Portland Personal Injury Attorney Bart Herron

The short answer is: absolutely not.  This depends upon the case circumstances, your damages, and fault. First of all, you are not legally required to have an attorney handle your claim. Read More...

Not all personal injuries warrant filing a lawsuit or claim, but if the accident would not have happened except for the negligence of another person, filing a claim could be the best way to recover compensation for your injuries.

To decide if you want to file a claim, it is natural to wonder how much you may be able to recover. It is difficult to make any generalizations about the value of cases because each is very different. That is why it is a good idea to talk to a personal injury attorney early on; he is experienced with many types of accident cases and may be able to give you some guidance about what similar cases as your have resulted in compensation in the past.

To determine what the claim could be worth, the first thing the personal injury attorney will look at are your actual damages. These also are called economic damages. Read more...

Many people do not realize that only 4% or 5% of personal injury cases ever go to trial. The other personal injury cases are settled out of court. Thus, many personal injury attorneys have more experience with settlements than trials. Still, it is impossible to know when your personal injury case might go to court. The insurance company may insist on paying you less than you deserve, and there could be a good chance that a jury will see things differently. If you do need to go to trial, you want to have an attorney with experience winning verdicts. Read More...

The majority of car accident lawyers charge their clients on a contingency basis. Unlike most attorneys in other fields (such as immigration, tax and criminal defense), car accident attorneys usually will not get paid any fees unless you recover money in the lawsuit.  So, your attorney does not get paid unless you do – they actually get paid a percentage of what you win. Most Oregon personal injury attorneys will charge 33% – 40% total sum recovered. Read More...

There are several types of damages to which you are entitled in a motor vehicle crash caused by another party:

• Medical expenses: physical therapy, doctors’ visits, ambulance fees, in-home services, permanent disability – past, current and future.
• Lost wages: A car accident can cause you to lose ability to earn a living. This may include your inability to work due to doctors’ appointments. Read More...

After an accident, there are two ways you can collect damages from the person who was negligent. The defendant may, usually through her insurance company, offer a settlement that you can accept or reject. Or, you can sue the defendant in a personal injury lawsuit. Read More...

• To have the best chance of prevailing in a personal injury lawsuit, having a strong relationship between you and your attorney is important. A successful claim or lawsuit takes a lot of time and effort – on both sides. Your contacts with your personal injury attorney should be regular and productive; they should feature clear communication and all of your questions should be addressed quickly.

Here are three good reasons our personal injury attorneys always want to stay in close contact with our clients:

• It can prevent gaps in medical treatment. If you have a serious auto accident, the treatment for the injuries can involve many appointments with several doctors. Gaps in treatment can damage your case. It is important to have your medical treatments completed in a timely manner. Regular communication with your lawyer ensures you are getting the care you need.
• Keep track of your injury recovery. If you are hurt in a car accident, you have a lot of things to worry about. You will have medical visits, legal appointments, legal documents, case materials, plus the physical pain of the injury. Talking to your attorney regularly ensures your case stays organized.
• Organized discovery. Discovery is the work that happens after the first meeting with your attorney. This is the exchange of details and information between each side of the lawsuit, such as documentary evidence, witness statements and other details. The discovery process can go for weeks or months. It requires active participation on your part, and talking to your attorney regularly will ensure discovery goes smoothly.