Oregon Car Accident Lawyer
Portland Motor Vehicle Attorney for All Collision Injuries
Millions of car accident injury cases and tens of thousands of car accident deaths occur every year in the United States. An average of 115 people die each day in auto accidents in the U.S.
Oregon has its share of those serious collision injury and wrongful death cases. 2009 Oregon Department of Transportation motor vehicle traffic crash data showed around 19,000 non-fatal injury road and highway crashes. Collisions not resulting in wrongful death rose 5.1% over the prior year. Pedestrian impacts were reported as being up nearly 10%.
Most Common Oregon Errors Causing Traffic Accidents
ODOT’s data tracked driver errors causing collisions. Negligent drivers who commit the following types of road errors or otherwise fail to drive with reasonable care can cause serious personal injury or wrongful death to other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Failure to avoid stopped or parked vehicle ahead
Failure to yield right-of-way
Failure to maintain lane
Driving too fast for conditions
Ran off road
Improper change of traffic lanes
Inattention
Following too close
Disregarded traffic signal
Left turn in front of on-coming traffic
Any of these and other traffic conditions may also be used by the defense to deny or limit liability. A person hurt in an auto accident has the burden of proving that the other driver was at fault or primarily at fault. Oregon law provides that compensation allowed by the jury as damages in a personal injury case is reduced by the percentage of fault that is found to apply to the injured person.
Settlement in Auto Accident Cases
We have found that insurance companies want you to believe that handling your auto accident claim does not require the assistance of a personal injury attorney. But you should know that many insurers have implemented programs designed to discourage attorney representation. A 2004 Insurance Research Council study showed that, on average, automobile accident injury claimants who hired a car accident lawyer received a settlement that was three and a half times better than they would have if they had tried to negotiate on their own. Patients are not trained to adequately prove their injuries and may lack the experience to negotiate with insurance personnel. As a result, they routinely misevaluate their own claims.
No attorney can promise or guarantee any result in any case, and we will not do so. The ultimate value of any given case is the amount of the jury’s verdict after a trial on the merits. Our practice is to prepare for that trial from the first day that we meet the client regardless of whether a settlement is reached. We monitor our clients’ medical condition closely until it has stabilized, then evaluate the extent and permanency of injuries, the effect that injuries have had on life, the amount and duration of medical treatment, prior verdicts received for similar injuries, and our experience. We can then recommend a reasonable settlement amount knowing that we are ready to take it before the jury if a fair settlement cannot be achieved.
We believe that the best way to obtain fair compensation for collision injuries is to have a Portland car accident attorney who is unafraid to stand up against the insurance system, experienced in the trial of collision injuries in court, and committed to doing everything possible to fight for your rights.
Contact an Oregon Law Firm Representing Those Injured by Automobile Accidents
If you or a loved one have suffered because of a car, truck, bus, bike, or pedestrian collision or any other type of motor vehicle accident, contact us. Our Portland car accident law office will evaluate your potential case at no cost. Call attorney Dane Johnson at (503) 975-8298 or contact us online for a free confidential initial consultation. There are no fees unless we recover compensation for you.
