Oklahoma Injury Lawyer Blog

In 2009, Oklahoma passed broad-sweeping and historic lawsuit reform.  Despite this fact, some members of the Oklahoma Republican Party are trying to pass broad-sweeping and over-reaching changes to the Oklahoma Civil Justice System that would strip regular Oklahomans of their right to obtain justice in the civil court system.  The tort bills being pushed by Anthony Sykes, Rob Johnson and others in the Oklahoma  Senate are the most draconian and drastic tort reform proposals in US history.  These bills would tip the scales of justice over in favor of negligent tortfeasors and their multi-million dollar insurance companies, while at the expense of the constitutional rights of regular Oklahomans. 

Many drivers today possess a profound fear of semi-trucks, and with good reason.  These motor vehicles can weigh over 40 times more than the common passenger cars.  Despite strict regulations from both federal and state government entities, some trucking companies and drivers continue to employ incompetent drivers who continually operate their trucks in violation of applicable safety rules and reulgations and at unsafe speeds, especially in hazardous conditions such as rain, snow, ice and fog.  

Recently, President Obama approved $25 million dollars in an grants to research methods to reduce costs associated with medical malpractice lawsuits.  As discussed in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, authored by Janet Adamy, these grants were added as a last-second compromise to this year's sweeping health insurance reform legislation in an effort to appease spurious calls by Corporate America for "tort reform." 

Of course, complaints by doctors, hospitals and insurance companies, that medical malpractice claims are out of control and a leading cause of rising health care costs, are overblown, unsupported and are nothing more than yet another corporate hustle of the American public.

Remember, July 4th weekend is one of the most dangerous holidays for motor vehicle accidents.  In 2009, over the 4th of July weekend in Oklahoma, there were 3 deaths and 37 injuries as a result of car and truck accidents.  A majority of the accidents were the result of drinking and driving.  If you drive drunk, you run the risk of a DUI or DWI or, even worse, you run the risk of taking your own life, the life of your friends and family and the general public.  Don't drink and drive this 4th of July. 

Medical error is still one of the leading causes of death in the United States.  Despite advances in medicine and having the best health care system in the world, far too many innocent people die every year due to medical malpractice, medical neglect and error in this country.  Steps must be made not only to lower the costs of health care in this country but also to improve safety in health care delivery and reduce medical error and deaths and injuries which result from medical malpractice and medical mistakes. 

Teenage drivers in Oklahoma will be prohibited from talking or texting on a hand-held cell phone in non-emergency situations under a bill approved by the Oklahoma House.  This bill is a step in the right direction to make illegal texting while driving, a driving error that causes thousands of deaths and serious injuries a year in the United States.   

As experienced Oklahoma personal injury lawyers, we have seen the devastating consequences of negligent and inattentive driving. Despite the inherent difficulties in the enforcement of texting while driving legislation, this is an important issue that needed to be addressed by the Oklahoma legislature.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident involving a negligent, inattentive driver, please contact the lawyers of Nix Law Group for a free consultation.

Contact us Toll Free:  1-877-649-3476

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that 28 percent of all car crashes - or 1.6 million per year - are caused by cell phone use, either talking or texting.  So far 25 states have banned texting while driving.  Oklahoma should follow suit and pass laws that will make it illegal to send an electronic message to a friend while behind the wheel of a car, truck or other motor vehicle in Oklahoma. 

Today, May 15, 2010, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry vetoed House Joint Resolution 1054, a measure that would have allowed Oklahomans to opt out of the recent federal health care insurance reform legislation passed and not comply with new federal laws requiring employers to provide health insurance coverage to their employees.  This veto will save the State of Oklahoma the unneccessary legal fees it would have incurred had the Oklahoma Legislature had its way and been permitted to retain and use state funds to pay attorneys to file a politically-motivated lawsuit against Congress to attempt to prevent the recently passed federal legislation from taking effect in Oklahoma.