Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Automobile Accidents:
A car accident is a collision involving an automobile and anything that causes damage to the automobile, including other automobiles, telephone poles, buildings and trees. Sometimes a car accident may also refer to an automobile striking a human or animal. Car accidents — also called traffic collisions, auto accidents, road accidents, personal injury collisions, motor vehicle accidents and crashes — kill an estimated 1.2 million people worldwide each year, and injure about 40 times this number.

Other Vehicle Accidents:
Legal claims that arise from vehicle accidents are typically governed by the law of negligence.  Any individual who negligently operates a motor vehicle may be required to pay damages to an injured victim.  A personal injury case involving a vehicle accident may become formalized through civil court proceedings or may be resolved through an informal settlement before a lawsuit is filed. 

Vehicle accidents can include:

• ATV accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Boating accidents
• Bus accidents
• Cruise ship accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Semi-tractor trailer accidents
• SUV rollover accidents
• Train accidents
• Truck accidents

The surviving family members of a fatally injured accident victim may be able to bring wrongful death charges against the defendant.

Boating Accidents:
Typically, powerboats such as runabouts, cabin cruisers and jet skis are the most common watercraft involved in boating accidents, although sailboats can be involved in accidents as well.  The most frequent sources of injuries are caused from propeller accidents and collisions.  Because personal watercraft such as jet skis cannot be steered when the throttle is released, inexperienced drivers often have collisions when confronted with an emergency.  Serious personal injury and even death can occur due to a boating collision or from a person falling over the side of a watercraft and drowning.  Legal claims that arise from boating collisions are typically governed by the law of negligence.  Any individual who negligently operates a watercraft may be required to pay damages to an injured victim.  A maritime case involving a boating accident may become formalized through civil court proceedings, or may be resolved through an informal settlement before a lawsuit is filed.  The surviving family members of a fatally injured boating accident victim may be able to recover damages in a maritime wrongful death action against the defendant.

Cruise Ship Accidents:
Cruise ship accidents can include food poisoning, assault by crew members or other passengers, sexual battery, slip/trip and falls and other personal injuries.  Cruise ship lines have a responsibility to make sure there are no hazardous conditions on board that can cause injury to its passengers.  When cruise ship accidents occur because of poor maintenance, incompetent staff members, inadequate safety equipment, inadequate emergency precautions and/or improperly trained employees, cruise ship owners can be held legally responsible for negligence.  Victims of cruise ship accidents may be entitled to damages for pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages.  The cruise ship industry restricts when and where a personal injury claim can be filed.  For example, many tickets make a stipulation that an injured passenger must file a claim within one year of the cruise ship accident, and that claims must be made in a certain state.

Motorcycle Accidents:
Motorcycle riders are often exposed to dangers not met by automobile drivers and other motorists on the road.  The lack of any substantial protective barriers, as well as the difficulty that other motorists may have in seeing or stopping for a motorcycle, leaves riders prone to serious personal injury in the event of an accident.

Truck Accidents:
Truck accidents are usually much more complex than car accidents, and as roadways are becoming more and more crowded, truck accidents are occurring more frequently and involving a multitude of drivers. Truck accidents can occur due to reckless driving, mechanical failures, oversized/overloaded trucks, inexperience of the truck driver, driving in bad weather, and truck driver fatigue, and can result in truck/vehicle rollover, jack-knife, or head-on and rear-end collisions. Laws and regulations are specifically designed to protect motorists from the negligence of the truck companies and/or truck drivers. A person who is injured in a truck accident, or has lost a loved one due to wrongful death caused by a truck accident, can sue the persons or party at fault.

Spinal Cord Injury:
Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when the nerves within the spinal canal are damaged.  Most SCI's are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, affecting the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages between the brain and the body's systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function.  Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of SCI, followed by acts of violence, falls, sports injuries and diseases such as polio, spina bifida and Friedreich’s Ataxia.  The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur. In fact, in most people with SCI, the spinal cord is intact, but the damage to it results in loss of functioning.   

Traumatic Brain Injury:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a medical phrase used to describe the damage to the brain suffered by sudden impact or physical force to the head.  Essentially, the human brain floats in a fluid substance called cerebrospinal fluid.  TBI can result when the force of momentum causes the brain to impact against the skull.  This type of injury, often the result of hitting your head on the windshield, pavement or object, is frequently referred to as a “closed head injury.”  Whiplash can also cause TBI.  These closed head injuries can result in lasting physical and mental problems.

