Garbage Truck Accidents in Oklahoma City
Garbage truck operators who ignore safety protocols put Oklahoma City families at risk. We fight to ensure victims receive the compensation they deserve.
The lawyers at The Law Firm for Truck Safety have successfully settled many injury and death claims as a result of garbage truck crashes. While municipal trash collection services play a crucial role in maintaining the cleanliness and sanitation of Oklahoma City’s neighborhoods, when a garbage truck driver becomes careless or reckless, the results can be devastating: crushed vehicles, catastrophic injuries, and lives forever changed. If you've been injured by a negligent garbage truck operator, you have the right to fight back and demand full compensation.
Filing a civil suit after a garbage truck accident in Oklahoma City can be challenging. This is because legal procedures involving commercial vehicles are much more complex than a typical automotive crash. And when that commercial vehicle belongs to a government entity, personal injury claims become even more complex. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a garbage truck accident, a truck injury attorney with The Law Firm for Truck Safety can represent your claim and help you seek compensation. Our holistic approach to civil recovery aims to help you move past your accident physically, financially, and emotionally.
Are Local Governments Liable for Trash Truck Collisions?
It’s possible, but it depends on the details of your crash. Both public and private trash pickup services operate in the Oklahoma City metro area, which means that garbage truck crash claims often involve employees of the city’s Department of Utilities’ Solid Waste Management team. If a government employee causes a traffic collision through reckless driving while performing a job-related task, they may be held civilly liable for damages, and their employer may be held vicariously liable for their misconduct.
The rules for bringing a personal injuryLegal term for an injury to the body, mind, or psyche, as opposed to an injury to property. claim against a government entity in Oklahoma are more intricate than other types of personal injury claims.
Your notice of tort claim must include:
- Municipality or governmental entity involved
- Date, time, place, and circumstances of the loss
- Amount of compensation requested
- Information necessary to meet reporting requirements for the Medicare Secondary Payor Act (MSPA)
- Claimant contact information
- Settlement agent contact information
You must include all information needed to allow the City to conduct an investigation and the amount of compensation or other relief you are requesting.
No specific state-mandated form is required - the Notice of Tort Claim is really nothing other than a letter to the government agency informing them about the injury/damage, the date and time, brief description of the facts/circumstances, the government entity/agent involved, and the amount of compensation sought. However:
- Many cities provide their own claim forms (for example, Oklahoma City has a downloadable PDF form available), so does the City of Broken Arrow.
- OMAG (Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group) has updated standard Notice of Tort Claim forms that you can use in many other municipalities.
Once filed, the municipality has 90 days to review the claim and either deny it outright (with written notice) or take no action (which results in automatic denial after 90 days). Once denied, you must file a lawsuit within 180 days.
Important Warnings
- The wording in your tort claim notice can be critical to your rights in a subsequent lawsuit - if you don't properly list all damages in the initial claim, you may be limited to only those damages even if a jury awards more
- The OGTCA notice requirements are jurisdictional in nature - missing the deadline bars your claim forever
- Damage caps apply: $25,000 for property damage, $125,000 for other losses ($175,000 for cities over 300,000 population)
Seeking Fair Compensation Within Filing Deadlines
Unlike lawsuits against governmental agencies, there are no caps on civil compensation if you are filing a lawsuit against a private trash disposal company that causes a garbage truck crash injury in Oklahoma City. This means that you could demand compensation for all economic and non-economic losses the defendant truck driver’s negligence caused. This can include:
- Short-term and long-term medical expenses
- Loss of income, benefits, or future earning capacity
- Personal property damage, including costs of vehicle repair or replacement
- Disability-related expenses, including costs for wheelchairs, home modifications, and in-home assistance
- Physical pain and suffering from injuries
- Psychological trauma from injuries or the accident itself
- Decline in overall enjoyment and quality of life
However, there is a strictly enforced filing deadline that differs from the one applicable to claims against the Department of Utilities. According to Oklahoma Statutes Title 12, § 95, you have a maximum of two years to file suit over a personal injury, starting from the date on which you first discovered—or reasonably should have discovered—you were injured through a truck driver’s negligence.
Speak with Our Oklahoma City Attorneys about Your Garbage Truck Accident Claim
Just because garbage truck drivers perform vital work doesn't mean they're immune from accountability when their negligence causes serious injuries or death. But garbage truck accident cases are complex, involving multiple parties, commercial insurance policies, and aggressive legal teams hired to protect trucking companies. You need experienced attorneys who know how to fight back.
The Law Firm for Truck Safety’s attorneys offer compassionate legal support tailored to your case. Our team is dedicated exclusively to truck accident cases and has more lawyers who hold commercial drivers’ licenses than any other firm. Call our office today to learn how we could help you build a path to justice.
