Portland Car Accident Attorney
With years of experience and a passion for justice, Shannon Powell Law will fight for you as your Portland, Oregon car accident lawyer. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you need someone on your side. Insurance companies use all of their resources to pay as little as possible on your claim. We’ll help you even the scales to give you a fair chance.
When you’re driving the I-5 on your way to work, the last thing you expect is to get into a car accident. But accidents can happen anytime, anywhere, even to the best of drivers. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, there were over 38,000 crashes in Oregon in 2020. Of those, 19,343 car accidents caused injury and 460 resulted in fatalities. Car accidents are an unfortunate part of modern-day living. But personal injury law in Oregon exists to protect you from the negligence of others.
Read on to learn more about car accidents in Oregon and how a Portland accident attorney may be able to help you.
If you’ve received an injury from a car accident recently in Portland, don’t wait! Get yourself an experienced Portland car accident attorney. I can provide you with experienced legal representation to help you get compensated for your suffering. Give me a call ASAP at 503-372-6244 or contact me through my website.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents in Oregon
The average weight of a car comes in at around 4100 pounds, so even a collision at thirty miles per hour involves great force. The damage caused by an automobile collision will depend on a number of factors, including the speed of the car, the size of the car, and whether or not the occupants were wearing their seatbelts. Although every car accident is unique, here are some of the most common types of injuries sustained in an Oregon car accident:
Whiplash: As one of the most common types of car accident injuries, whiplash can also be one of the more difficult injuries to diagnose. According to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash injuries don’t show up on X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs. Still, the pain of whiplash is real and can take months or even years to heal.
Broken bones: The force of impact during a car accident can cause any number of broken bones. Fractured ribs, broken legs, and even knee, ankle, and foot fractures are a common result of a car crash. Depending on the severity of the break, you may need surgery and months of physical therapy. Even then, your mobility may be impacted for years.
Traumatic brain injury: Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is one common injury after a car accident. TBIs include a wide range of symptoms, from memory loss and dizziness to sleep problems and headaches. TBIs range from mild to severe, but even the mildest TBI requires medical care.
Spinal cord injury: Damage to the spinal cord often causes permanent, irreversible changes to your strength and mobility. Complete spinal cord injury can even cause paralysis below the point where your spinal cord was damaged. Spinal cord injury requires treatment by a medical professional and can profoundly change your life. There is no cure for spinal cord injury, although treatments exist that can mitigate the condition.
Internal damage: Sometimes the worst damage to your body cannot be seen. Damage to organs as well as internal bleeding may not be apparent until it’s too late. Even if you feel fine immediately after a car accident you should still be checked out by a medical professional to make sure you don’t have any internal bleeding.
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Personal Injury Areas of Expertise
Car Accidents
Car and Truck Collisions
Pedestrian Accidents
Accidents Caused by Uninsured or Under-Insured Drivers
Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers
Motorcycle Accidents
Accidents Including Bicyclists
Dog Attack Injuries
Why Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Portland?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you might assume you don’t need a Portland accident attorney. Maybe you worry about suing someone else. And you know that the insurance company of the driver at fault should be paying for your medical bills. When you file a car accident claim, you are suing the insurance company rather than the driver. Unfortunately, many insurance companies do everything they can to pay less money. They have adjusters, investigators, and attorneys to investigate the crash and minimize their liability. They may even outright deny your claim, leaving you to pay for someone else’s negligence.
A Portland, Oregon car accident lawyer knows how the insurance companies operate. Your accident attorney will do the heavy work of investigating the accident. They will help you prove fault of the other driver as well as negotiate with the insurance company. While you do not legally have to hire an attorney, a car accident lawyer in Portland is your best bet for receiving the compensation you’re entitled to. Representing yourself may come at a cost of settling for too little or losing your case outright.
What Should you Do After a Car Accident in Oregon?
Whether a fender-bender or a serious accident, there are certain steps you should take to protect yourself after a car accident. Every accident is different, but these are the basics.
Seek medical attention. If someone is seriously injured, call for an ambulance. Unless they are in immediate danger, don’t move anyone who is injured. If you have no major injuries, it’s still recommended that you make an appointment with your doctor. Keep track of all your medical records.
Call the police. Even if no one is injured, it’s important for a police officer to come to the scene of the accident and investigate. Their report can be obtained after the accident and may be essential in building your claim.
Get the phone number, address, insurance information, and driver’s license number of the other driver. Give your information to the other driver.
Gather contact information of witnesses. Witnesses may be key in proving the fault of the other driver.
Document everything you can. Take pictures of the scene. Take pictures of your injuries as they heal. Obtain a police report and keep track of all medical records.
Do not make a statement to the other driver’s insurance. They may try to get you to accept fault so they don’t have to pay for the damage. Don’t post about the accident on social media or talk about the details of the accident with family and friends.
Contact a Portland, Oregon car accident lawyer as soon as you possible. An experienced accident lawyer can advise you on the right steps to take for the best outcome in your claim. In Oregon, the statute of limitations for car accident claims is two years. That time starts from the day of the accident. Getting started as soon as possible after your accident will ensure that you don’t miss the deadline. Speaking with a Portland accident attorney soon after the accident also allows the attorney to better investigate the accident. Evidence may be harder to obtain as more time passes.
Who is Liable in a Car Accident?
Every state has different laws regarding liability in a car accident personal injury claim. Some US states are no-fault states. This means that each driver’s insurance providers pay for their medical bills and property damage following the accident. Some US states are what’s known as contributory negligence states. This means that if the victim of the car accident is even 1% at fault, they are ineligible for any financial compensation.
Luckily, Oregon is a comparative negligence state. Comparative negligence is a way of sharing fault fairly. According to Oregon’s laws, if you are less than 50% at fault, you may still be eligible for a portion of compensation. So, if you are 25% at fault, you would receive the damages awarded, minus 25%. An experienced car accident lawyer in Portland can help you prove fault of the other driver, even if you share some of the fault.
How Much is Your Accident Claim Worth?
Every car accident is unique, and the worth of your accident claim is dependent on a number of factors. It’s impossible to tell you right now how much your claim is worth. A car accident lawyer in Portland will ask you questions, compile your medical bills, and investigate the accident to determine how much compensation to pursue. In most cases, your lawyer will be able to negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company. However, in some cases, your case may need to go to trial.
Some of the things that might affect the worth of your claim include:
Severity of injuries: A life-changing injury such as a spinal cord injury will require more medical care than a broken arm. As such, your claim would be worth more to cover the cost of your medical bills.
Comparative negligence: Oregon is a comparative negligence state. This means that even if you share some of the fault in the accident, you might be granted partial compensation.
Punitive damages: If the driver at fault for the accident was extremely negligent in their actions, you may be awarded punitive damages.
Options After a Car Accident
If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by someone else, you have a few different options for receiving compensation. The first option is accepting the settlement the at-fault driver’s insurance offers. A Portland accident attorney can tell you whether or not the settlement is fair. If the offer seems too low, the next option is to negotiate for a higher amount. An experienced accident lawyer is skilled in negotiating with insurance companies and may be able to help you get a better offer. Finally, if the insurance company denies your claim, you can file a lawsuit and take your case to trial. Your Portland accident lawyer will go to trial for you.
At Shannon Powell Law, we have years of experience working in the Portland area with car accident victims. We’ll help you through the entire process to ensure you get the best deal. Let us manage your case for you so you can focus on healing. Call Shannon Powell Law today for a consultation. We serve the entire Portland area including Hillsboro and Beaverton.
*Nothing herein constitutes legal advice. You should obtain independent legal counsel regarding your specific factual situation.