Burn Injuries:
People who have suffered and survived the agony of second, third and even fourth degree burns describe the pain they experienced as among the most severe of all traumatic injuries.  Personal injuries involving severe burns commonly result from explosions, premises fires, defective products, motor vehicle collisions, electric shock, as well as accidental exposure to harmful chemicals and radiation.

Slip and Fall/Premises Liability:
Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and can cause serious personal injury.  Most slip and falls happen in commercial settings, such as grocery stores, drug stores, office buildings, construction sites, gas stations and malls, but they also happen on private property.  Premises Liability accidents can include toxic exposure, animal attacks, swimming pool accidents and amusement park ride accidents.  In any event, there exist duties on the part of the property owners to maintain the property responsibly and avoid the existence of hazardous conditions.

Dangerous or defective conditions may be large or small, temporary or permanent.  Therefore, investigation of the claim is essential to a successful case.  Temporary conditions such as water on the floor of a grocery store, or snow and ice on the stairs of a restaurant need to be investigated quickly.

Construction/ On-the-Job Accidents:
Construction labor makes up one of the three most dangerous occupations in the United States today; each year producing thousands of debilitating injuries and wrongful deaths.  Factors that contribute to construction accidents include workers lifting loads with worn and weathered cables, working on elevated platforms without fall protection or wearing defective safety harnesses and lanyards, and/or working in trenches with improper benching and using outdated tools and equipment.  Farming and manufacturing accidents, as well as the oil and gas industry accidents can also cause serious injury and toxic exposure.

• Toxic Exposure: Due to the tremendous growth of corporate industry in the United States over the past fifty years, the number of dangerous, toxic substances in the environment has grown significantly.  Some toxic substances are shown to cause substantial injury to people, such as lead-based paint (linked to brain damage, especially in children), asbestos (linked to lung cancer and restrictive lung disease), dry cleaning and other solvents (linked to brain damage and major organ damage), pesticides such as dioxin and DDT (linked to birth injuries) and toxic landfill waste (linked to leukemia).

Dog/Animal Bites:
Every year, millions of Americans are bitten by animals.  Being attacked by a dog is an extremely stressful event. Many dog bite injuries leave scars and have lasting emotional effects.  In every state, a dog owner is liable for bites to people inflicted viciously by a dog that previously bit a person viciously, or that were inflicted pursuant to the command of the dog owner.

In almost all states, a bite victim can recover compensation from a person whose negligence caused the attack and from a person who violated a leash law, a trespass law applicable to dogs or other dog safety laws.  The owner or keeper of a dog is strictly liable for his or her dog, even if it is the first time the dog has injured someone.  As long as the injured victim was not trespassing, teasing or tormenting the dog, the keeper or owner of the dog is liable for any injuries sustained.  Compensation for a dog bite can include payment for medical bills, pain & suffering, mental anxiety, fear and scarring.

Insurance Claims:
Insurance claims are a notice for reimbursement from an insurance company when the insured has suffered a loss that is covered under the insurance policy. Insurance companies cannot refuse to pay a customer's claim without "reasonable justification."  This means that an insurance company must engage in a reasonable investigation and pay legitimate claims in a timely manner.  If an insurance company fails to handle its customer's claim properly, it may be held accountable for resulting economic losses, including lost wages, interest on money the insured borrowed to cover expenses while insurance benefits were wrongfully withheld, and loss due to damaged credit.

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect:
Americans are living longer than ever before.  The fastest growing segment in the United States is the elderly population.  As a result of this demographic shift, many elderly Americans have become residents of nursing homes during their final years.  As many of these nursing homes are under-funded and understaffed, a disturbing incidence of neglect and abuse is being reported.  Injuries sustained by nursing home residents due to neglect and abuse often involve the inappropriate use of physical restraints, joint contractors, overuse of sedatives, unnecessary use of urinary catheters, loss of mobility, pressure sores and lack of nutrition with weight loss.

Medical Malpractice:
Medical malpractice is the failure of a health care provider to follow the accepted standards of practice of his or her profession in the community where the service is rendered.  If a physician was careless, lacked proper skills or disregarded standardized rules resulting in injury to a patient, a jury may find the health care provider liable for negligence.  Hospitals can also be held liable for the negligence of their employees, including staff nurses and technicians.

