2011 April Archive

A writer for NewsOK was greeted by an astonishing sight on a recent morning rush-hour drive to the office: A man brushing his teeth while driving. Most driving distractions nowadays involve electronic devices, but apparently Oklahoma has the occasional dental hygiene multi-tasker as well.

The NewsOK writer was forced to slow down when a black SUV moved speedily passed and then directly, and narrowly, in front of him. The driver of the SUV, driving about 60 mph in rush-hour traffic, moved into the lane, leaving only a few feet ahead of the writer’s car. It was then that something caught the writer’s eye through the SUV’s tinted rear window. He noticed that the lighted mirror of the sun visor was on, and so, now quite curious, he lawfully cautiously changed his lane and began passing the SUV. As he did so, he noticed that the driver of the SUV was using the mirror to brush his teeth, and he continued brushing as the writer signaled and moved in front of the SUV, which had at least slowed down.

Whether talking on a cell phone or finishing one’s morning hygiene routine, being distracted while driving is very dangerous and increases the risk of a serious Oklahoma car crash. According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO), there were 34 fatal, 2,066 injury, and 3,140 non-injury non-electronic device distracted driver car accidents in 2009, an increase from those in 2008. It is imperative that Oklahoma motorists concentrate on the driving task at hand to ensure the safety of other motorists as well as their own.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Oklahoma auto accident caused by a distracted, or otherwise negligent driver, the knowledgeable Oklahoma City car crash attorneys at Maples Law Firm, LLP, can provide you with the legal action you need to recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a no-cost consultation at 1-888-226-6159.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model and model year Fords and Lincolns due to a driver side air bag defect that could increase the risk of an auto accident. The recall has been ongoing since March 2011, but an expanded population recall campaign will begin in early May 2011.

Ford is recalling 1,325,000 potentially affected model year 2004-2006 F-150 Ford pick-up trucks and model year 2006 Lincoln Mark LT vehicles due to the possibility of a driver side air bag malfunction. Faulty wiring may create a short circuit which could turn on the airbag warning lamp, and/or can cause the air bag to deploy unpredictably. This poses a danger the owners of these cars in Oklahoma. Whether or not the car is in motion, if the driver’s seat is occupied at the time, the air bag could potentially cause injury to the face, neck, and/or spinal cord. If the car is in motion at the time of an inadvertent airbag deployment, it not only risks injury to the driver, but can also potentially cause an Oklahoma traffic accident.

Ford will notify affected owners and instruct them to take their car to a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer for a no-cost repair of the problem. For further information, owners may call the Ford Motor Company Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332 or NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Owners may also go to http://www.safecar.gov.

It is the duty of auto manufacturers to ensure that safe vehicles are on the road. If you or a loved one has been injured in an Oklahoma auto accident due to a defective auto product, you may be entitled to legal compensation for your injuries. The experienced Oklahoma City defective auto product lawyers of Maples Law Firm, LLP, can help accident victims understand their legal rights. Call today at 1-888-226-6159, to learn about your potential injury claim.

Sharing Oklahoma roads with trucks can be very intimidating for other motorists because of the large size and immense weight of trucks. These characteristics, especially of large trucks, increase the risk of serious injury or death in the case of an Oklahoma truck crash. Although truck accidents can be caused by faulty manufacturing, poor design, or defective products, the most common cause of truck crashes, involving other vehicles or not, is driver error or negligence.

The most common types of driver error or negligence involve fatigued, distracted, or reckless driving. Although strict federal regulations are in place to prevent truck drivers from working too long without rest, many do not abide by them. The schedule of an Oklahoma truck driver, especially a long-haul truck driver, can be very demanding. The pressure of making a delivery on schedule can lead a driver to work extended hours. This may keep a delivery on schedule but it potentially endangers the driver as well as other vehicles on the road. An exhausted truck driver can fall asleep at the wheel and lose control of the truck; even if the driver does not fall asleep, they will have much slower reaction times, which also increases the risk of an accident. A truck driver that does not follow federally mandated work hour limits they, and possibly their employer, can be held liable for any accidents and injuries that result from their carelessness.

