A drunk driving crash leaves a trail that goes beyond the wreckage. Medical bills stack up. Work becomes impossible. Insurance adjusters start calling before you’ve even processed what happened.
If you or someone you love was hurt, or if you lost a family member because a driver chose to get behind the wheel impaired, an Oklahoma City drunk driving accident attorney at Branch & Dhillon is ready to stand with you. Call us at 405-237-8107 for a free consultation.
What Makes a Drunk Driving Case Different from Other Accidents?
Drunk driving cases carry weight that a typical car accident claim doesn’t. When a driver is legally intoxicated, Oklahoma law allows for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.
Compensatory vs. Punitive Damages
Compensatory damages cover your actual losses, such as medical care, lost income, and pain and suffering. Punitive damages are additional money the court may award to punish conduct that was reckless or intentional, and a drunk driver’s decision to get behind the wheel absolutely qualifies.
That distinction matters because it changes the strategy behind your case. The goal isn’t just to prove another driver was negligent. The goal is to demonstrate a deliberate, dangerous choice that caused you real harm, and to hold every responsible party accountable for it.
Dram Shop Liability
Oklahoma also recognizes dram shop liability, which means a bar, restaurant, or liquor store that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person, or to a minor, may share legal responsibility for the crash. Our firm secured a $1.625 million settlement in a dram shop case, so we know how to investigate and pursue these claims.
Why Having an Attorney Changes Your Outcome
Having an attorney after a drunk driving crash directly affects how much compensation you recover and whether your rights are protected throughout the process. Without legal representation, you’re left negotiating against insurance professionals whose job is to pay you as little as possible.
What Insurance Companies Do Without an Attorney Involved
Insurance companies move fast after a drunk driving crash, and not in your favor. They may offer a quick settlement that seems reasonable when you’re dealing with pain, stress, and growing medical costs.
What they don’t tell you is that accepting early often means giving up your right to collect anything more, even if your injuries turn out to be far worse than initially diagnosed. Once you sign, the case is closed.
An attorney at Branch & Dhillon doesn’t let that happen. We take over all communication with the insurance companies on your behalf and build a case with the documentation needed to demand full compensation.
Evidence That Disappears Quickly
Drunk driving crash evidence has a short shelf life:
- Surveillance footage from locations along Northwest Expressway or near Bricktown gets overwritten within days
- Witness memories fade and become harder to pin down
- Blood alcohol records can become more difficult to obtain over time
- Physical evidence at the scene gets cleared quickly
Moving quickly matters, and we know what to look for and how to preserve it.
Getting Your Claim Valued Accurately
Many people accept settlements that don’t account for future medical care, reduced ability to work, or the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury. We bring in the right medical and financial professionals to make sure your claim reflects the full picture of what you’ve lost and what you’ll continue to face.
Waiting to hire an attorney can cost you. The sooner we get involved, the stronger your case. Call Branch & Dhillon at 405-237-8107 for a free consultation and let us start building your case today.
Injuries That Often Follow These Crashes
The force involved in many drunk driving collisions produces injuries that require months or years of recovery. Our clients have faced:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Severe lacerations
Some have needed surgery, extended rehabilitation, or long-term care.
Soft tissue injuries are another category worth mentioning. They don’t always show up on initial imaging, but they can cause lasting pain, reduced mobility, and months of physical therapy. Insurance companies frequently downplay these injuries. We don’t.
If you were treated at OU Health, Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City, or SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital, your records become part of how we document the full extent of your injuries. We work to capture everything, not just the emergency room visit, but the follow-up care, the therapy, the missed work, and the ways your daily life has been affected.
Accountability Beyond the Driver
Oklahoma City drunk driving accident lawyer cases don’t always stop at the driver. Depending on the facts of the accident, liable parties may include:
- A bar or restaurant that overserved an already-intoxicated guest
- A liquor retailer who sold alcohol to a minor
- An employer whose employee was driving drunk on company time
- A vehicle owner who knowingly let an impaired person drive their car
Identifying every party responsible for your loss is part of what we do from the beginning of a case. More responsible parties can mean a stronger claim and greater potential recovery.
How the Compensation Process Works in Oklahoma
Oklahoma follows a comparative negligence rule, which means your compensation may be reduced if you were found partially at fault for the accident. However, as long as your share of fault is less than 51%, you can still recover damages.
In a drunk driving case, fault is typically concentrated squarely on the impaired driver, which works in your favor.
Recoverable damages in a drunk driving injury case may include:
- Emergency medical care, surgeries, and ongoing treatment
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Income you couldn’t earn during recovery
- Reduced earning capacity if your injuries are permanent
- Pain and suffering, both physical and emotional
- Property damage to your vehicle
When a crash takes a life, surviving family members may bring a wrongful death claim. Our firm obtained a $1.2 million settlement in a wrongful death case. Losing a spouse, parent, or child because of a drunk driver’s choice is a harm that no amount of money fully addresses.
