Every driver must understand the rules of the road in the state of Oklahoma in order to ensure their own safety as well as the safety of other drivers and passengers on the roadways. Failure to follow basic rules established by law can result in catastrophic injuries and damages. If a driver fails to appropriately yield to another driver according to the law, serious accidents can result causing severe injuries or fatalities. If you experienced an accident as a result of another driver’s negligence and failure to yield, consider consulting with an Oklahoma City failure to yield accident lawyer. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 to help you obtain the compensation you may deserve under the law for your injuries and losses.
Definitions of Right of Way and Failure to Yield in the State of Oklahoma
Right of Way
The right of way is a legal term that simply indicates that one driver has the legal right to enter an intersection or roadway first. Those drivers that do not have the right of way must either wait (at intersections) or allow another driver to pass them first (merging or emergency vehicles). Without properly understanding the right of way, every driver would simply feel that they have the right to proceed without taking into account who has the legal right to proceed through an intersection or on an area of the road first.
Failure to Yield
Oklahoma Statute §47-11-403 indicates that drivers on the roadways must yield to other drivers under certain circumstances including the following:
- When approaching a stop sign and noticing that another vehicle stopped at the intersection prior to their vehicle. (If both vehicles enter the intersection at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right-of-way and may pass through the intersection first)
- When entering an intersection from another highway
- When seeing a pedestrian in the roadway
- When emergency vehicles are approaching on the roadway
- Making a left turn into oncoming and approaching traffic
- Entering a public street from a parking lot or private residence
- At the presence of flashing yellow lights or red lights
It is also important to note that the state of Oklahoma charges a fine for any driver that fails to appropriately yield according to the law.
For a free legal consultation with a failure to yield accidents lawyer serving Oklahoma City, call (844) 730-0233
Challenges Regarding Liability in Failure to Yield Accidents
Many instances of failure to yield accidents can prove legally challenging and complex. In certain circumstances, the issue of determination of negligence and liability is easy as there are specific yellow yield signs on the roadways that a driver simply failed to heed. However, in other cases, there may not be such clear-cut answers. When there are no yield or stop signs, some drivers may both assume that they have the right of way on a certain stretch of road. When an accident occurs in these situations, an independent investigation and expert accident reconstruction witnesses can help better determine actual negligence and liability as it relates to the failure to yield accident. If you experienced an accident in which you believe the other driver failed to appropriately yield to your vehicle causing an accident, consult with an Oklahoma City failure to yield accident lawyer. At Ben Crump Law, PLLC, learn how a lawyer can conduct an independent investigation and contact expert witnesses to help prove your personal injury case.
Oklahoma City Failure to Yield Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Insurance Claims and Failure to Yield Accidents
Insurance companies have a reputation of remaining difficult during the negotiation process with victims of car accidents. Insurance companies want to offer the lowest settlement amount possible to victims in order to ensure that they remain as profitable as possible. As a result, because of the challenging aspects of failure to yield accidents, many insurance companies will attempt to blame the victim and indicate that they also had responsibility and liability for the accident. If you make the decision to speak with an insurance company following your accident, consider the following:
- Do not agree to have your conversations recorded in any way as something you say may lead to an insurance company offering a lower settlement amount.
- Never provide a full medical history to an insurance company. They may look for pre-existing medical conditions to indicate that your injuries are not as severe as you claim.
- Make sure to continue to follow up with all of your medical appointments. Any gap in medical visits over an extended period of time will be an opportunity for the insurance company to indicate that your injuries are not as serious as you claim and offer a lower settlement amount.
- Make sure to not feel frustrated during the process, as many insurance companies attempt to make victims file extensive paperwork to frustrate and confuse them.
- Make sure never to accept the first settlement offer from an insurance company, as it is typically the lowest settlement they will provide to a victim.
- Never cash a check that you receive from an insurance company as this will be the final and only compensation you will receive. If you remain satisfied with the total compensation amount offered, then you may cash the check. Never believe an insurance company if they say that the check is only the first of an installment series of checks.
- Never admit guilt or liability to an insurance company regarding your part in the car accident.
- Never allow an insurance company to stall and delay the entire negotiation process so long that you miss the statute of limitations deadline to file a claim in a court of law.
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Receive a Free Consultation with an Oklahoma City Failure to Yield Accident Lawyer
You have the legal right to receive compensation for your injuries and losses related to someone else’s negligence and failure to yield on the roadways. Call to speak with a member of our legal team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 for a free consultation. We can help you understand all of your legal rights.
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