Oklahoma truck accidents may also be caused by a truck operator who was speeding, driving distractedly, recklessly, or otherwise negligently. It is essential that truck drivers comply with speed limits and drive appropriately for the current weather and road conditions. Failing to do so can cause catastrophic Oklahoma injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck crash that was caused by truck driver negligence, you can seek compensation by filing a personal injury claim against the negligent party. Our experienced Oklahoma City truck crash attorneys at Maples Law Firm, LLP, have years of experience handling truck accident injury claims and can help you receive the compensation you are entitled to. Contact us today to discuss your potential claim at 1-888-226-6159.

On April 18, Mike Brown of the Oklahoma House of Representatives issued a statement titled “Dismantling Democracy” in which he enumerates the various ways Republican public policy initiatives have supported the upper-class, insurance companies, and big business at the expense of average Oklahomans. The last seven years of poor public policy will directly or indirectly decrease the standard of living for middle-class working people.

Recent measures that have been introduced, pushed, and lauded by the Republican administration demonstrate that the wealthy, big business, and insurance companies are favored over the middle-class, working poor, disabled, and elderly. Their solution for Oklahoma’s revenue deficit is to reduce pension benefits while extending retirement ages; their steps to improve the struggling public education system are leading to taxpayer-funded private schools; their answer to economic development is to limit the public’s access to the courts and to place caps on valid damages in civil malpractice cases where the victim suffered permanent and substantial physical abnormalities or disfigurement.

Suffering and recovering from an Oklahoma personal injury is difficult when the unpredictable injury was caused by the negligence of another, but the prospect of obtaining justice from those responsible makes the recover process endurable. It is against the nature and purpose of a state government to protect insurance companies and big business over its injured citizens. It is an injured victim’s right to seek legal recourse when they have been wronged, and it is the duty of a personal injury attorney to make sure they can exercise that right.

The dedicated Oklahoma personal injury lawyers of Maples Law Firm, LLP, believe that any victim injured by the negligence of another deserves to take legal action. Our attorneys have a critical understanding of Oklahoma personal injury claim policies and will work diligently to recover the compensation that you are entitled to from negligent parties. Call us today for a free consultation at 1-888-226-6159. The state may be protecting insurance and big business, but we will always protect you.

With the warmer temperatures of spring and summer come more motorcycles on Oklahoma roads and highways. Due to the high number of motorcyclist deaths in recent years, Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) will be pushing motorcycle safety for the 2nd year in row, according to Fox23.com.

According to the OHP, 401 motorcyclists died in crashes in the state between 2006 and 2010. More specifically, 61 riders were killed in 2006, 74 in 2007, 87 in 2008, 105 in 2009, and 74 in 2010. The OHP began pushing motorcycle safety in 2010 as a result of the increase in motorcycle accident-related deaths between 2006 and 2009 and it seems to have worked since the number of motorcycle rider deaths dropped to 74 in 2010. The hope is that numbers will go down even more with emphasis on motorcycle safety this year.

Motorcycle riders must drive defensively at all times because they share the road with much bigger and heavier vehicles that don’t always see them. Most Oklahoma motorcycle crashes are caused by other motorists and so it is necessary to have safety foremost in one’s mind. Motorcyclists, in addition to having a proper Oklahoma motorcycle license and driving defensively, must wear a proper helmet, padded jacket, sturdy pants, reinforced gloves, and sturdy boots to protect themselves from the elements, falls, and other vehicles. In the case of a motorcycle accident caused by another vehicle, the injured motorcycle rider could file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party in order to receive compensation for their losses.

The experienced Oklahoma City personal injury attorneys at Maples Law Firm, LLP, can help injured Oklahoma motorcycle accident victims understand their legal rights so that they may make an informed decision about the best course of action for their specific situation. Contact us today at 1-888-226-6159 for a free consultation.

Mary Fallin, the governor of Oklahoma, recently signed three bills that would change the state’s civil justice system, according to TimesUnion.com. While supporters of the bills, which become law on November 1, believe that they will benefit the local business climate, opponents believe that these reforms put business and insurance interests ahead of injured Oklahomans.

