Tulsa DUI Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

DUI Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Tulsa, OK

If a drunk driver hit you while you were on your motorcycle in Tulsa, you already know how unfair this feels. You were doing everything right. Riding legally. Watching the road. Following the rules. And someone who chose to drive intoxicated nearly killed you.

DUI crashes aren’t accidents in the traditional sense. They result from a deliberate choice to get behind the wheel after drinking. Every drunk driver knows the risks. They drive anyway. When they strike motorcyclists, who have no protection against impaired drivers, the results are often catastrophic.

Oklahoma law treats drunk driving seriously. So do we. Victims of DUI motorcycle crashes may be entitled to punitive damages beyond standard compensation. These damages punish the wrongdoer and send a message that driving drunk has severe consequences.

Wandres Law has spent nearly two decades representing injured Oklahomans, including motorcyclists devastated by impaired drivers. Our attorneys have helped clients recover millions of dollars in motor vehicle collision cases throughout the Tulsa metro. We pursue every dollar available, including punitive damages, dram shop claims, and recovery from all responsible parties.

If a drunk driver shattered your life, our Tulsa, OK motorcycle accident lawyer can help you hold them fully accountable.

Why Choose Wandres Law for DUI Motorcycle Accident Cases in Tulsa, OK?

Pursuing Complete Accountability

Drunk drivers deserve more than standard negligence claims. They made a choice to endanger everyone on the road. That choice should carry consequences beyond simply compensating their victims. We pursue punitive damages in every DUI case where the evidence supports them.

Firm Partner Patrick Wandres has represented victims of drunk driving crashes since 2006. He understands how to gather evidence of intoxication, coordinate with criminal prosecutors, and build civil cases that establish the reckless disregard necessary for punitive awards. Patrick also investigates whether bars or restaurants overserved the drunk driver, creating additional claims and additional recovery sources.

Patrick maintains an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer review rating for ethics and legal ability. He has been named a Super Lawyer for 12 consecutive years and recognized as a Top 100 Attorney by the National Trial Lawyers every year since 2012.

Significant Results in Motor Vehicle Cases

Our firm has obtained substantial recoveries for clients injured in motorcycle accidents in Tulsa and throughout Oklahoma. We secured $750,000 in a motor vehicle collision case and $600,000 for a client who suffered rib fractures and neck strain. A semi-truck crash causing a fractured leg and hip resulted in a $750,000 settlement.

DUI motorcycle crashes cause catastrophic injuries that justify substantial compensation. We have the experience to handle high-value claims involving traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and other life-altering harm.

Multiple Sources of Recovery

Drunk drivers often carry minimal insurance. But DUI cases frequently involve additional defendants with deeper pockets. Bars and restaurants that overserved the driver may be liable under Oklahoma’s dram shop law. Social hosts who provided alcohol to visibly intoxicated guests may share responsibility. Employers whose employees drove drunk after work functions may face vicarious liability.

We identify and pursue every responsible party to maximize your recovery.

No Fee Unless We Recover

We handle DUI motorcycle accident cases on contingency. No retainer. No hourly fees. You pay nothing unless we win.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Wandres Law made what was a difficult time in my life much easier to handle. I appreciate the entire staff for their kindness, professionalism, and concern for my well-being. I highly recommend them!” — Caroline G.

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Types of DUI Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in Tulsa

Drunk drivers cause motorcycle crashes in predictable ways. Alcohol impairs judgment, slows reaction time, reduces coordination, and causes tunnel vision. These effects lead to specific patterns of negligent conduct. Our firm handles all types of DUI motorcycle accidents throughout the Tulsa area.

• Wrong-Way Collisions. Intoxicated drivers frequently enter highways via exit ramps or drift into oncoming traffic. Their impaired state prevents recognition of the mistake until too late. Head-on crashes with motorcycles at highway speeds are often fatal. Survivors face catastrophic injuries including traumatic brain damage and spinal cord trauma.
• Left-Turn Crashes. A drunk driver misjudges the speed of an oncoming motorcycle and turns left directly into the bike’s path. Impaired depth perception and reaction time make these errors common among intoxicated drivers. The motorcyclist has no time to react before impact.
• Rear-End Collisions. Drunk drivers following motorcycles fail to notice slowing or stopped traffic. Their delayed reaction means they cannot brake in time. These crashes often occur at full speed because impaired drivers make no attempt to stop. Rear-end collision liability is typically clear when intoxication is proven.
• Red Light and Stop Sign Violations. Intoxicated drivers fail to notice traffic signals or misjudge stopping distances. They blow through red lights and stop signs, striking motorcyclists lawfully crossing intersections. T-bone crashes at intersection speeds cause devastating injuries to riders.
• Lane Departure Crashes. Drunk drivers drift out of their lanes without awareness. They may cross centerlines into oncoming traffic or drift into adjacent lanes occupied by motorcycles. Riders struck by drifting vehicles have little warning or ability to evade.
• Hit-and-Run DUI Crashes. Some drunk drivers flee accident scenes hoping to avoid arrest and blood alcohol testing. Oklahoma treats hit-and-run as a separate crime, and fleeing the scene supports additional civil claims. We work to identify hit-and-run drivers and pursue claims through their insurance or uninsured motorist coverage.
• Nighttime DUI Accidents. Many drunk driving crashes occur at night when bars close and impaired drivers head home. Reduced visibility compounds the dangers of intoxication. Motorcyclists riding at night face particular risk from impaired drivers who fail to see them.