Examples of Medical Malpractice include:

• Failing to diagnose a tumor while reading an x-ray
• Puncturing a nearby organ or tissue during surgery
• Failing to order necessary and appropriate medical tests
• Failing to diagnose a condition in time to treat it properly
• Failing to refer a case to a medical specialist
• Prescribing incorrect medication
• Brain Injury
• Birth Injury
• Cerebral Palsy
• Incorrect diagnosis that results in a failure to treat a medical condition
• Failing to properly administer anesthesia
• Emergency room negligence
• Dental Malpractice
• Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice

• Birth Injury: Birth injury malpractice is the failure of an obstetrician to properly perform his or her duties; i.e. failure to administer blood tests to detect abnormalities that can result in death or serious injury to both the mother and fetus.  If you have been injured because of improper medical care you may have a claim against the obstetrician/gynecologist who treated you.  However, statutes of limitations bar the filing of claims after a certain period of time following the negligent act.
• Cerebral Palsy: Cerebral palsy is permanent brain injuries that affect an infant in the womb, during birth, or in the months following birth and is one of the most common birth injuries in the United States.  Cerebral palsy patients are subject to limited motor skills, speech difficulties and learning disabilities.  When cerebral palsy occurs as the result of medical malpractice, the responsible party inflicting said injuries can be held legally responsible.  Examples of medical malpractice during delivery include leaving the baby in the birth canal too long resulting in oxygen deprivation, and/or failing to perform or delaying a necessary C-section.
• Anesthesia Negligence: Medical malpractice injuries can occur when anesthesia is improperly given or not given in a timely manner to a patient during a surgical procedure. If the failure of the anesthesiologist is the cause of injury or death to a patient, damages may be recoverable under the laws of medical malpractice.

Defective Products:
Products liability refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the hands of a consumer.  Products liability cases may include defective or poorly designed machinery, tools, motor vehicle defects, recreational products, pharmaceuticals and other defective products and equipment.  A person injured by a defective or dangerous product may be eligible to file a lawsuit for product liability.  Damages can be recovered under one of the following categories:  strict products liability; negligence or breach of warranty.   

Workers' Compensation:
Workers' compensation is insurance that an employer is required by law to carry in case an employee is injured on the job or becomes ill, temporarily or permanently disabled, or fatally injured due to circumstances surrounding his or her job.  Although workers' compensation laws vary from state to state, covered medical care generally includes: medical, surgical and hospital services; dental services; crutches; hearing aids; chiropractic treatment; physical therapy; nursing care and prescribed medications.  Additional monetary compensation may be provided if an injured employee is temporarily unable to work for more than a certain number of calendar days set by state law, hospitalized as an in-patient, or becomes permanently disabled due to a job-related injury or illness.  The right to receive medical treatment at the employer's expense typically continues as long as treatment is reasonable and necessary to treat the injury. 

Wrongful Death:
A wrongful death occurs when a person is killed due to the negligence or misconduct of another individual, company or organization.  A legal action for wrongful death belongs to the decedent's immediate family members, usually a surviving spouse and children, and sometimes parents.  Under certain circumstances, unrelated minor children living with and supported by the decedent may also bring a claim for wrongful death.  In order to bring a successful wrongful death cause of action, the following elements must be present:

• The death of a human being caused by another's negligent or intentional conduct.
• The survival of family members who are suffering the loss of financial support, love, care, comfort, supervision, guidance, household assistance and general society previously provided by the deceased.

The general rule in wrongful death cases is that one is entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages which are suffered as a result of the loss of a loved one.  Economic damages in a wrongful death case include an award for the financial contributions which the decedent would have made to his or her spouse, children and/or parents had he or she survived.  It also includes the recovery for funeral service expenses in memory of the decedent and for burial cost.  Non-economic damages include loss of love, society, companionship, comfort, affection, solace or moral support. 

If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Oklahoma personal injury attorney, call Carr & Carr Attorneys at Law today at 918-221-0003 or 405-212-9010, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

