Hiring a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Oklahoma
Who is responsible for a fall in Oklahoma, the deadline to sue and the shorter deadline for falls on city property, how lawyers usually charge (contingency fees), how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Oklahoma: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Oklahoma Bar Association's Clients' Security Fund may reimburse money or property taken through theft, embezzlement or wrongful conversion by an Oklahoma attorney acting as a lawyer or fiduciary, including fees paid for services never or only minimally performed. It does not cover malpractice or negligence, losses of the attorney's relatives, partners or employees, losses covered by bond or insurance, or interest and consequential expenses. The attorney must have died, been adjudged mentally ill, been disciplined, or resigned or let the license lapse after discipline, and you should first try other sources of recovery. Payment is a matter of grace, not right; the Board appropriates $100,000 per year in total, and payments are reduced proportionally if approved claims exceed that. File within five years of the loss using the Clients' Security Fund Claim Form; help: 405-416-7000 or 800-522-8065. |
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Oklahoma rules to know first
| Property owner's duty | Trespassers: by statute, a landowner, tenant or other occupant has no duty to make the premises safe for a trespasser and is generally not liable for a trespasser's injuries. Exceptions: once the possessor knows or reasonably should know a trespasser is present, it must not injure the trespasser by a wanton or intentional act; and a possessor can be liable to a child trespasser hurt by a highly dangerous artificial condition that is unusually attractive to children, if the listed conditions are proved. A separate statute says an owner or occupant owes no duty to keep premises safe for someone whose entry is unauthorized or for committing a crime, but this does not protect against willful, wanton or malicious acts or gross negligence. The duties owed to invited guests and other lawful visitors come from court decisions, which were not reviewed here. Read in the Oklahoma Legislature's official complete-title PDF (oklegislature.gov). Source: 76 Okla. Stat. §§ 80, 16.1 |
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| Claims against a city or county | One law, the Governmental Tort Claims Act, covers both the State and political subdivisions. A written claim must be presented within one year after the loss, or it is forever barred; for a city, county or other political subdivision it is filed with the office of the clerk of the governing body, and it must state the date, time, place and circumstances, the amount demanded and the claimant's contact information (plus health care providers and releases for injury claims). Time while the injured person is incapacitated (up to 90 days) does not count. A lawsuit may not be filed until the claim is denied; it is deemed denied if not fully approved within 90 days, and suit must be filed within 180 days after denial. Damage caps are set in § 154 of the Act. Read in the Oklahoma Legislature's official complete-title PDF (oklegislature.gov). The official title currently shows two 2025 versions of § 154 with different caps; see government claims. Source: 51 Okla. Stat. §§ 156, 157, 154 |
| Fault rule | Modified comparative negligence (51% bar). An injured person's own negligence does not bar recovery unless it is of greater degree than the negligence of the person causing the harm, or greater than the combined negligence of all persons causing it. The statute covers personal injury, wrongful death and property damage claims. Source: 23 Okla. Stat. § 13 |
| Deadline to sue | Two years for an action for injury to the rights of another not arising from a contract, which covers most negligence-based injury claims. Assault, battery, libel, slander, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment have a one-year deadline. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Oklahoma Bar Association's "Find a Lawyer" directory is a voluntary, opt-in listing of Oklahoma attorneys that the public can search by practice area, location, language and name. Not every licensed attorney is listed, and the OBA does not endorse or certify listed attorneys. OBA phone: (405) 416-7000 or toll-free (800) 522-8065. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Oklahoma Bar Association's Member Verification search lets anyone look up attorneys by name, Bar ID or city. Each listing shows the lawyer's name, city and state, Bar ID, membership type (such as Active, Retired or Senior), status (such as Good Standing) and admission date. If you can't find an attorney, call 405-416-7000. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Oklahoma lawyers go to the Oklahoma Bar Association's Office of the General Counsel, P.O. Box 53036, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3036, (405) 416-7007. By law a complaint must be in writing and signed; a form is not required but can be downloaded or requested. Give specific details (dates, what you hired the lawyer to do, and what the lawyer did or failed to do) and send copies, not originals, of supporting papers. The office reviews the complaint, dismisses it if no violation is alleged, or investigates (which may include the lawyer's response); if evidence supports violations, the matter may go to the Professional Responsibility Tribunal, which makes recommendations to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Complaints are confidential unless public discipline is imposed. The OBA cannot give legal advice or intervene in your case. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO) helps low-income Oklahomans with civil, non-criminal legal issues. Apply online or call 1-888-534-5243; LASO asks about income, household size and the legal issue before deciding whether to take the case. LSC lists Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Indian Legal Services as its Oklahoma grantees. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.