What a settlement can do is relieve the financial weight of funeral costs, lost financial support, and the grief your family carries.
Why Branch & Dhillon?
Branch & Dhillon brings more than 30 years of collective legal experience to every drunk driving case we handle, along with a proven record of results that our clients can point to when it matters most.
A Track Record That Speaks for Itself
Our plaintiff attorneys have gone up against large insurance companies and come out on the other side with outcomes that made a real difference in our clients’ lives. That includes a $1.2 million settlement in a wrongful death case and a $1.625 million settlement in a dram shop case.
These results reflect what’s possible when a firm knows how to build a case and isn’t afraid to push for full accountability.
No Fees Unless We Get Money for You
You won’t pay us anything out of pocket unless we win your case. Every case we take is on a contingency basis, meaning our fees come from the recovery we obtain for you, not from your pocket before we’ve done anything.
With medical costs, lost income, and other expenses already weighing on you, the last thing you need is a legal bill adding to the pressure.
What Our Clients Actually Experience
Our clients describe what working with us is actually like.
- J.R. wrote: “From the beginning, she was professional, knowledgeable, and always took the time to explain the process to me. Communication was great, and I always felt informed and supported. Every staff member I talked to truly cared about my case and worked hard to get the best possible outcome.”
- A.B. shared: “Branch & Dhillon, P.C. were absolutely great with our case and our health, they single handedly took care of our physical therapy, our insurance fees and were able to maximize everything after getting hit by a drunk driver.”
Our singular focus is aggressive, attentive representation so you can direct your energy toward recovery while we direct ours toward the law.
Oklahoma City Roads and the Reality of Impaired Driving
Oklahoma City’s layout, with long stretches of highway frontage roads, busy commercial corridors along South Western Avenue, and late-night traffic near the Midtown entertainment district, creates real exposure for drivers sharing the road with impaired motorists.
State Fair season, sporting events at Paycom Center, and weekend nights near the Paseo Arts District all generate conditions where impaired drivers get behind the wheel.
A drunk driving accident attorney in Oklahoma City who works in this community understands that context. It shapes how we think about evidence, where to look for witnesses, and how to present a case to a jury when litigation becomes necessary.
Local knowledge isn’t a talking point for us; it’s part of how we build cases.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drunk Driving Accident Claims in OK
How do I know if I have a drunk driving accident case?
If another driver was impaired and their driving caused your injuries or the death of a loved one, you likely have grounds for a claim. A police report showing a DUI arrest, blood alcohol test results, or witness accounts of erratic driving all serve as evidence.
What if the drunk driver wasn’t charged or convicted?
A criminal conviction strengthens a civil case, but it isn’t required for you to recover compensation. Civil and criminal cases operate under different standards of proof. We can pursue your claim based on the evidence available regardless of what happens in criminal court.
What should I do after a drunk driving accident if I wasn’t sure what steps to take at the scene?
Get medical attention first, even if injuries seem minor at the time. Some injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and internal bleeding, may not present obvious symptoms right away. Document everything you remember, keep all medical records, and don’t give recorded statements to any insurance company before speaking with an attorney.
What if the drunk driver had no insurance or limited coverage?
Oklahoma requires drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage, which may apply to your claim. Your own policy may also include underinsured motorist coverage. Our team reviews all potential sources of recovery so you’re not left with an uncompensated loss simply because the at-fault driver lacked adequate coverage.
How long do I have to file a claim in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the accident. Wrongful death claims also carry a two-year window, typically running from the date of death.
Missing that deadline means losing your right to recover anything, regardless of how strong your case is. Don’t wait to get legal guidance.
Talk to Branch & Dhillon Before the Insurance Company Shapes the Story
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize what they pay out. They’ll use your own words, your delay in seeking care, or any gap in documentation to reduce or deny your claim. By the time most people realize what’s happening, they’ve already said something that complicates their case.
We work to prevent that. When you call Branch & Dhillon, you get a team that takes over the legal and insurance side of your situation so you can put your energy where it belongs, which is your recovery. Our attorneys are skilled, passionate advocates who take on insurance companies and pursue outcomes that reflect what you actually lost.
If you or a family member was injured, or if you lost someone because a drunk driver made a choice that cost you everything, reach out to us today. A free consultation costs you nothing and gives you clear answers about where you stand.
Call 405-237-8107 to speak with a skilled Oklahoma City drunk driving accident attorney at Branch & Dhillon. No fees unless we win, no obligation, and no pressure. We’re ready when you are.
Branch & Dhillon, P.C.: 201 Robert S. Kerr Ave Ste 905 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is evaluated on its own facts and merits.
