MEET OUR PARTNERS
JOHN COLBERT
Founder & Attorney
Hometown
- Sulphur, Oklahoma
Education
- University of Oklahoma, B.A., 1987
- University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D., 1990
Bar Admissions
- Oklahoma, 1990
Membership & Service
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- Chickasaw Nation Bar Association
- Carter County Bar Association
- Oklahoma County Bar Association
- Oklahoma Association for Justice
- American Association for Justice
- Lawyers for Working Oklahomans
- Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group
- National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives
- National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates
- Accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
ABOUT JOHN
John Colbert is the founder of Colbert Cooper Hill Attorneys, an Oklahoma personal injury law firm serving clients throughout the state from offices in Oklahoma City, Ardmore, and Tulsa.
Since beginning his legal career in 1990, John has dedicated his practice to helping injured and disabled Oklahomans protect their rights and obtain the benefits and compensation they deserve.
A native of Sulphur, Oklahoma, John grew up in a family with deep roots in law, medicine, and public service. John is a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation. His father, the Honorable George Dixie Colbert, served as a District Judge in southern Oklahoma for 26 years. John followed his father into the legal profession, as did each of his four brothers. His sister became a medical doctor. John’s mother, Ruby, worked at the Chickasaw National Recreational Area for the National Park Service. That family tradition helped shape John’s respect for the law, commitment to service, and belief that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and compassion. As a child and through his law school years, he spent every minute he could at the courthouse watching local lawyers in jury trials and on motion dockets, engaging as much as possible with the Oklahoma legal system.
John earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma – College of Law in 1990. He was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar that same year.
Over more than three decades of practice, John has represented Oklahomans facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. He understands that a serious injury or disability can affect far more than a person’s health – it can threaten a family’s financial security, independence, and future. His approach combines determined legal advocacy with personal attention and a genuine understanding of what is at stake for every client
Appellate Practice
Appellate advocacy has been a defining part of John’s legal career. He has prosecuted and/or defended more than 100 appellate cases before the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. His work has helped clarify important questions of workers’ compensation law, protect meaningful access to judicial review, and establish precedents that continue to guide Oklahoma courts, attorneys, employers, and injured workers. No attorney can win every appeal, and appellate outcomes often turn on complex legal issues and the particular facts of each case. Even against that demanding standard, John has achieved an impressive record of success, securing important victories that have protected his clients’ rights and helped shape Oklahoma law. Below are some of the published opinions that he won for his clients.
John represented an employee who slipped and fell on employer-controlled premises while reporting for work. The Oklahoma Supreme Court held that the injury occurred within the course and scope of employment, reversing the denial of the claim and remanding the matter for benefits. The decision became an important Oklahoma precedent concerning injuries that occur as an employee arrives at work.
John secured an important Oklahoma Supreme Court victory rejecting an employer’s unsupported theory that the claimant’s knee injury resulted from a pre-existing condition. By recognizing the compensability of the work-related injury, the Court reinforced the principle that speculation cannot substitute for competent evidence when an injured worker’s rights are at stake.
John’s representation of Craig Dunkin produced an important decision on the right to meaningful appellate review. The Oklahoma Supreme Court held that a workers’ compensation order must provide enough explanation of its factual and legal basis for the parties and reviewing courts to understand why the result was reached. A bare denial is not enough. The Court vacated the order and returned the matter for a new hearing.
John represented William Minyard in a unanimous Oklahoma Supreme Court victory addressing the statute of limitations in a workers’ compensation claim. The Court held that a court-ordered independent medical examination tolled the limitations period, vacated the Court of Civil Appeals opinion, and reinstated the trial court’s decision. The Court recognized that refusing to account for the court-ordered process would leave Minyard “thwarted from vindicating his rights.”
John Colbert successfully defended Dennis Hodge’s workers’ compensation award after Hodge was injured while driving a company truck back to an oil rig. The Court held that the employer-provided transportation exception applied, making the accident compensable.
John Colbert successfully represented Robert Nix in establishing that medication administered through an IV qualified as an “injection” under Oklahoma law. The ruling entitled Nix to eight additional weeks of temporary total disability benefits.
John Colbert successfully represented Jewel Kelley after her workers’ compensation award was overturned. The Court held that Kelley’s back injury was separate from her earlier neck and hand injuries, reinstating the trial court’s award and preserving her benefits and medical treatment.
John Colbert successfully represented Edith Butler in her claim for permanent total disability benefits against the Multiple Injury Trust Fund. The Court reversed the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s decision and reinstated the award entered in Butler’s favor
John is the proud father of three adult children. Away from the office, he enjoys spending time with his family, going to his farm in southern Oklahoma, relaxing at the lake in northeastern Oklahoma, attending Oklahoma City Thunder games, and cheering for the University of Oklahoma athletics.
Selected Appellate Case Record
The following matters are listed by case name, appellate case number, and published citation, when applicable, as reflected on www.oscn.net.