The 3 proposed civil justice reform bills would affect a civil lawsuit in the following ways:

• A cap of $350,000 is imposed on pain and suffering damages awarded to injured victims. The cap does not apply towards damages awarded for lost income or medical expenses. The court has the authority to lift the cap in the case of a defendant who acted with reckless disregard, gross negligence, or malicious conduct;
• Defendants are prevented from being forced to pay more in damages than the amount determined by the jury; and
• Jurors in civil cases must be told that awards are not subject to federal or state income taxes.

The measurable effects of these bills on the Oklahoma civil justice system have yet to be determined; however, these changes will affect Oklahoma accident victims. Laws change, can have loopholes, and may benefit one side over the other, but an injured victim does not have to worry about any of these if they consult with a knowledgeable Oklahoma City personal injury attorney.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident in Oklahoma, the trusted personal injury lawyers of Maples Law Firm, LLP, can provide you with the legal guidance you need. We have a critical understanding of all civil law and believe all Oklahoma accident victims deserve full compensation for what they have suffered. Find out about your case today; call us for a free consultation at 1-888-226-6159.

A nighttime motorcycle accident over the weekend injured both the bike’s male driver and female passenger when the 2002 Harley Davidson left the U.S. Highway 75 northbound entrance ramp from State Highway 20, according to the Tulsa news website KJRH.com. Both the driver and passenger were taken to St. Johns Hospital, where the woman remains in critical condition with head, arm, and leg injuries; the driver received treatment for head and arm injuries has since been released.

According to state troopers, the motorcycle hit gravel and several holes after veering off the U.S. Highway 75 entrance ramp, after which it lost complete control and crashed onto the pavement, but not before both riders were ejected over 80 feet north of where the motorcycle crashed down. State troopers determined that the driver was impaired by alcohol, and therefore attributed driving under the influence as the cause of the Tulsa motorcycle accident.

There were 84,000 injury motorcycle crashes, and 4,595 fatal motorcycle crashes, nationwide in 2009, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There were 108 fatal motorcycle crashes in Oklahoma the same year. Many Oklahoma motorcycle accident injuries are caused by failure to use defensive driving techniques and failure to use special precautions while riding (including wearing a proper helmet, and protective clothing). Defensive driving is especially important for a motorcyclist because they share the road with much bigger vehicles. Negligent driving on the part of a larger vehicle is very dangerous for motorcycle riders. If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash caused by a negligent driver, that driver can he held accountable for all medical expenses associated with your injury.

The knowledgeable Oklahoma City motorcycle accident attorneys of Maples Law Firm, LLP, have successfully represented many motorcycle accident victims. We know how difficult a motorcycle injury can be for both the victim and their family, and so work diligently to recover any and all losses and damages suffered as a result of the accident caused by another’s negligence. Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn more about your legal options at 1-888-226-6159.

Gulf States Toyota is recalling approximately 1,500 cars beginning in April, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website SafeCar.gov. This recall is due to defective tires; specifically, faulty tire pressure monitoring and regulating systems in the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser and 2009-2011 Toyota Tundra.

The affected Toyota models fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138, which refers to “Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems” (TPMS). The TPMS of the aforementioned models may not have been properly calibrated, resulting in the malfunction or altogether absent function of the low tire pressure warning light when the pressure of one or more tires has gone lower than the required limit. This increases the risk of driving with low pressure tires, which can subsequently result in tire failure, increasing the risk of an Oklahoma car accident.

Any Oklahoma resident that drives a Toyota FJ Cruiser or Tundra of the previously mentioned years should take their car to the nearest Toyota dealer, who will recalibrate the tire pressure monitoring system as per the terms of the federal safety standard, free of charge. Owners can contact the Gulf State Toyota Customer Assistance Center toll free at 1-800-444-1074.; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s safety hotline is also available at 1-888-327-4236. It is important that all Oklahoma drivers get their Toyota FJ Cruiser or Tundra repaired as soon as possible in order to prevent potential car crashes due to the faulty tire system.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Oklahoma traffic accident due to a faulty auto product, you may be entitled to legal action against the product manufacturer. The experienced Oklahoma City defective auto product lawyers of Maples Law Firm, LLP, work with faulty product accident victims so that they may receive maximum compensation for the financial and emotional losses and damages they have suffered. Call today at 1-888-226-6159 for a free consultation.