Oklahoma Legal Requirements for DUI Motorcycle Accident Claims

Oklahoma provides strong remedies for victims of drunk driving crashes, including specific laws addressing intoxication and liability for serving alcohol. A Tulsa motorcycle accident attorney experienced with DUI claims can help you pursue maximum recovery.

Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits

Under Oklahoma Statutes Title 47, Section 11-902, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher is illegal. Commercial drivers face a 0.04% limit. Drivers under 21 violate the law with any detectable alcohol. Exceeding these limits establishes negligence per se, meaning the driver is automatically negligent as a matter of law.

The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office tracks impaired driving statistics and enforcement efforts throughout the state.

Criminal vs. Civil Proceedings

DUI crashes often result in criminal charges against the drunk driver. The civil claim for your injuries proceeds independently. You do not have to wait for criminal proceedings to conclude. A criminal conviction helps your civil case by establishing the driver violated the law, but even without conviction, civil liability can be proven through other evidence.

Dram Shop Liability

Oklahoma’s dram shop law, Title 37, Section 537, allows victims to sue bars, restaurants, and liquor stores that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person who then caused injuries. This creates an additional defendant, often with substantial liability insurance.

Proving dram shop liability requires evidence that the establishment knew or should have known the patron was intoxicated and served them anyway. Bar receipts, surveillance footage, witness testimony, and server statements help establish these claims.

Statute of Limitations

You have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit under Oklahoma Statutes Title 12, Section 95. Evidence of intoxication, including blood test results, bar records, and witness memories, can degrade or disappear. Acting quickly preserves critical evidence.

Comparative Negligence

Under Title 23, Section 13, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies sometimes argue motorcyclists contributed to DUI crashes by speeding, riding without lights, or failing to take evasive action. We counter these arguments with evidence establishing the drunk driver’s sole responsibility.

Punitive Damages

Drunk driving demonstrates the reckless disregard for safety that justifies punitive damages under Oklahoma law. These damages punish wrongdoing and deter similar conduct. Courts consider factors including blood alcohol level, prior DUI history, and severity of harm caused. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has consistently upheld punitive awards in drunk driving cases.

What Damages Are Recoverable in Tulsa DUI Motorcycle Accident Cases?

DUI crashes cause severe injuries because impaired drivers rarely brake before impact. Motorcyclists, with no protective barrier between themselves and intoxicated drivers, suffer devastating harm. Oklahoma law provides comprehensive compensation.

Economic Damages

These cover measurable financial losses: emergency trauma care, hospitalization, surgeries, diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, medications, prosthetics, assistive devices, and future medical needs. Lost wages include income missed during recovery and diminished earning capacity if injuries prevent returning to previous work. Property damage covers motorcycle replacement, riding gear, and personal belongings.

DUI motorcycle crashes frequently cause traumatic brain injuries requiring years of cognitive rehabilitation, spinal cord injuries necessitating lifetime attendant care, and severe road rash requiring multiple surgeries. We work with medical and economic professionals to calculate the full cost of these injuries over a lifetime.

Non-Economic Damages

These compensate for harm without receipts: physical pain, emotional trauma, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, scarring, and loss of consortium. DUI crash survivors often experience chronic pain, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and permanent disability. The knowledge that their suffering resulted from someone’s choice to drive drunk adds psychological harm to physical injuries.

Many riders cannot return to motorcycling after severe crashes. The loss of that activity, central to their identity and joy, is compensable as loss of enjoyment of life.

Oklahoma does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases.

Punitive Damages

Drunk driving typically supports punitive damages. These damages punish the wrongdoer beyond compensating the victim and deter others from similar conduct. Courts consider the driver’s blood alcohol level, whether they have prior DUI convictions, and the severity of injuries caused.

Punitive damages can substantially increase total recovery. In egregious cases, punitive awards may exceed compensatory damages. We build cases that document intoxication and support maximum punitive awards.

Wrongful Death Damages

When DUI crashes prove fatal, surviving family members can pursue wrongful death claims. These claims compensate for funeral expenses, lost financial support, loss of companionship, and the pain and suffering the deceased experienced before death. Punitive damages remain available in wrongful death cases involving drunk driving.

Understanding the full value of your DUI claim requires evaluating all damage categories and pursuing every responsible party.

Contact Wandres Law

Drunk drivers make choices. You suffered the consequences. Oklahoma law provides remedies that hold them fully accountable and compensate you for everything they took.

Our Tulsa DUI motorcycle accident attorneys offer free consultations to evaluate your case and explain your legal options. We handle these cases on contingency. No upfront payment. No fee unless we recover for you.

Contact us today to discuss your DUI motorcycle accident case with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Tulsa.