• Truck Collision $5,500,000.00
• School Bus Collision $4,000,000.00
• Train Collision $3,000,000.00
• Truck Collision $3,000,000.00
• Truck Collision $2,500,000.00
• Disability Insurance Bad Faith $2,000,000.00
• Oil Field Accident $2,000,000
• Disability Insurance Bad Faith $1,800,000.00
• Insurance Bad Faith $1,250,000.00
• Auto collision $1,250,000.00
• Auto Collision $1,150,000.00
• Auto Collision $1,150,000.00
• Defective Product $1,050,000.00
• Premises Injury $1,000,000.00
• Negligent Road Maintenance $1,000,000.00
• Civil Rights Violation $1,000,000.00
• Auto Collision $1,000,000.00
• Truck Collision $1,000,000.00
• Nursing Home Negligence $1,000,000.00
• Airplane crash $800,000.00
• Truck Collision $775,000.00
• Auto Collision $760,000.00
• Auto Collision $750,000.00
• Insurance Bad Faith $750,000.00
• Auto Collision $690,000.00
• Truck Collision $650,000.00
• Defective Product $597,810.04
• Defective Product $580,000.00
• Auto Collision $580,000.00
• Auto Collision $554,500.00
• Auto Collision $505,000.00
• Auto Collision $500,000.00
• Auto Collision $500,000.00
• Accidental Shooting $423,000.00
• Defective Product $400,000.00
• Defective Product $400,000.00
• Premises Injury $362,500.00
• Auto Collision $350,000.00
• Explosion $320,000.00
• Medical Negligence $310,000.00
• Insurance Bad Faith $300,000.00
• Auto Collision $300,000.00
• Auto Collision $300,000.00
• Auto Collision $300,000.00
• Auto Collision $275,000.00
• Auto Collision $273,333.34

If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Oklahoma personal injury attorney, call Carr & Carr Attorneys at Law today at 918-221-0003 or 405-212-9010, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Oklahoma personal injury attorney, call Carr & Carr Attorneys at Law today at 918-221-0003 or 405-212-9010, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Carr & Carr Attorneys at Law

TULSA MIDTOWN OFFICE
4416 South Harvard Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74315
Phone: 919-526-0999
Fax: 918-747-7284

TULSA PLAZA SANTA CECELIA OFFICE
2160 South Garnett Road, # B7
Tulsa, OK 74129
Phone:  919-526-0999

OKLAHOMA CITY OFFICE
1350 SW 89^th
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
Phone:  919-526-0999
Fax:  405-234-2128

Phones answered 24/7.
Offices open 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

• Attorney Patrick E. Carr

Patrick E. Carr co-founded the firm with his father, Eugene Carr, in 1973. He has been the principal attorney in the firm since his father’s passing in 1992. His practice is concentrated in cases involving brain injury, wrongful death and insurance bad faith. He has tried and argued cases in every United States Federal District Court in Oklahoma, the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and numerous Oklahoma District Courts.

Pat is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He has successfully represented the firm’s clients in a number of states. He has served as a Judge on the Oklahoma Temporary Court of Appeals, as a member of the Rules of Professional Conduct Committee of the Oklahoma Bar Association, on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association as well as its Vice-President (2001) and President (2002). He has also authored numerous articles in the area of tort law and has lectured and taught for both the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association and the Oklahoma Bar Association. He has been involved in a number of published legal opinions.

He served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard, as an enlisted man, an infantry platoon leader and a station commander. He also served in the United States Army Reserves as an officer in a Civil Affairs unit. He has coached little league baseball, is interested in distance running and swimming, he plays the violin and studies biographies and history. Pat and his wife married in 1975 and have three adult sons.

• Education: 1970 – Bachelor of Arts, History, (Special Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, Top Ten Senior Men), College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma; 1973 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: American Bar Association; Oklahoma Bar Association; American Trial Lawyers Association; Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association (Vice-President, 2001; President, 2002); Tulsa County Bar Association.

• Attorney Raymond S. Allred

Raymond Allred has been a practicing attorney for over twenty years. Born in El Paso, Texas, and blessed with a keen sense of competition, Raymond excelled in sports at Odessa High School, lettering in football and golf. He was also Student Body President and member of the National Honor Society. In college at McMurry University, he served as an officer in his fraternity and was consistently on the Dean’s Honor Roll. During law school, Raymond served on the Law Review, was Vice President of the Student Council, and won the prestigious American Jurisprudence Award in Torts, Evidence, and Civil Procedure. In private practice, Raymond has tried a number of large successful cases with other notable attorneys in Oklahoma and Texas, both as lead and co-counsel. Raymond specializes in litigation as a plaintiff’s attorney.

• Education: 1983 – Bachelor of Science, Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences, McMurry University, Abilene, Texas; 1986 – Doctor of Jurisprudence, O.W. Coburn, School of Law, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Iota Eta Rho, Legal Fraternity; Oklahoma Bar Association; Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association; Tulsa Trial Lawyers Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

• Attorney Brent D. Berry

Brent Berry joined the law firm of Carr & Carr in March of 2001. He was formerly associated with the law firm of Denney & Barrett, P.C. His practice is primarily focused on personal injury litigation. He is admitted to practice in the State of Oklahoma and in the Western District of Oklahoma. He has significant experience in cases involving injuries caused by defective products. In the past year he was co-counsel in cases in which settlements or jury verdicts were reached totaling in excess of ten million dollars.

