If you have been hurt in a car accident by another driver in Oregon, you could be entitled to compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. Please contact Car Accident Attorney Bart Herron at Herron Law Firm 24×7 at 503-699-6496 to discuss your claim and legal options. We offer a Free Consultation, so you have nothing to lose by calling us today. Want to TEXT? Go ahead 503-367-0829
1. What Happened:
On March 13,2020 at 12 PM, Deschutes County 911 received a call about a two-car accident or head-on crash on Alfalfa Market Road west of Dodds Road east of Bend. Several deputies and fire department paramedics went to the scene immediately.
When they arrived, a Ford Escape was blocking the eastbound lane and a blue Dodge pickup truck was on the eastbound shoulder. Paramedics treated both drivers and passengers in both vehicles and took all three in ambulances to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
2. Who Was Involved:
The police investigation found that John Kelley, 53, was driving his Ford Escape eastbound on Alfalfa Market Road in a Deschutes County Community Development Department vehicle. Jason Peterson, 34, was driving westbound in his Dodge pickup and did not negotiate a right hand turn properly and crossed the center line, smashing into Kelley’s vehicle head on.
Alcohol was not a factor in the crash and both drivers were wearing seatbelts.
3. What To Do After a Head-On Car Accident:
Head-on crashes are serious accidents. Statistics show that a head-on crash is more likely to cause serious injury or even death. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is a 58% fatality rate for people in frontal impact crashes, as of 2017. Head-on accidents are more likely in rural areas; 13% of all fatal rural accidents are head-on crashes. In cities, fewer than 7% of fatal accidents are head-on.
The most important thing after a head-on accident is to get medical attention right away. You could suffer serious injuries and not be aware of them right away. Adrenaline is surging through your body after a serious crash and you might not feel pain for hours.
After you have had medical treatment and your injuries are treated, you may want to consider filing a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver. It depends on who was at fault for the crash. It is a good idea to talk to an Oregon personal injury attorney at The Herron Law Firm. Our attorneys can study the accident by hiring an engineer or accident reconstruction professionals to determine who was at fault.
If you were hurt in the crash and the other driver was to blame, his auto insurance should pay for your damages. But it first must be established conclusively that the other driver was at fault.
4. Law and Rules:
In Oregon, a modified comparative fault rule is in effect. This means that you can recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, state law establishes that if you were 51% at fault for the accident, you cannot file for damages.
For example, if you are in a head-on crash and suffer a broken leg and have $10,000 of medical expenses, the other driver’s insurance would pay for your injuries. But if the investigation shows that you were speeding when the head-on occurred, you might be found 50% responsible for the crash. So, your total award would be only $5,000.
5. Car Accident Lawyers:
If you have any questions about a car accident in Oregon and want to file a lawsuit, talk to The Herron Law Firm today.
Contact an Oregon Car Accident Personal Injury Attorney Bart Herron Today
