
Obtain lost income information to seek compensation for past and future income losses. You might be entitled to lost future income if you have a serious or permanent injury.
Handle all case-related paperwork with insurance companies, medical providers, and courts. Your attorney will chase down all the necessary documents so you can heal.

Remember that your attorney gets paid from your settlement or jury award. You never pay out-of-pocket costs, so you only have to gain by hiring a car accident attorney.

How a Car Accident Attorney Helps With an Insurance Claim Denial

You decided to handle the car accident claim yourself in Tulsa. You filed a claim with the liable driver’s insurance company. The adjuster denied your claim. How can that be? You’re sure the other driver hit you and caused the accident!

Unfortunately, insurance claim denials are common in Oklahoma if the plaintiff doesn’t retain a car accident attorney. Of course, it’s best to hire an attorney from the beginning, but here’s how a car accident attorney can help with a denial:

Review The Insurance Claim Denial Letter

First, you must know why the at-fault driver’s insurance denied the claim.

Common reasons if you don’t have a lawyer are:

Liability is in dispute: Most claim denials happen because of a liability dispute. The insurance company may state that another driver was at fault, and they may even blame you. Usually, denial of liability occurs because insufficient evidence was submitted to prove that the insurance company’s client caused the accident. A car accident attorney can review and submit the accident evidence to prove liability.
Insufficient medical records: You must have injuries and damages to receive compensation in a claim or lawsuit. Perhaps you didn’t provide enough evidence of your injuries. Your attorney will submit medical records to prove your injuries, such as doctor statements, X-rays, hospital bills, and rehab costs.
You delayed seeking treatment: You might have a clear-cut case of fault, but if you didn’t see the doctor immediately, it can damage your claim. The insurance company may argue you weren’t hurt in the accident.
Not enough coverage: Some accident claims are denied or only partially paid because there isn’t enough coverage. If you have $50,000 in damages and the liable party has $30,000 in coverage, you won’t get more than $30,000 from their policy. Your attorney can review if other insurance policies are available to provide more compensation. They also see if you have underinsured coverage you can tap.
Mistakes in the claim: It’s important to provide accurate information in your claim. Do not exaggerate anything or submit any documents or information late.

Review The At-Fault Party’s Insurance Policy

The next step is for your attorney to review the insurance policy to understand the claim denial. The appeal process will address the reason for the claim denial.

Understanding the policy guidelines is critical to creating a strong legal argument. For example, if the claim was rejected because of liability, your attorney may provide surveillance footage that shows the other driver caused the accident.

Compose An Appeal Letter

The last step your attorney will handle for you is to draft the appeal letter. It will explain why the claim should be accepted. All arguments must be strongly supported by evidence, including medical records, pictures and video, and eyewitness statements.

Insurance denials can be appealed more than once. The first appeal is to the insurance company, and the next is to the Oklahoma insurance commissioner’s office.

What Is A Tulsa Car Accident Claim Worth?

It depends. Many car accident claims are worth tens of thousands of dollars, but more serious injuries can be worth much more. Car Accident Claim Worth

The following critical factors determine a case’s value:

Severity of injuries: The claim largely depends on how serious the injuries are and the required treatments. Simply put, a minor injury is always worth less than a serious one because of the treatments needed. For example, a sprained wrist will have a lower case value than a broken hip. A broken leg will be worth less than a spinal cord injury.
Availability of coverage: Many Oklahoma insurance policies only cover $25,000 or $30,000 injuries. You may be unable to collect more, even with severe injuries. That’s why many car accident claims settle for insurance limits.
Liability: Was the other driver obviously at fault, such as in a rear-end accident? The case can be more valuable than if you were partially at fault.
Skill and attorney reputation: A skilled car accident attorney with a fierce local reputation may get a better settlement than a new attorney with little record.

How Long Can You File an Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawsuit?

You have only two years from the date of your car accident injury to file an Oklahoma personal injury lawsuit. The court will likely dismiss the case if you don’t file the claim during this period.

That’s why you need an attorney to review your claim promptly. You should give your attorney as much time as possible to craft a strong case.

Contact A Tulsa Car Accident Attorney Today

Did another Tulsa driver injure you in a car accident? You need to retain a Tulsa car accident lawyer immediately. You can receive payment for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering if you prove another driver’s liability. Speak to a personal injury lawyer in Tulsa today for your free consultation.