• Education: 1995 – Bachelor of Arts, History, College of Arts and Sciences, Southeastern State University, Durant, Oklahoma; 1998 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Bar Association; Cleveland County Bar Association; American Trial Lawyers Association; Board of Directors; Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association.

• Attorney John L. Branum

John L. Branum practices at the Oklahoma City office of Carr & Carr. He began working with the firm in 2003. His practice is concentrated in cases involving accident injuries or wrongful death, insurance bad faith, and the representation of children.

John is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma, the United States District Court Eastern District of Oklahoma, United States District Court Western District of Oklahoma, United States District Court Northern District of Oklahoma, the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas, and the United States District Court District of Kansas.

• Education: 2001 – Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, William S. Speers School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.; 2004 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Bar Association; Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association; Kansas Trial Lawyers Association; American Trial Lawyers Association; American Bar Association.

• Attorney Michael E. Carr

Michael E. Carr practices out of the Tulsa office of Carr & Carr. He graduated with distinction from the University of Oklahoma, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration. Thereafter, he earned a Master’s degree in Political Management from George Washington University. While in Washington, D.C., he helped candidates successfully run for political office. He returned to Oklahoma to earn a Juris Doctor degree at Oklahoma City University School of Law where he graduated in the top 15% of his class.

He is currently licensed to practice in all state courts in Oklahoma. He works in all phases of litigation from pre-trial litigation to trial work. He has successfully completed the Deposition Skills course sponsored by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and has attended AAJ’s Advanced Trial College: Litigating Truck Collision Cases. Michael is a Proud Member of National Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

• Attorney Mark R. Robinson

Mark has practiced law for over 16 years, following a 10 year business career as a manager with the IBM Corporation. Mark concentrates his practice in personal injury accident cases. His emphasis is on obtaining satisfactory results for clients through skillful negotiation, mediation, and settlement of these cases while limiting the necessity of litigation in many cases.

While at the University of Tulsa Law School Mark received awards for distinguished performance in the National Mock Trial Competition and received the prestigious American Jurisprudence Award recognizing achievement in the study of Federal Courts.

Mark is admitted to practice before all State Courts in Oklahoma and the Federal Courts for the United States Northern District and United States Eastern District.

Mark is also an adjunct faculty member of Oral Roberts University where he teaches College of Business Administration courses in Negotiation & Conflicts Resolution, and Legal Issues in Human Resources Management.

Mark enjoys serving as volunteer counsel for several 501c3 nonprofit organizations. He also enjoys playing guitar, snow skiing and scuba diving with his wife and three children.

• Education: 1980 – Bachelor of Business Administration, Dean’s Honors, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas; 1990 – Certificate of Studies, International Law, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, in conjunction with St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas; 1991 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Association for Justice, formerly Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association; American Bar Association; Oklahoma Bar Association; Tulsa County Bar Association; Washington State Bar Association; Christian Legal Society; Certified Mediator, Supreme Court Dispute Resolution Program; Attorney Mediator’s Institute.

• Attorney A. Laurie Koller

Laurie Koller is a trial attorney based in Carr & Carr’s Tulsa office. However, she is licensed in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri with responsibility for some matters in all three states. Laurie has been the primary trial attorney for more than 50 jury trials in the state and federal courts. Her practice now focuses on complex litigation, including class actions, bad faith, and product liability.

Laurie is also an adjunct professor at Tulsa Community College in the Legal Assistant degree program where she teaches Torts, Civil Procedure, and Advanced Research & Writing.

• Education: 1988 – Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, (Cum laude, with Distinction), Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; 1991 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association; Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association; American Trial Lawyers Association; Oklahoma, Missouri & Arkansas Bar Associations; Tulsa County Bar Association; National Association of Consumer Advocates.

• Attorney C . Greg Smart

Greg Smart joined the firm of Carr & Carr in 2006. Before joining the firm, he was associated with the law firm of Brady, Schaulat & Falsetti in Oklahoma City, where he concentrated his practice on personal injury and negligence litigation, which included semi and auto accidents, premises liability, products liability, nursing home negligence and insurance law disputes. He was responsible for all phases of civil pre-trial and trial preparation matters and has appealed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Mr. Smart continues to focus on all types of personal injury and negligence litigation for Carr & Carr. He is licensed to practice in all state courts in Oklahoma and the United States Federal Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Greg is married with one child. Greg and his family reside in Oklahoma City.

• Education: 1986 – Bachelor of Science, Organizational Business Administration – Bachelor of Science, Hotel and Restaurant Administration, William S. Speers School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma; 1992 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Bar Association; Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association; American Bar Association; American Trial Lawyers Association.

• Attorney Tye H. Smith

Tye is the managing attorney for our Oklahoma City office. He concentrates his practice in personal injury, wrongful death and insurance bad faith litigation. Tye handles most of the jury trials for our clients in Oklahoma City and the remaining western half of Oklahoma. He has obtained significant jury verdicts in the central, western and southeastern areas of Oklahoma. He has persuaded major insurance carriers to change their claims-handling procedures through his pursuit of bad faith litigation.

In 1999, Tye obtained a ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Burch v. Allstate that was a major victory for clients seeking uninsured motorist benefits. This decision continues to cause an uproar in the insurance industry. In 1998, he sued Allstate for bad faith because of its policy of requiring insured motorists to sign a release in exchange for payment of undisputed benefits due under their uninsured motorist coverage. After obtaining a favorable ruling from the court on the issue, the case settled for a confidential amount. Immediately after the settlement, Allstate changed its claim-handling procedure on this issue.

When not practicing law and spending time with his family, Tye enjoys fishing in bass tournaments at the state and national level.

• Education: 1989 – Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Carl Albert Political Studies Center, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma; 1992 – Juris Doctor, (with Distinction), School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Bar Association; American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association); Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association, Past Member of Board of Directors and Past Co-chair of Public Education Committee; Admitted to practice in the State of Oklahoma – Northern, Eastern & Western Federal District Courts of Oklahoma; and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals – and the State of Missouri.

• Attorney Guy A. Thiessen

Guy Thiessen manages the Tulsa office. He concentrates his practice in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, with emphasis in nursing home litigation, commercial trucking accidents, product liability and insurance bad faith. He primarily handles and manages litigation for the Tulsa office and has successfully concluded many cases by jury trial and settlement.

He has been licensed to practice law in the State of Oklahoma since 1989 and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, and all United States District and State Courts in Oklahoma.

He has been a speaker at several continuing legal education seminars in Oklahoma to teach other lawyers how to handle nursing home cases. He is a member of the Nursing Home Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice, formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

• Education: 1985 – Bachelor of Science, Business Administration/Finance, School of Business, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.; 1989 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Association for Justice, formerly Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association (President, 2008; Vice President, 2006; Board of Directors, 1996 to present; Member since 1989); Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member since 1989; American Association for Justice, formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

• Attorney Robert N. Ylla, Jr.

Robert Ylla (YAH-LA) was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He was the first graduating class from Westmoore High School in Oklahoma City. He excelled in both academics with a 3.98 GPA and in sports on the football, basketball, and golf teams. Robert’s performance in these areas earned him an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy.

Early in his college education, Robert decided that he wanted to go to law school and transferred to the University of Oklahoma. While in college, Robert enjoyed boxing and football on the Delta Upsilon Fraternity teams, and was consistently on the Dean’s and President’s Honor Rolls. Robert was also inducted into the Delta Phi Scholastic Fraternity (an academic honor). Upon graduating from law school and being admitted to the Bar, Robert worked as an attorney for two large law firms that defended major insurance companies, big corporations, and municipalities. This experience gave Robert a great understanding of how these large corporate entities attempt to save money at the expense of the rights of the little person.

Robert’s sense of ethics and empathy for the individual gave him the impetus for a career change to become a plaintiff’s advocate. Robert joined Carr & Carr in August 2000 and works in the firm’s Oklahoma City office. His practice concentrates on cases involving all injuries including but not limited to injuries resulting from car accidents, homeowners’ negligence, dog bites, burns, scars, wrongful death, and other insurance disputes.

Robert is married to a homemaker, and the father of two lovely daughters. He enjoys golf, fishing, working in the yard, and working out at the gym.

• Education: 1993 – Bachelor of Arts, Letters, Honors College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma; 1997 – Juris Doctor, School of Law, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
• Professional Associations: Oklahoma Bar Association; American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association); Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association; Admitted to practice in all counties in the State of Oklahoma and the Western Federal District Court of Oklahoma.